The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter Foundation

As the largest and most comprehensive animal care and rescue organization in the county, the open-admission Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter serves over 7,000 animals each year (intake is almost 6,000 and outreach programs help another 1,000+).  Government funding is limited, so they depend on the community to sustain their life-saving and pet homelessness prevention programs. With two locations in Santa Cruz and Watsonville, the Shelter budget is underfunded, and Shelter workers are primarily focused on providing care and crisis intervention to the county’s neediest animals. There is no Shelter staff to lead on community partnerships, humane education, or fundraising so this is where the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter Foundation steps in.

The Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter Foundation’s mission is to support the Shelter through education, advocacy and fundraising. It helps to cover the costs for core services such as animal control; licensing and rabies vaccinations; safe housing for strays and surrenders; and intervention in animal abuse cases. As a nonprofit 501(c)3, the Foundation is also proactive in tackling root causes of animal overpopulation and suffering by offering prevention programs, exceptional medical care, humane education and community outreach. The Foundation's key proactive initiatives – spay/neuter clinics, training classes, and public advocacy – help animals and their guardians beyond the Shelter’s doors. These are the preventive programs that are the agents of change and address root causes of animal overpopulation and suffering.  

The Foundation partners with the Shelter to ensure all crucial services continue and grow for pets and their humans. We hope you will join us to provide better care for animals, and create a more compassionate future for all creatures great and small.

Visit the Shelter's website to learn more about its mission and the vital programs this Foundation is working to support!