In an effort to alleviate the financial difficulties some people with pets are facing due to rising costs of animal food and veterinary care, local nonprofit C.A.R.E.4Paws is bringing affordable, mobile veterinary services directly to underserved communities.
In Isla Vista, C.A.R.E.4Paws will co-host an event, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday, March 24, at People’s Park. Also hosting are Isla Vista Recreation & Park District (IVRPD) and the Street Dog Coalition.
C.A.R.E.4Paws’ Mobile Community Medicine & Spay/Neuter Outreach team offers low-cost vaccines, flea treatment, deworming medication, microchips and nail trims for dogs and cats on a walk-in, first-come, first-served basis.
C.A.R.E.4Paws will also perform low-cost spays/neuters and other pre-scheduled medical procedures inside its two mobile units, including a 37-foot clinic.
Thanks to the Central Coast chapter of the Street Dog Coalition, unhoused pet families can receive free wellness services, as well as assistance with pet food. Additionally, Santa Barbara County Animal Services will sell dog licenses.
“For so many people, the companionship of an animal is everything,” said Isabelle Gullö, C.A.R.E.4Paws’ executive director and cofounder. “Pets are family, and we want to provide safety nets that prevent pet homelessness and enhance quality of life for animals and the people who love them.
“Our Central Coast community is wonderful in how everyone comes together to make a difference, like with this joint event in Isla Vista.”
While 70% of American homes have pets, access to basic veterinary services has not kept pace, C.A.R.E.4Paws reports. This is particularly felt in communities that experience challenges beyond cost, including language barriers and a lack of vet clinics and pet stores nearby.
Isla Vista, home to some 16,000 residents, is an unincorporated area with limited resources for pet families, and limited parking can also be a barrier to leaving and seeking out services elsewhere, C.A.R.E.4Paws said.
“IVRPD is proud to support this first-of-its-kind event that will help nurture the unbreakable bond people have for their pets by providing high-quality pet services right here in Isla Vista,” said Kimberly Kiefer, IVRPD general manager.
“Pets play such an important emotional support role in people’s lives, and our vision and hope is that everyone will take this opportunity to give back to their furry loved ones,” she said.
The goal is to host regular partnership events in Isla Vista and, in the future, provide assistance with dog training and socialization, and overall pet-care support, as many IV residents are young students and first-time pet owners.
“As a happy long-time dog mom, I couldn’t be more supportive of this pet wellness clinic,” said Laura Capps, District 2 county supervisor. “My thanks to Isla Vista Recreation & Park District, C.A.R.E.4Paws and the Street Dog Coalition for hosting and making our furry friends’ lives that much happier and healthier.”
For more about C.A.R.E.4Paws’ Mobile Community Medicine & Spay/Neuter Outreach and to make an appointment, visit care4paws.org/clinicservices. For more about C.A.R.E.4Paws, visit care4paws.org.
Learn about IVRPD and the Street Dog Coalition at ivparks.org and thestreetdogcoalition.org.