When most people think about fostering, they picture helping a dog or cat prepare for adoption. Foster homes play an incredibly important role in animal welfare, giving pets a safe place to stay while they wait for a permanent family. Our foster program has a different purpose.

Every day, we meet people facing circumstances they never imagined. A parent escaping domestic violence. Someone recovering from a medical emergency. A family forced to leave home because of housing instability. An individual navigating deportation concerns or another unexpected crisis. In moments like these, one heartbreaking question often stands in the way of getting help:

“What will happen to my pet?”

For many people, the fear of losing a beloved companion is enough to delay seeking shelter, medical care or other critical services. That’s why C.A.R.E.4Paws created the Pet Refuge and expanded our temporary foster network—to remove one more barrier during life’s most difficult moments. Together, these programs provide safe, confidential care for dogs and cats until they can return home.

Some pets do well in emergency boarding, while others need the comfort of a home. That’s where our foster families come in.

Opening your home for a few weeks or months gives a pet the love, companionship and routine they need while their family focuses on healing, finding safety or getting back on their feet. C.A.R.E.4Paws provides supplies, veterinary care and ongoing support throughout every confidential placement, so foster volunteers are never alone.

People often ask our Pet Refuge & Foster Coordinator, Andrea Caplan, why anyone would foster a pet that already has a family and her answer is simple. “You help a family stay together.”

For volunteer Courtney Radis, that mission became deeply personal. “Temporary fostering was a tangible way for my family to help someone outside of ourselves,” she says. “Getting to spend time with the best cats in the whole world until they could be reunited with their owner was even more beautiful than we could have imagined.”

Every reunion reminds us why this program matters. The happiest foster stories aren’t about saying goodbye forever. They’re about opening the front door, watching a tail wag with excitement and seeing a pet run back into the arms of the people who never stopped loving them.

If you’d like to become part of that story, we’d love to hear from you. Foster placements typically last one to three months, and every placement is tailored to the needs of the pet and family.

Just one month after being welcomed into his new home, three-month-old Bubby found himself fighting for his life. When the playful puppy became weak, lethargic and severely ill, his family rushed to seek help and received the devastating diagnosis of parvovirus. Faced with mounting veterinary expenses and already struggling financially, they feared losing the newest member of their family.

Today, we’re thrilled to share that this sweet puppy is doing well and getting back to his crazy puppy antics!

Thanks to so many generous supporters, Bubby’s family did not have to face this emergency alone. We are especially touched by the number of people who responded to our request for $5. Those gifts, combined with larger donations from compassionate supporters, quickly added up to make a real difference.

Bubby’s devoted family, Kevin and Hope, asked us to share this message:

“You helped us so much and we are beyond grateful. You have no idea how much your kindness and support have meant to us. Thank you for giving Bubby a second chance. We are praying for tremendous blessings to come your way.”

Whether you gave $5, $50 or $250, shared his story or kept Bubby in your thoughts, you became part of his journey.

His story is a powerful reminder that no gift is too small. When a caring community comes together, $5 donations become lifesaving medications, diagnostic tests, emergency treatments and second chances.

And Bubby is not the only pet who needs help.

Every week, C.A.R.E.4Paws hears from families experiencing unexpected veterinary emergencies. The Albus Pet Lifeline Fund allows us to say “yes” when urgent calls come in, providing care for pets whose families struggle to afford treatment.

Will you help provide that same second chance to the next pet who needs us?

❤️ Donate to the Albus Pet Lifeline Fund.

❤️ Consider making your gift a monthly donation for pets like Bubby.

Your support does not just help one pet. It ensures that families like Kevin and Hope’s never have to face a veterinary emergency alone.

When C.A.R.E.4Paws launched our first-ever Community Cares Campaign on May 6, the goal was simple: bring people together to help pets and families access the care and support they need before a crisis occurs.

The month-long campaign kicked off on C.A.R.E.4Paws’ 17th anniversary and was fueled by an extraordinary $60,000 matching-gift challenge created during the paddle raise at our annual Happy Tails Celebration & Fundraiser. Throughout May, community members stepped forward to make donations, launch birthday fundraisers, share the campaign with friends and family, and invest in the wellbeing of Central Coast pets and and their people.  

Every act of kindness made this possible

Together, supporters not only met the $60,000 match but exceeded it, generating critical funding that will help C.A.R.E.4Paws expand access to affordable veterinary care, emergency medical assistance, pet food and supplies, temporary boarding/foster care and other essential resources.

“Supporting pets starts with supporting people,” says Isabelle Gullö, C.A.R.E.4Paws’ Executive Director and Cofounder. “Community Cares was created to help ensure that families can access support before challenges become crises. The incredible response to this campaign shows how deeply our community cares about keeping pets healthy, safe and with the people who love them.”

A stronger safety net for Central Coast pet families

Nationally, nearly 20 million pets live in homes facing poverty or limited access to veterinary care. On California’s Central Coast, we see daily how rising housing costs, increasing veterinary expenses and limited transportation options leave many families struggling to access even basic services for their animals.

By removing barriers to care, C.A.R.E.4Paws helps families stay together, reducing stress and hardship while preserving the companionship, stability and emotional support that pets provide during life’s most challenging moments. 

Following the success of the 2026 Community Cares Campain, it will be an annual May event dedicated to expanding access to pet wellness on the Central Coast.

Because every pet deserves a healthy life, and every family deserves the chance to provide it.

“We are truly grateful for the kindness and generosity,” says Gullö. “Every dollar raised makes a pawsitive impact for pet families in need.”

At C.A.R.E.4Paws, we show up where communities need us most. In New Cuyama, a remote rural town with no access to veterinary care or pet food, families face significant barriers when trying to care for their pets. Without transportation or financial means, essential resources are simply out of reach—unless they are brought directly to the community.

For years, C.A.R.E.4Paws has partnered with Santa Barbara County Animal Services to provide pet wellness services in New Cuyama. In the fall of 2025, we were asked to help address a growing population of community cats. Families were doing everything they could, but the need quickly exceeded available resources.

Working together with Animal Services and later ASAP Cats, we began trapping, spaying/neutering and re-releasing community cats. To date, more than 200 cats have been altered, with many of these surgeries made possible thanks to generous support from ResQcats.

To learn more and support our work:

It’s hard to believe it’s already the end of January! As we settle into the new year, there is some truly fantastic news to share regarding the Albus Fund gift match challenge. With amazing community support, we exceeded our goal of $50,000, raising $81,815 to help dogs and cats in need of urgent, lifesaving care. WOW and thank you!

An extra special thanks goes to Andrew and Kendra Feshbach for inspiring the Albus Fund and for making this annual donation match possible.

Making an impact in the face of rising costs

As vet costs keep increasing, your generosity and compassion make a big impact for those who otherwise have nowhere to turn. Like Bear’s family. Cute puppy Bear accidentally swallowed a fishhook and was in very critical condition.

Thanks to emergency funding from our Albus Fund and the skills of Dr. O’Hara at Beach Cities Veterinary, Bear was able to receive the urgent surgery needed to save his life. Bear’s people are incredibly thankful for the assistance, as is everyone on the C.A.R.E.4Paws team. For us, having this funding means we can prevent suffering and continue to say yes to helping beloved pets like Bear.

Share in the joy of more “happy tails”

We invite you to celebrate these wonderful outcomes with us. We share more “happy tail” stories on our Albus Fund page, where you can see the direct results of your kindness in action. Every success story is a reminder of our incredible community. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions about the fund and/or C.A.R.E.4Paws. We love hearing from you and sharing more about the work we do together to keep pet families together for life.

Learn more about the Albus Fund’s incredible impact in our inspiring video.

“The cost of urgent veterinary services is out of reach for a growing number of pet families,” says Gullö.   “The Albus Fund match is an incredible opportunity to be there for pets when their people have nowhere else to turn, helping to ensure that animals get the treatment they deserve and families receive the support they desperately need.”

This fall, Nicole feared she’d lose her senior pup, Jax. A painful tooth abscess left him unable to eat or walk, and the $6,000 surgery quote Nicole had received from her vet was impossible. That’s when C.A.R.E.4Paws’ Albus Fund stepped in. Our mobile clinic team eased his pain, started treatment and coordinated discounted surgery with a vet partner. Today, Jax is “running around like a puppy again,” says Nicole.

Created in 2023 with local animal lovers Andrew and Kendra Feshbach and Advanced Veterinary Specialists (AVS), the Albus Fund ensures pets receive lifesaving care when families cannot afford it  working with C.A.R.E.4Paws’ many partner veterinary clinics. This holiday season, for the third year, the Feshbachs invite the community to join a $25,000 matching gift challenge to support the Albus Fund. All donations up to $25,000 will be matched, dollar for dollar, preventing suffering, saving lives and keeping pets healthy and with their people.

Learn more about the Albus Fund’s incredible impact in our inspiring video.

“The cost of urgent veterinary services is out of reach for a growing number of pet families,” says Gullö.   “The Albus Fund match is an incredible opportunity to be there for pets when their people have nowhere else to turn, helping to ensure that animals get the treatment they deserve and families receive the support they desperately need.”

As thousands of Central Coast families struggle to make ends meet, many are fighting to keep their beloved pets fed, healthy and home. To provide urgently needed support, C.A.R.E.4Paws hosted its Howliday Donation Drive-Thru on December 6. Community members dropped off a whole ton of dog and cat food as well as monetary gifts at donation sites in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo (SLO) counties, including Santa Barbara’s Earl Warren Showgrounds, La Cumbre Feed, Dr. Greenthumb’s Dispensary, Klondike Pizza in Santa Maria and Arroyo Grande, Edwards Barn and Creekside Pet Boarding in Arroyo Grande.

And the drive for pet food continued through the month and beyond! Anytime of the year—donation drop-off sites are available at multiple partner locations across Santa Barbara and SLO counties. A full list is available at care4paws.org/drive, where you can also find options to donate funds and contribute food through C.A.R.E.4Paws’ Chewy and Amazon Wish Lists.

A safety net for pet families

“Right now, so many of our neighbors are facing impossible choices, and pets often feel the impact,” says executive director and cofounder Isabelle Gullö. “When families don’t have enough resources, animals are at greater risk of being surrendered to already overwhelmed shelters. C.A.R.E.4Paws is here to prevent that, and we simply can’t do our work without the generosity of this community.”

Most of the food is distributed through Pet Resource Centers co-operated with several animal and human welfare partners, such as Santa Barbara County Animal Services’ (SBCAS), ASAP Cats, Santa Barbara Rescue Mission, People Helping People in Solvang, and 5Cities Homeless Coalition. Food is also provided to pet families staying at Good Samaritan Shelter locations and during weekly community events at Santa Barbara’s Alameda Park and the Santa Maria riverbed. In fact, this Thanksgiving, C.A.R.E.4Paws and partners like Community Action Partnership of SLO County (CAPSLO) shared meals and supplies with families in the riverbed.

To learn more and support the food drive, go to our Donation Drive page.