A Central Coast nonprofit dedicated to helping pets and their owners facing financial challenges will host an event in Santa Maria on Saturday to collect donated dog and cat food and adopt homeless animals.
CARE4Paws will be hosting their Drive-Thru & Home donation for the Holiday Adoption Festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Santa Maria Elks Lodge, 1309 N. Bradley Road.
The organization will be hosting a similar event at the same time at Earl Warren Showgrounds in Santa Barbara.
Supporters can drop off dog and cat food as well as cash donations to support the organization’s response services, said Isabelle Gullo, co-founder and executive director of CARE4Paws.
Gullo noted that life was difficult for thousands of pet families in Santa Barbara County before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and now, 20 months later, at least 8,000 families in the county. live below the poverty line.
“When people live in poverty, so do their animals,” said Gullo, noting that on average 65% of families have at least one pet.
She said that since the start of the pandemic, the number of pet families supported by CARE4Paws has grown to more than 20,000 per year.
“Pets are part of the family and people should never be forced to choose between caring for their four-legged family members and taking care of themselves,” she said.
To alleviate this problem, she said her organization is partnering with animal and human welfare organizations and, with the help of community donations, they are creating a safety net to help keep people and animals together. .
But as the economy slowly returns to normal, some pets find themselves homeless for the second time.
At the start of the pandemic, many people had to stay at home in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19, and many of those people adopted dogs and cats from local shelters to help them.
But now, as people return to their workplaces, many of these animals are being sent back to shelters again, Gullo said, prompting CARE4Paws to add animal adoption to the donation campaign. of Saturday.
In addition to dropping off donations, people can park to visit adoptable pets from groups such as ASAP, the Animal Shelter Assistance Program; Santa Ynez Valley Humane Society in partnership with DAWG, the Dog Adoption Welfare Group; and BUNS, the organization for rabbits in urgent need of shelter.
Other groups offering adoptable pets include Spark Rescue, Aussie Rescue Networking Group and Santa Barbara Humane, Gullo said.
Family photos with Santa Claus will be available from CARE4Paws, with proceeds going to their programs, and free photos will be given to anyone who adopts a pet during the festival, she said.
For the past 12 years, CARE4Paws has provided access to veterinary care, spaying and neutering services, pet food and supplies to low-income and needy pet owners.
In 2021 alone, the organization’s Mobile Community Medicine & Spay / Neuter Outreach team will modify and provide medical treatment to more than 4,000 pets for free or at low cost, Gullo said.
Its companion animal assistance program distributes several tons of pet food weekly throughout the county through the mobile clinic and distribution events with the Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez County Food Bank. Valley People Helping People.
Pet food is also delivered directly to homebound seniors, senior centers, and low-income housing and, along with pet supplies, is provided at several pet resource centers across the country. company co-hosted by agencies such as Santa Barbara County Animal Services, Santa Barbara Rescue Mission, People Helping People and Good Samaritan Shelters.
Photos: CARE4Paws Helps Pet Owners Cope With Covid-19 Financial Hardships
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Dogs line up for veterinary services on Wednesday at the CARE4Paws mobile clinic event parked at Eagles Lodge in Santa Maria.
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Pet owners socially wait in line with animals at the CARE4Paws mobile clinic for veterinary services and assistance with pet food in September in Santa Maria. The nonprofit was distributing about 100 times more food this year than last year to help pet owners strapped for financial resources due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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CARE4Paws on Wednesday distributed pet food and veterinary services at its mobile clinic outside the Eagles Lodge in Santa Maria.
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Inside the CARE4Paws mobile clinic on Wednesday in Santa Maria, a mix of beagle boxers are prepared for sterilization. The nonprofit has budgeted 1,400 such surgeries this year, but the financial impact of COVID-19 on pet owners is expected to increase that number to 1,900 this year.
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Miriam Torres holds Casper, 10 weeks old, a Portuguese podengo brought to the CARE4Paws mobile clinic in Santa Maria for his second round of vaccinations on Wednesday. The organization planned to care for 1,200 pets this year, but COVID-19 is pushing that number to 1,700.
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A pet owner holds his cat as he receives veterinary services at the CARE4Paws mobile clinic Wednesday in Santa Maria. COVID-19 has increased the number of residents of Santa Barbara County seeking free, low-cost care from the organization by 41% this year.
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Levi, an 18-month-old bull terrier, waits to be vaccinated Wednesday at the CARE4Paws mobile clinic at the Eagles Lodge in Santa Maria. In addition to veterinary services, which include spaying and neutering, the nonprofit organization also offers pet owners assistance in feeding their animals.
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On Wednesday, inside the CARE4Paws mobile clinic stationed at Eagles Lodge in Santa Maria, a mix of beagle boxers receive oxygen before being sterilized. The organization’s request for help with the cost of pet sterilization has increased by 35% due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Greg Miranda from Los Alamos brings his husky rescue Mamas to the CARE4Paws mobile clinic for immunizations Wednesday at Eagles Lodge in Santa Maria. In addition to medical care, the organization has distributed pet food to help those who are strapped for cash due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Anezka Jahner, a volunteer from Santa Barbara, helps distribute pet food donations Wednesday at the CARE4Paws mobile clinic at Eagles Lodge in Santa Maria. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased demand for pet food aid nearly 100 times compared to last year.