November was a busy month for Santa Barbara County Animal Services, taking in 117 more pets in need than the same time last year, 334 pets total.
This past week alone, the SBCAS shelters took in 87 pets, and on Friday, December 2 there were no vacant kennels to house new strays. SBCAS leadership alerted the community, and over the weekend, 33 pets went into homes.
SBCAS director Sarah Aguilar said in a press release, “The high volume of pets in need that we are seeing right now is something that we haven’t seen in years." "The outpouring of support indicates just how much Santa Barbara County cares about our pets."
Santa Barbara County Animal Services takes in about 5,000 pets annually across two shelter locations:
- North County: 548 W Foster Rd, Santa Maria
- South County: 5473 Overpass Rd, Goleta
Along with foster caregivers and adopters who provide support, the volunteer program at SBCAS has bloomed significantly over the past few months.
Between the two SBCAS shelters, volunteers donated over 1300 hours of their time in November, assisting with basics like cleaning, but also ensuring that each pet has the best experience they can while in a shelter.
To learn more about pet adoption, and fostering, or to become a volunteer, click here.
