The Santa Barbara County Animal Care Foundation (SBCACF) has been awarded a Pathways Home Grant from The Grey Muzzle Organization, a national nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of senior dogs.
SBCACF is one of 31 organizations across 20 states selected to receive a Pathways Home Grant this year, part of Grey Muzzle’s $1,186,142 investment in senior dog programs nationwide for 2026.
The grant will support SBCACF’s work in collaboration with Santa Barbara County Animal Services to reduce barriers that keep senior dogs from finding homes.
Funding will go toward targeted outreach and adoption engagement strategies designed to ease the uncertainty that often leads to fewer placements for older dogs in the shelter system.
At the same time, the organizations will strengthen hospice and long-term foster pathways for senior dogs who are not immediate adoption candidates, ensuring they still receive comfort, care and dignity.
In total, the program is projected to serve 262 senior dogs in the Santa Barbara County community.
“We are thrilled to support programs that deliver immediate care while also establishing scalable best practices to strengthen senior dog initiatives nationwide,” said Emily Grossheider, executive director of The Grey Muzzle Organization
“Senior dogs are among the most vulnerable in our communities, yet they have tremendous capacity for love and companionship,” she said. “Our grants help organizations like the Santa Barbara County Animal Care Foundation provide the medical support, foster care, and adoption services needed to give these dogs a real second chance.”
“Senior dogs are often the last to be noticed and the first to be overlooked in a shelter environment, but they have so much love left to give,” said Linda Greco, board president of the Santa Barbara County Animal Care Foundation.
“Thanks to this generous support from The Grey Muzzle Organization, we can introduce more senior dogs to families in our community and give them the safe, loving futures they deserve, whether that’s a forever home, a foster placement, or compassionate hospice care,” Greco said.
The Santa Barbara County Animal Care Foundation is a nonprofit group that works to provide a lifeline to save the lives of shelter animals in Santa Barbara County. Learn more at www.sbcanimalcare.org.
The Grey Muzzle Organization is a 501(c)(3) national nonprofit dedicated to saving and improving the lives of at-risk senior dogs. Since 2008, Grey Muzzle has provided $8.3 million to animal shelters, rescue groups, and sanctuaries across the country to give older dogs a second chance.
To learn more or support the mission, visit www.greymuzzle.org.
