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.