Our Mission & Vision
C.A.R.E.4Paws is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the mission to reduce pet overpopulation and improve pet family welfare on California’s Central Coast.
Since 2009, we have worked to keep pets healthy, safe and with the people who love them by expanding access to affordable veterinary care and essential pet support services.
Keeping Pet Families Together
C.A.R.E.4Paws works in underserved communities throughout Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, helping keep pets healthy, out of shelters and with the people who love them. We believe that supporting pets starts with supporting people, which is why we provide affordable veterinary care and essential resources to low-income, senior, disabled, unhoused and other families facing hardship.
Today, C.A.R.E.4Paws assists more than 25,000 pets and pet families annually through a comprehensive network of programs and services, including:
• Low-cost vaccines, microchips and preventative care for dogs and cats.
• Affordable spay/neuter surgeries and medical services through our mobile veterinary clinics.
• Emergency medical assistance through our Veterinary Partner Services program.
• Pet food and supplies distributed through outreach efforts and Pet Resource Centers.
• Safe Haven and Pet Refuge services for survivors of domestic violence and families facing hospitalization, housing instability and other crises.
• Support for unhoused pet families, including food, supplies and connections to veterinary care.
• Humane education through our Paws Up For Pets program.
By addressing both pet and human needs, C.A.R.E.4Paws helps strengthen families, improve animal welfare and create healthier communities across the Central Coast.
How it All Started
C.A.R.E.4Paws was founded in 2009 with the goal of preventing dogs and cats from ending up in shelters and improving quality of life for pet families in need.
Our founders began as volunteers with Santa Barbara County Animal Services, where they witnessed firsthand the heartbreaking number of animals entering local shelters. Pet overpopulation was one of the largest contributors to the problem, but it was far from the only one. Families were also struggling with the cost of veterinary care, access to pet food, behavioral challenges, transportation barriers and other obstacles that made it difficult to keep their pets healthy and at home.
What if, instead of waiting for pets to enter shelters, we met families where they were and provided support before a crisis occurred?
That question became the foundation of C.A.R.E.4Paws.
From the beginning, C.A.R.E.4Paws took a comprehensive approach. Alongside free and low-cost spay/neuter services, we offered pet food assistance, dog training classes, veterinary support and other resources designed to address the root causes of pet homelessness.
Over the past 17 years, that vision has evolved into a robust safety net of programs serving communities throughout Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Today, C.A.R.E.4Paws provides mobile veterinary care, emergency medical assistance, pet food and supplies, support for unhoused pet families, Safe Haven for domestic violence survivors, Pet Refuge services, humane education and much more.
While our programs have expanded, our mission remains the same: to keep pets healthy, safe and with the people who love them. We believe that supporting pets starts with supporting people.
