Our C.A.R.E.4Paws & Pours event at Bien Nacido Estate in Santa Maria was such a success and heartwarming friendraiser! Big thanks to everyone who joined us to sip, snack and support local pet families and our Pet Refuge project. We are truly grateful for the generous donations received—including a $5,000 gift from CoastHills Credit Union.

A special shoutout to Bien Nacido for hosting our event and for donating 10% of weekend proceeds to C.A.R.E.4Paws. Another heartfelt thanks to Klondike Pizza for the gourmet veggie pizza spread provided at an incredible discount. We are in awe of our community’s support for C.A.R.E.4Paws’ programs, all aimed at keeping pets healthy, safe and with the families who love them. 💕

If you could not make it but would like to learn more about, and contribute to, our Pet Refuge, please visit care4paws.org/petrefuge/. We are only $60,000 away from our fundraising goal for the refuge facility and adjoining play yard!

We are hosting a series of Spayathons this fall with matching gift opportunities, and we invite the community to sponsor spay/neuter surgeries. We have received $20,000 from the John J. and Frank Sparacio Foundation and $5,000 from ResQcats (for feline surgeries)—which means your donations go twice as far to reduce pet overpopulation and improve animal welfare!

We hosted a successful Spayathon & Pet Wellness Clinic on August 17 with Santa Barbara County Animal Services at the Santa Maria County shelter. With four vet teams, dedicated clinic crews and many amazing volunteers, we provided 78 spay/neuter surgeries and cared for 83 dogs and cats with walk-in services of vaccines, nail trims, free microchips and more. What a team effort! Big thanks to everyone who contributed, all the pet families who came out, and to Kenji Photography and Andrea Miller for the pawsome photos! 🐾 Our next big Spayathon will be in Paso Robles on September 21 in partnership with SLO County Animal Services.

C.A.R.E.4Paws celebrates our second year of working in Oceano, made possible thanks to our pawsome partnership with PetSmart Charities! Since August 2023, we have brought our mobile clinics to Oceano regularly to ensure pets have access to care. We also collaborate with SLO Food Bank to distribute pet food to those in need.

Our Oceano pet wellness clinics are held on the first Sunday of each month at the Oceano Community Services District (1655 Front Street) and offer vaccines, flea treatments, dewormer, microchips and nail trims for cats and dogs. Spays and neuters, as well as medical care, are available by appointment.

A big thanks to PetSmart Charities for the support and to our clinic and volunteer team for your hard work!

Access to Care Photo Gallery

Collars and pet tags are a pet’s first ticket home, but if they fall off, a microchip provides an extra level of protection. A chip is the size of a grain of rice that gets implanted beneath your pet’s skin, similar to a vaccination. Each chip has its own unique number (think of it as your pet’s social security number). When scanned at an animal shelter or veterinary clinic, the chip reveals your contact information so your pet can be returned to you as quickly as possible. The chip is not the same as a GPS device that tracks your pet.

Beyond our free chip campaign in June, C.A.R.E.4Paws offers microchipping year-round and registers the chip for you. The cost is $15 during regular events and free in Lompoc to residents thanks to CAPA. Chips are also free during many special events with SBCAS and SLOCAS.

This 4th of July holiday, in addition to ensuring your pet is chipped and wears an ID tag, check your fencing and gates and, if you can, keep your four-legged family members inside. Always make sure your pet’s microchip information is up to date with your current phone number, email and address.

We want pets to stay safe and with their families for life. Sponsor a pet’s microchip!

On May 4, 2025, we hosted our annual Happy Tails Celebration & Fundraiser at the Cabrillo Pavilion in Santa Barbara, supporting pet families on the Central Coast. The event was a heartfelt gathering that showcased our organization’s impactful work and the deep connections forged within the community.

The evening was filled with warmth and generosity, raising more than $250,000 for our programs, a big record compared to previous years. These funds are pivotal in sustaining programs that provide essential services, such as spay/neuter surgeries, veterinary care, vaccines, pet food and supplies to families in need. 

Join us on Sunday, May 4, for our Happy Tails Celebration & Fundraiser 2025 at Santa Barbara’s Cabrillo Pavilion, 4pm to 7pm. The event celebrates the pawsitive outcomes from our community work and heartfelt stories from the families we assist. Enjoy wine, beer, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on the oceanfront terrace, a delicious dinner by Whiskey ‘N Rye, and curated live and silent auctions. Please spread the pawsitive news! Sponsorship opportunities are available.