With Thanksgiving tomorrow and Giving Tuesday just ahead, this moment invites us to slow down, reflect, and appreciate the generosity that strengthens our community.
Santa Barbara County is full of nonprofits doing remarkable work year-round, and the holiday season reminds us how even the simplest act of kindness can spark meaningful change.
At Noozhawk, we’re honored to highlight these organizations in our Good for Santa Barbara County nonprofit section, helping readers connect with causes that inspire them.
We encourage you to explore our Giving Guide and consider supporting neighbors who may need a little extra care during this time of gratitude.
In this interview, Noozhawk spoke with Tanner Tait, Marketing and Development Coordinator at ASAP Cats, to learn more about the nonprofit’s mission to provide shelter, veterinary care, behavioral support, adopter and foster services, feline education, and community outreach.
ASAP Cats
Question: What is the name of your nonprofit, and what is its mission?
Answer: The mission of Animal Shelter Assistance Program (ASAP Cats) is to save the lives of cats in Santa Barbara County by providing shelter, veterinary care, behavioral support, adoption and foster services, education, and community outreach.
Q: How long has your organization been serving the community, and who founded it?
A: ASAP Cats was founded in 1989 as a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of cats in Santa Barbara County.
Originally established as a volunteer-run group to support Santa Barbara County Animal Services, ASAP Cats evolved into a leading feline rescue and adoption organization.
We operate an innovative shelter on the county’s campus in Goleta, focusing on high-quality care, medical treatment, and adoption services for nearly 1,300 cats annually.
Q: What motivated the creation of your nonprofit?
A: ASAP Cats was founded to address serious feline welfare issues, particularly the high euthanasia rate in Santa Barbara County, where 4,500 cats and kittens were being euthanized annually.
Within a year, ASAP Cats’ dedicated founding donors and volunteers reduced the number of adoptable cats being euthanized to zero.
Q: How is your nonprofit primarily funded, and what are its biggest needs right now?
A: Primarily funded by donations from the generosity of our supporters, ASAP relies on the support and good will of our community. Grant funding is becoming increasingly competitive, so ASAP regularly holds fundraising campaigns to keep ASAP’s operations afloat.
In addition to always needing fosters and adopters who are ready to open their homes to needy cats, ASAP is looking to expand its Wellness Program, allowing us to save more lives with new equipment and, one day, a larger surgery suite for our Wellness staff to utilize.
Q: What types of events or programs do you run to engage your community and raise funds?
A: In addition to our yearly fundraising gala (Basil’s Big Bash) responsible for funding over 15% of our annual operating costs, ASAP holds monthly adoption events & yard sales to fundraise while helping cats find their forever home.
Visitors are given the opportunity to interact with cats, hopefully make a connection, and browse through a selection of gently-loved items and hidden treasures — all in one morning!
Q: How is your team structured? Have there been any major changes in your operations since you started?
A: Starting out initially as a team of volunteers, our organization has grown over the years. We care for over 1,300 cats and kittens annually, supported by eight full-time and one part-time employees, over 200 volunteers, as well as five volunteer Program Directors (when filled) who oversee key initiatives such as Feline Behavior, Community Cats, and Working Cats.
Recognizing the growing scope of its programs, ASAP transitioned from being entirely volunteer-run to a hybrid model combining professional expertise with community-based leadership.
Today, ASAP’s team includes an Executive Director, Shelter Operations Supervisor, Volunteer Coordinator, Registered Veterinary Technician, two Veterinary Assistants, an Administrative Specialist, and a Marketing & Development Coordinator.
Q: How can people get involved with your nonprofit or volunteer?
A: ASAP is made up mostly of cat-loving volunteers with big hearts and a drive to care for animals! To join our mission and start working with needy kitties, we ask any potential volunteers to visit our website at www.asapcats.org/volunteer/
We additionally have plenty of foster opportunities available for those who would rather open their homes to a cat for a short- or long-term foster. To learn more about fostering, visit our website.
Q: What sets your nonprofit apart from similar organizations?
A: ASAP Cats is the only open-intake municipal partner for cats in Santa Barbara County, California, serving both suburban and rural communities.
For more than 35 years, we have led the region’s feline lifesaving efforts, maintaining a 94% or higher live release rate while taking in every cat—regardless of age, health, or temperament.
We are currently one of the few shelters in Santa Barbara County accepting owner-surrendered cats, making it a critical resource for community members facing eviction, illness, or economic hardship.
Though Santa Barbara County has an extensive network of animal shelters (several of which we are partnered with) nearly all owner-surrender cases are being directed to ASAP as the premier shelter to offer this resource.
By offering humane alternatives to abandonment, ASAP provides safety for both animals and the people who care for them. Through our Community Cats Program, ASAP also serves as the countywide hub for spay/neuter and outdoor cat management following our merger with Catalyst for Cats.
This integration brought together decades of experience in trapping, medical care, and outreach—creating a single, coordinated system to serve every region of the county.
Q: How do you share your nonprofit’s impact and updates with the public?
A: In addition to our yearly Impact Report and regular messaging through social media and emailing, we release a newsletter called “CatNips” three times a year, covering everything from adoption updates, medical stories, volunteer interviews, and all the “Behind the Scenes” content of our little purple cat shelter.
This free newsletter is mailed to friends and supporters and is additionally emailed as a digital version upon publishing. To join our mailing list, click “Join our mailing list” at the bottom of our website, or visit www.shorturl.at/TyqtB.
Q: Can you highlight one immediate goal and one long-term vision your nonprofit aims to achieve in the next year?
A: ASAP provides comprehensive medical and behavioral care for more than 1,300 cats annually, including spay/neuter, diagnostics, vaccinations, and treatment for complex medical conditions such as FIP, diabetes, and FIV/FeLV.
Our veterinary team delivers a level of care uncommon in most shelter environments, maintaining a live release rate above 94%.
We are looking to increase funding for our Wellness Program to sustain daily medical operations, expand surgical capacity, and ensure every cat—regardless of age or condition—receives the care it deserves.
In the immediate future, we are looking to raise funds for new surgical equipment, including a new dental unit for our Mobile Spay/Neuter Care Unit.
In the long term, we would like to expand our surgical suite and bolster our Wellness Program to continue saving lives.
Click here to support ASAP Cat’s mission to provide shelter, veterinary care, behavioral support, adopter and foster services, feline education, and community outreach.
Check out Noozhawk’s Guide to Giving for a full list of nonprofits to donate to this giving season.
If you would like to include your nonprofit in our Good for Santa Barbara section and Giving Guide click HERE.