As the largest and most comprehensive animal care and rescue organization in the county, the open-admission Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter takes in about 6,600 animals each year. Government funding is limited, so we depend on our community to sustain our life-saving and pet homelessness prevention programs. With two locations in Santa Cruz and Watsonville, the Shelter partners with our nonprofit, the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter Foundation, to ensure these crucial services continue and grow.
The Foundation’s mission is to support the Shelter through fundraising, education and advocacy. 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. 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.
