To share the love and support pet owners in need in Santa Maria Valley on Feb. 14, C.A.R.E.4Paws will host a Furever Valentines Pet Wellness & Adoption Day, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Elwin Mussell Senior Center, 510 Park Ave.
The event will offer affordable mobile services and adoptable dogs from Santa Maria Animal Shelter.
Low-income, senior and homeless community members can receive a range of affordable walk-in services for their dogs and cats in C.A.R.E.4Paws’ mobile clinic, including vaccines, health exams, nail trims, flea treatment, and microchips for $10-$25.
Pet owners can make prior appointments for spays/neuters, dentals, mass removals and other low-cost medical treatments.
The event also presents adoptable dogs from Santa Maria’s County Animal Shelter, dog-license sales through Project PetSafe, and toys and treats from That’s FETCH Pet Bowtique & Grooming SPAW.
The nonprofit C.A.R.E.4Paws (Community Awareness, Responsibility & Education) has for the past 10 years worked to reduce pet overpopulation, keep animals out of shelters and improve quality of life for pets and pet owners in need in Santa Barbara County.
C.A.R.E.4Paws assists more than 6,000 dogs and cats annually through its weekly spay/neuter, vaccine and medical days, plus intervention services such as animal behavioral training and delivery of pet food.
Most services are provided in C.A.R.E.4Paws’ mobile unit, the county’s only such clinic focused on helping low-income pet owners in underserved areas, including Santa Maria Valley, Lompoc, New Cuyama, Santa Barbara’s Eastside and Westside, and Goleta.
“Through our wellness clinics, we’re able to connect and work closely with pet owners in need in the community and give them access to critical and affordable services,” said C.A.R.E.4Paws’ cofounder Carlos Abitia, who heads the mobile clinic and community outreach efforts.
“The goal is to keep pets healthy and with their owners for life, and since our founding in 2009, we’ve not only helped improve animal welfare and change mentalities around pet ownership in our county, but we’ve contributed to a significant drop in the number of animals that end up in shelters,” he said.
C.A.R.E.4Paws aims to collaborate with as many animal and human welfare organizations as possible and is grateful for its partnerships with County Animal Services’ Santa Maria shelter and Project PetSafe as well as the Elwin Mussell Senior Center.
“We’re excited to host an event at this venue and, for the first time, have dogs available for adoption during a wellness clinic,” said Abitia. “It’s through collaborations that we make the greatest impact in our community.”
C.A.R.E.4Paws’ mobile clinic services are funded by supporters such as Santa Barbara Humane Society, Roy & Ida Eagle Foundation, Chrissie’s Fund, Wood-Claeyssens Foundation, Banfield Foundation, PetSmart Charities, Grey Muzzle Organization and private donors.
For more information about C.A.R.E.4Paws and to make an appointment, visit care4paws.org, call 805-968-2273 or email info@care4paws.org.
— Isabelle Gullo for C.A.R.E.4Paws.
