Santa Barbara County Animal Services (SBCAS) is asking people in the community to help find temporary or permanent homes for an estimated 50 dogs from August 27 to September 30, while two county shelters are undergoing major improvements.
The Lompoc Animal Shelter is receiving a much-anticipated makeover, including a fresh coat of paint to create a brighter, more inviting environment for both pets and visitors. During the renovation period, the shelter will temporarily reduce its capacity to 20 dogs to maintain safety and minimize stress for the animals.
Thanks to a grant from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, in collaboration with the Santa Barbara County Animal Care Foundation (SBCACF), the play yards at the Santa Barbara Animal Shelter will soon be transformed into more functional, enriching spaces for dogs, while also creating a more welcoming and comfortable environment for visitors. County officials say this project will increase playgroup opportunities, reduce stress, and allow dogs to better showcase their personalities to potential adopters. During construction, the shelter will temporarily limit its capacity to 30 dogs to ensure safety and minimize disruption.
To help make these improvements possible, SBCAS is looking for foster families and adopters to take dogs during this transitional period. Shelter officials say fostering offers dogs a caring, low-stress environment and helps free up shelter space for ongoing construction and the arrival of new animals in need.
For people who are interested in fostering or adopting, the following shelters have dogs available:
- Santa Maria Animal Center: 548 W. Foster Road, Santa Maria
- Lompoc Animal Center: 1501 W. Central Avenue, Lompoc
- Santa Barbara Animal Center: 5473 Overpass Road, Santa Barbara
