VCCF besøger CARL's Pet Center

by Lauren Graf

The Ventura County Community Foundation recently had the opportunity to visit CARL’s Pet Care Center in Santa Paula as part of the foundation’s site visits for its Animal Welfare Fund. The Canine Adoption Rescue League, which manages the center, is an all-breed, no-kill dog rescue and adoption nonprofit, and its mission is to advocate for animal welfare, seeking to end the needless deaths of companion animals through their adoption, education, and outreach programs. Since 1996, CARL has rescued and placed thousands of unwanted, sick, abandoned, and homeless dogs.

The Pet Care Center is a dog and cat boarding facility for local pets, adjacent to the Burnice Kraemer Sanctuary, which is charitably supported by the funds from the Care Center’s services. The dogs at the sanctuary are rescues, 80 percent of whom were rescued from being put down at other shelters. This two-acre property, open since 2005, includes a 2,400 square feet on-site residence, on- and off-leash play and exercise yards, grooming facilities and much more. The center is operated mainly by volunteers and some staff members, funded by donations. Volunteers range from daily dog walkers to local Girl Scouts who read to the dogs once a month. When it comes to donation needs, CARL would like to pay specialized trainers who have experience with socializing dogs together during play and group time. CARL also takes care of all medical treatment for these dogs to provide care until they find a home, covering the expenses for their procedures or working with Ohana Pet Hospital to provide no-charge examinations, another need covered through donations.

With the pandemic forcing many kennels to shut down, CARL has helped by taking in the dogs from those shuttered organizations. CARL currently has 46 dogs available for adoption, many of whom would likely not be adopted at other shelters due to age, medical issues, and other factors. Such dogs include a Boxer/Siberian Husky mix “Leche,” a stray found with an injured leg; a Chihuahua mix pup “Ralph,” rescued from a single-family home with 15 other dogs; to a handsome fluffy Chow Chow “Smokey,” brought over from a Los Angeles animal shelter. Thirty-six of these dogs are fostered, with 21 available for adoption at the sanctuary. CARL conducts screenings to ensure the dogs are going to loving and committed homes, and if a family discovers they aren’t equipped to care for their new pet, CARL will gladly bring the dogs back to their shelter until they find the perfect home for them.

If you would like to learn more, donate, volunteer, or become a foster for these lovable dogs, you can do so by visiting their website.