A compassionate presence in the community since 1955

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We are the VOICE

for CatsDogsRabbits

(and the people who love them)

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SoCal Counties Served
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Years Improving Lives
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Hotline Calls Each Year

Welcome

Every year, tens of thousands of healthy cats and kittens, dogs and puppies, are killed in California’s shelters, simply because they cannot find homes. Countless others are neglected or abandoned on the streets and die of injury or starvation. These are sweet, innocent animals, just like your family pets. They want to love, and they want to be loved. Yet here in Southern California the statistics are chilling: Only 1 out of 8 dogs born will ever find a permanent home. Only 1 out of 10 cats will be that fortunate.

Why is this happening?

Cats and dogs reproduce very quickly, and their young are able to have babies while they are still babies themselves. For example, a female cat can become pregnant at just 4 months of age. Four months after that, while she is raising her second litter, each of her daughters can have a litter of her own, and so on. That’s how one pair of cats and their offspring can result in 420,000 cats in just 7 years.

Dogs begin reproducing at 6 months of age, and can have two litters a year. With larger breeds, litters of 12 or more puppies are not uncommon. Even with average size litters of just 6, one pair of dogs and their offspring can result in 67,000 dogs in just 6 years.

There are an estimated 3-4 MILLION cats and dogs KILLED in animal shelters every year, most simply for want of homes, yet we continue to produce more than 70,000 additional kittens and puppies EACH DAY. Even if you think you have homes lined up for your kittens or puppies, there is no guarantee that people will actually want them once they are born, or that they will care for them for their entire lives. Worse still, other kittens or puppies who are already here, waiting for homes, will lose their lives because you took their homes.

Our Mission

Pet Assistance Foundation is devoted to curtailing pet overpopulation, and to strengthening the human-animal bond by teaching compassion and responsible care of our fellow sentient beings.

Sterilization

The backbone of our efforts is our system of Spay/Neuter Hotlines, paired with local resources to get it done. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to find affordable resources for these services. People need our help, and we need your help.

Education

Our volunteers interact with Southern California residents daily through our hotlines, online presence, and adoption programs. We are developing school programs as well. The more people know about pet issues and needs, the better decisions they can make for their pets and their families.

Legislation

Across the country, concerned animal advocates are adopting laws and policies to support responsible pet guardianship and fight pet overpopulation. We help lead these efforts in Southern California. We also monitor government policy actions that negatively impact animals, and speak up for those who otherwise have no voice.

Imagine

…a world where every companion animal born is valued, loved, and protected throughout its life.

that is our vision

Our On-Going Efforts

Can we stop pet overpopulation?

Yes, we can! There are simple procedures available for both male and female pets—neuter and spay surgeries – that will prevent them from ever having a litter. There are other benefits, too! Eliminating mating drives and behaviors makes our animals better pets, more relaxed and focused on their families. They also prevent or greatly lower the risk of reproductive cancers and infections, eliminate heat cycles, reduce the urge to roam and spray, and curb certain types of male aggression, without diminishing protective instincts or abilities.

In our sixty-plus years of pioneering work in animal welfare, we have learned that three key elements are needed to end the massive slaughter of healthy, loving, adoptable animals:

Low Cost Sterilization

Our hotline facilitates the spaying or neutering of thousands of dogs, cats and rabbits in Southern California each year. Depending on need and the programs available, we:

  • Refer callers to vets who offer special low pricing to our clients.
  • Provide information on coupons or vouchers offered by the city or county.
  • Provide information on special programs from other humane societies.
  • Give subsidies to pet guardians who demonstrate financial need.
  • Sponsor mobile spay/neuter clinics in underserved areas.
  • Advocate for allocating municipal funds into spay/neuter programs.

Education

People aren’t always aware of the enormity of the problem. Every litter adds to the surplus, every puppy and kitten counts. PAF volunteers interact with Southern California residents on a daily basis through our hotlines, online presence, and adoption programs. We have also sponsored teacher training in humane education approaches and techniques, and provided humane education presentations in Los Angeles schools, a practice we plan to expand in the future.

Legislation

Across the country, concerned animal advocates are adopting laws and policies to support responsible pet guardianship and fight pet overpopulation. The issues can be complex and are often vehemently opposed by those who profit from breeding, but they are becoming increasingly accepted because THEY MAKE A DIFFERENCE. While concerned pet owners will do the right thing without legislation, the irresponsible and uncaring will not. Good legislation provides the tools needed to stop the excessive breeding of pets that no community can support. Pet Assistance President Wendy Aragon has consulted on the design of numerous Southern California ordinances targeting pet overpopulation, and PAF works hard to get them passed. Be sure to sign up for our e-blasts to be notified of pending legislation that needs your support.

Adoptions

Our Long Beach and South Bay Branches host adoption events in several local Petco stores.

Please note, we do not have a shelter, and rely on foster homes and limited cage space in Petco stores. For that reason, we generally cannot take relinquished pets.

Advocacy

Animal welfare issues are increasingly political and controversial. Certain movements have branded themselves as heroes, while demonizing shelters and monopolizing funding. Over PAF’s long history we have witnessed changes in approaches to animal welfare, and helped to improve them. Combined with our boots on the ground approach and direct contact with the communities we serve, our experience enables us to provide a clear and honest picture of what is happening in our streets and shelters–what is helping, and what is hurting.

help unwanted pets find comfort and

Sleep Easily

Help us find affordable spay and neuter surgeries for cats, dogs, and rabbits who long to find loving homes where they can live in comfort – and without fear.

Frequently Asked Questions

Click on a question and the answer will appear!

How much will it cost to spay/neuter my pet?

Prices vary greatly, but remember, it is always less expensive to spay one pet than to have to spay and neuter all of her offspring! Check with your vet, and if the price is an obstacle call the PAF hotline. We can refer you to a Southern California veterinarian near you with reduced pricing, inform you of any special programs or incentives in your area, and, in situations of great financial need, provide a stipend.

What if I want to show my children the miracle of birth?

Consider fostering a homeless cat and kittens through a local shelter instead, for an enriching educational experience that will help animals, instead of adding to the problem. Breeding your pet will necessitate the killing of an equal number of kittens or puppies already waiting for homes. Why not teach your children that life is precious by spaying and neutering?

Shouldn’t I let my pet have one litter?

Definitely not. For one thing, every heat cycle brings a significant risk of pregnancy—and first cycles occur as early as four months of age in kittens, six months of age in puppies—dangerously young to have a litter. Spaying before having a single litter greatly reduces the risk of certain cancers. Besides, we already have a staggering surplus of kittens and puppies literally dying for want of homes. Every single litter adds to the problem.

Isn’t it better to leave my pets “natural”?

Our pets are not natural. In nature, predators like canines and felines practice natural population control. They start breeding later than domestic animals, have fewer and smaller litters, do not become pregnant again while still raising young, and, in fact, many individuals never breed at all. The abundance of food readily available to domestic animals has altered these more natural reproductive patterns. Just as the genetic differences we have affected in toy poodles would prevent one from being able to fend for itself in the wilderness, the reproductive differences we have affected would be disastrous to the survival of a wild species and its ecosystem.

Will my male dog no longer be masculine?

Your male dog will still be male, and will retain his masculine nature. If he started out protective and territorial, he will be protective and territorial after neutering, He will, however, be more focused on his human family, instead of feeling driven to run off and start a canine family.

Won’t altering my pet make them get fat?

No. Overeating and inactivity will make your pet fat. Feed pets proper amounts of quality food, and provide adequate exercise.

Can you help me with vaccines for my pets?

We do not subsidize vaccines, however our hotline volunteers can refer you to special programs or low cost vaccine options in you area.

Can you help with emergency medical expenses for my pets?

Unfortunately, we do not currently have funds for emergency medical expenses. Below is a list of some resources that may be able to help you. If they require that your pet be spayed or neutered to receive their services, we may be able to help you with that.

  • Care Credit, offering interest-free credit for veterinary care, 800-677-0718
  • RUFF, 949-480-1092
  • Saddleback Valley Humane/ASPCA, 949-262-5859
  • PAWS LA, for residents of LA City only, 323-464-7297
  • Sam Simon Foundation, 888-364-7729
  • Animal Assistance League of Orange County, 714-893-4393
  • Pet Orphans, 818-901-0190
  • Voice for the Animals, 310-392-5153
  • FACE Foundation, 858-450-3223
I can no longer keep my pet. Can PAF take him/her?

Most likely we cannot. We do not have a shelter, and the animals in our adoption program are kept in private foster homes, or with our adoption partners. Space is severely limited.

If you would like to keep your pet, but behavioral problems are making it difficult, we may be able to help you find training or other solutions that will allow you to keep your family together.

Do you need volunteers?

Yes! There are a variety of volunteer opportunities available and we appreciate all the help we can get!

Apply to be a volunteer now »

Do you have animals available for adoption?

Yes, we do. Thank you for asking! Please see our adoption page for more information.

Do you provide subsidies for spaying and neutering feral cats?

Under certain circumstances yes, we do. We are very aware of the immense suffering abandoned and wild-born domestic cats endure. That said, we have found that the most effective way to apply our funds is to support the spay and neuter of owned animals, with committed caregivers. It is not morally or financially sound to alter animals and release them to fend for themselves without a committed caregiver and a habitat they are welcome in. If you need help with a small number of feral cats in a safe location, and are willing to commit to caring for them throughout their lives, we will assist you. If you are concerned about a large feral population, or feral cats living in a hostile environment, our hotline volunteers can guide you through the available options.

At what age should I alter my pet?

For maximum benefit, a female should be spayed before her first heat, to prevent accidental pregnancy and greatly reduce the risk of certain cancers. A male should be neutered before the onset of puberty, to prevent behaviors such as spraying from developing. Consult your veterinarian for the appropriate age for your pet.

Call for Spay/Neuter Assistance

Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and Orange Counties: 1-877-SPAY PET
or 1-877-772-9738

San Diego County: 1-855-738-7349

Victor Valley: 760-247-5312

ESPAÑOL

Para información o asistencia en español, llame al 1-877-772-9738

Your Donation Makes a Difference

It’s hard to face the realities of pet overpopulation. It hurts. But the only thing worse than seeing the situation clearly, is turning away and not seeing it at all. Because then, there truly is no hope. Help us give animals hope.

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