California for All Animals Grants Support Access to Care Collaboration in Kern County
Across California, shelters and communities are faced with unprecedented challenges to accessing essential veterinary care that helps ensure pets spend fewer nights waiting in shelters and more time happy at home. Since its launch in February 2022, California for All Animals has awarded $16.5 million in funding for spay/neuter services and $20 million for programs and services that keep pets and people together. In Kern County, grantees, partner organizations, and community members have joined forces to ensure spay/neuter surgery and vaccinations are available to communities who face the most barriers to accessing the care they need for their pets.
The Kern S.A.F.E. coalition is marking one year in operation this month and includes Almost Eden Rescue, City of Bakersfield Animal Care Center, Emm and Mal’s Animal Sanctuary, Kern County Animal Services, Marley’s Mutts, SOS Dog Rescue, Unity K9 Express Rescue and Outreach, and SNIP Spay and Neuter, a mobile medical unit that provides low-cost sterilization at many of the coalition’s community clinics. The coalition also partners with local human services organizations such as Children’s First.
By connecting pet guardians with spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchips, and other resources via door-to-door canvassing and joint community events, they hope to reverse the trend of healthy animals euthanized in shelters.