This summer, nonprofit C.A.R.E.4Paws celebrates the one-year anniversary of its 37-foot, state-of-the-art mobile veterinary unit, which serves marginalized communities in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. At the same time, the number of pet families turning to the organization for help with affordable wellness services has skyrocketed, a reflection of the rising cost of living and pet care on the Central Coast.
“We receive dozens of calls daily from pet families in need of help,” says Isabelle Gullö, C.A.R.E.4Paws’ executive director and cofounder. “Over the last few years, there’s been a dramatic increase in the number of requests for veterinary assistance as well as pet food and temporary foster homes. These are safety-net services that keep pets with their people.”
Lack of affordability is the main barrier to families seeking out or receiving services for their dogs and cats through a regular veterinary clinic. Recently, the cost of vet care has increased by more than 20% in some locations. C.A.R.E.4Paws, whose mission is to reduce pet overpopulation and improve pet family welfare, launched its new mobile clinic in August 2023 to address the growing demand for affordable care. At that time, the organization’s Mobile Community Medicine & Spay/Neuter Outreach program operated out of two older, 26-foot units and needed a larger, more reliable vehicle in order to increase C.A.R.E.4Paws’ geographical reach and the number of pets served.
The 37-foot clinic, an acquisition made possible thanks to generous individual donors and foundation grants, comes with a double surgery suite, added equipment and ample kennel space to house animals, including more large dogs. The organization operates its vehicles four to five days per week and frequently has two veterinary teams performing spays/neuters and other surgeries simultaneously. At the same time, outside the units, a third team provides low-cost vaccines, flea treatment, nail trims and other basic services during a walk-in Pet Wellness Clinic.
In the first seven months of 2024, C.A.R.E.4Paws’ clinic program has already helped more than 11,000 cats and dogs with low-cost and free wellness services and spays/neuters. To compare, the clinic team assisted 17,500 pets in 2023, 13,000 pets in 2022 and 10,000 in 2021. It’s not unusual for the C.A.R.E.4Paws team to serve 100 to 200 dogs and cats during one clinic day.
“What we love about our mobile clinic program is that it allows us to assist pet families in their neighborhoods, removing challenges that prevent animals from receiving care, like financial limitations, language barriers and transportation issues,” says Gullö.
Laura Leon from SLO County’s city of Oceano is one of many community members who appreciates the affordability and accessibility of C.A.R.E.4Paws’ clinic program. In June, she brought her small terrier mix, Rex, to a clinic for vaccines, a microchip and a teeth cleaning. These services were provided free of charge as part of a generous Access to Care grant from PetSmart Charities, designated specifically for Oceano pet families. “Without C.A.R.E.4Paws, it would be extremely difficult for low-income families like mine to afford veterinary care,” Leon says.
August marks the organization’s one-year anniversary of working in Oceano. It also marks C.A.R.E.4Paws’ 15th year as a nonprofit. Since its founding in 2009, C.A.R.E.4Paws’ goal has been to keep pets healthy, out of shelters and with the people who love them. Beyond mobile clinic services, the organization supports low-income, senior, disabled and unhoused community members with other resources, including help for pet families exposed to domestic violence, assistance with behavioral training and provision of pet food and supplies—a significant amount of it! Since 2020, C.A.R.E.4Paws and its key community partners have distributed 4.5 million pet meals to families struggling financially.
Speaking of pet meals, C.A.R.E.4Paws invites the public to its Donation Drive-Thru & Adoption Event at Deckers Brands alongside Santa Barbara County Animal Services and ASAP Cats on Saturday, August 24, 11am to 2pm. The goal is to raise pet food and monetary gifts toward pet wellness services as well as to inspire forever homes for shelter dogs and cats.
“More than ever, we need the community’s support to keep pet families strong and together and to prevent animals from ending up homeless,” says Gullö. “Adopting from our shelters make a big pawsitive impact too!”
For more information about C.A.R.E.4Paws and to make a donation, visit care4paws.org. To learn more about C.A.R.E.4Paws’ Mobile Community Medicine & Spay/Neuter Outreach, visit care4paws.org/clinicservices. For August 24 donation drive event details, go to care4paws.org/drive.
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