Santa Barbara Humane 2022 Annual Report

ANNUAL REPORT 2022

Your support in action

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

John Corby, Chair

Susan Rodriguez, Vice Chair

Nicole Wichowski, Treasurer

Chad Prentice, Secretary

Steve Golis, Director

Crystal Knepler, Director

Sofia Lariz, Director

Olivia Young, Director

LEADERSHIP

Kerri Burns, CEO

Dr. Katie Marrie, Chief Veterinary Officer

Dori Villalon, Chief Operating Officer

Paige Van Tuyl, Chief Philanthropy Officer

Denyce Gardner, Executive Assistant

Vanessa Lopez, Director of Veterinary Services

Sandy Simmons, Director of Shelter Services, Santa Barbara Campus

Aubree Gonzales, Director of Shelter Services, Santa Maria Campus

Kerri Burns andKali

A LETTER FROM THE CEO

Dear Friends,

Santa Barbara County has the good fortune of being served by incredible non-profit organizations. What makes Santa Barbra Humane stand out in the animal welfare community? That question begs a big, multi-faceted answer, which I will try to summarize.

Our 135-year legacy matters, as animal stewardship has been built into our DNA for generations. In 1887, our founders responded to a need for compassion, humanity, and the humane treatment of pets. They understood that how we treat our animals is a reflection of us as a society.

This remains our calling. Yet, the way we implement our mission continues to expand and evolve to meet the changing needs of the community. Animal welfare is, first, a human issue.

Santa Barbara Humane is a socially conscious shelter, meaning we subscribe to a model for animal welfare organizations based on compassion and transparency. The philosophy has nine key tenets that guide our work each day.

Today, we not only connect animals to loving humans, we keep pets with families. We work to build upon those animal connections through quality veterinary care, which we can make accessible to anyone based on need and/or circumstance. We provide behavioral training, resources, and guidance.

Last year, our veterinary team provided over 46,000 medical services. On average each year, 1,600 animals are adopted into loving homes, and hundreds of dogs receive humane training from certified professionals.

The generosity of donors in our community makes it possible to provide these critical services and resources.

Together, we truly make a difference for animals and families. We are grateful for the human bond we have with you.

Thank you for standing with us,

Kerri Burns CEO

A LETTER FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT

Greetings,

Despite the challenges of the last few years, Santa Barbara Humane has completed our most impactful year in our 135-year history. Last year, Santa Barbara Humane celebrated the adoptions of 1,666 animals, a 32% increase from 2021. We were able to provide free or low-cost veterinary services to more than 4,000 families, a 78% increase from the year before. These tangible increases show us the clear need in our community and further inspire us to meet animals and people where they are. And we couldn’t do it without you.

Santa Barbara Humane is determined to move the needle. In tackling some of the most worrisome challenges facing animal welfare in our community—homeless animals, access to high-quality, low-cost veterinary care and transformative, affordable dog training—we are firmly committed to improving the lives of all Santa Barbara County residents, especially those of our most vulnerable neighbors. That’s no small task, but as we look into the future, we are seeing signs of hope and positive solutions come to life. Our progress over the past few years has been made possible, in large part, by the powerful partnerships we have forged over the years. We have joined forces with our generous donors and other nonprofits to magnify our collective impact on Santa Barbara Humane’s leading initiatives. To all of these valued partners, we express our profound gratitude for all you do.

For the past three years, I have had the privilege of working closely with Santa Barbara Humane’s exceptional team. Its senior leadership and staff members are second to none. They are enormously talented, hardworking, and caring. On behalf of an appreciative board of directors, I want to thank everyone on Santa Barbara Humane’s staff for their efforts in making Santa Barbara County a better place for us all.

Thank you for joining Santa Barbara Humane in our efforts to make animal welfare a major community resource priority.

John M. Corby Board President

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ANIMALS ADOPTED IN 2022

MAKING ‘YES’ POSSIBLE

DORI VILLALON C hief Operating Officer

As Chief Operating Officer, every day looks different. But there are two constants I rely on to guide my work in every situation across both campuses.

The first constant is the Socially Conscious Sheltering tenet that weaves together all the decisions we make in operations, ranging from big picture things like shelter population and safety to seemingly little things like laundry and treats:

Ensure every unwanted or homeless pet has a safe place to go for shelter and care.

The second constant is my philosophy for serving our community—not only the animals, but the people who love them too. Though every person who connects with Santa Barbara Humane for support faces a unique situation, I lead with the same approach:

Let’s figure out how we can help you. Let’s get to yes.

As the community’s pet resource, sometimes this means providing dog food for an owner who is between jobs. Sometimes this means sponsoring dog training classes for a couple whose rambunctious puppy needs to learn safer leash manners. Sometimes it means finding a grant to cover the cost of a beloved pet’s medical procedure that is simply beyond the budget of a single-income family.

Because we are an open-admission shelter, sometimes the ‘yes’ means bringing an animal into the shelter when they cannot stay in their home, like the two beautiful huskies who arrived as an emergency surrender just last week because their family was evicted. At Santa Barbara Humane, these dogs had a safe place to go for shelter and care.

Sometimes that safe place to go for shelter and care is in my home. This was the case for an adorable stray kitten named Thomas.

When he arrived at the Santa Maria campus at three months old, he was underweight, dehydrated, and battling a severe upper respiratory infection. Our clinic jumped in to provide the care he needed. Once stable, as a stray, he normally would be transferred to Santa Barbara County Animal Services. But I happened to be assisting with Thomas’ intake that day and knew that the care this little guy needed would strain their resources, so I offered to foster him. Thomas spent a month in my home recovering with medication and plenty of TLC. Once he was healthy and strong, he returned to our shelter and was adopted the very next day.

Thank you for partnering with us to make ‘yes’ possible for Thomas, the huskies, and the thousands of others who face similar situations. Together, we make sure that all animals and families can turn to Santa Barbara Humane when they need us most.

Dori Villalon

Adopted 2022

Dear Lovie’s owner,

When you left your eight-month-old puppy tied to the gate at the Santa Barbara campus, we know you left a piece of your heart, too. You clearly cared about her because you left her with a comfortable bed, a bag of food, and even a colorful leash and collar. Staff discovered her early that morning and relief washed over her as she realized she was safe. Within a few minutes, she was wagging her tail and licking a team member’s hand, eager for more treats, more affection, and, most importantly, another chance.

You felt this was Lovie’s best option. Maybe you lost your housing or couldn’t afford the time and supplies needed by your sweet puppy. Maybe you faced unthinkable personal or financial hardship and thought no one would understand. We understand. Because of donor support, Lovie got the care she needed both physically and emotionally. She received a medical examination, vaccines, flea prevention, a spay surgery, and medication to help with her stress. She was given a behavior evaluation, walks, toys, and daily playtime for nearly a month until she was adopted into a happy home. You’ll be pleased to know that Lovie even made a friend named Eclipse during her stay!

What you may not have realized is that Santa Barbara Humane is more than a last resort; we are also a safety-net. If you couldn’t afford veterinary care, we offer affordable high-quality care through the donor-supported TLC Fund. If you were facing behavior challenges, you could have utilized one-on-one consultations with a certified trainer or even a scholarship for a humane dog training class. If food and supplies were out of reach, you could access them here—with compassion, not judgment. We understand.

Lovie would have been welcomed through our open-admission policy that accepts dogs and cats, regardless of age, health, or circumstance. This helps us learn about an animal’s history and personality to more quickly determine the home environment in which they will thrive.

We’re sorry you had to make this decision. Please know Lovie is loved, safe, and healthy. We hope you will be, too.

Sincerely,

Santa Barbara Humane

“In the past six months, Nova has made herself right at home. She’s been camping, learned to swim, loves going to work, completed her obedience classes, and made tons of new dog and kid friends. She’s really opened up and let her happy and goofy personality show.”

LOVIE WAS ADOPTED AND RENAMED NOVA. HER NEW FAMILY WRITES...

Dr. Katie Marrie

Q&A

DR. KATIE MARRIE, DVM Chief Veterinary Officer

As Chief Veterinary Officer, you play a key role in aligning the organization with Socially Conscious Sheltering, especially the guiding tenet about assessing the medical and behavioral needs of homeless animals, and ensuring these needs are thoughtfully addressed. What does this mean for your everyday work?

The whole department is designed around helping as many animals and as many families as we can. We are constantly pivoting to help with the different needs of the community. We structure our schedule so that we can help the community and address the shelter animals’ needs within the same day.

Walk us through the process when a new animal arrives at the shelter. What is the veterinary team looking for when we assess their overall well-being?

We’re looking at a lot of different things. The entire medical team and animal care team are looking at both the emotional and the physical health of every animal. The veterinary team focuses heavily on a very thorough physical exam to see if there’s anything going on, and we provide preventative treatments, vaccinations, and testing for diseases. Then, we work collaboratively with animal care to ensure that the animals are comfortable.

Both the medical and animal care teams meet daily and discuss every single animal that is on our campus to determine if their needs are being met. And if they’re not, we discuss what we can do to make sure that we can get them to adoption as quickly as possible or alleviate any pain or suffering.

Can you tell us about the overlap between an animal’s behavioral and medical needs?

That’s one of the things that we’re constantly addressing on daily rounds. It’s such a team approach because the animal care team is with them all the time. They’re the ‘owners’

of the animals; those are their dogs and cats, so they’re seeing things that we might not necessarily see in the clinic.

A lot of times, animal care describes to us what’s going on and that helps us zero in on the issue. We then ask: is something wrong that could be medically treated or are we having a behavior issue here?

For example, when we have a cat that has diarrhea, that could be because of an infectious disease or a bigger medical problem, or because they are stressed out. If we’re able to get information from animal care that they’ve seen other things that indicate that the cat might be stressed, such as hiding a lot, not interacting with people, and not eating as much, we know those are signals that the cat is stressed out. Then we address the stress which will help treat the diarrhea.

How does community support make a difference in our ability to meet each animal’s unique needs? Tell us about the TLC Fund.

One of the best parts of working here is that when an animal comes to you that’s sick, no matter what the owner is going through, you can help make that better.

It can be a very difficult part of being a veterinarian or veterinary technician. Working in an environment where you have to make decisions based on money is heartbreaking, so I always emphasize how lucky we are that we’re able to help animals regardless of their owners’ ability to pay.

The reason why is because we have many grants available to us and so much support. All of that means that when someone needs our help and they’re having a hard time, we can be there for them and for that animal.

We get to let people know: “you’re not going to have to skip getting groceries next week because you took appropriate care of your pet.”

Because of you ...

MEDICAL SUCCESS STORIES

LUCY’S STORY

For a little dog named Lucy, the road to a loving home began in the middle of a busy street. When a community member spotted the three-year-old Terrier darting in and out of traffic, she grabbed her and brought her to Santa Barbara Humane for help. It was clear that the small dog was in rough shape. She was filthy, her hair was severely matted, and she had a large umbilical hernia. Veterinary staff shaved off the mats and removed the hernia, but they soon found that these were not the only issues causing Lucy pain. X-rays revealed that Lucy had a broken tail and pelvis, most likely from being hit by a car. Despite the amount of pain she went through, Lucy proved herself to be a sweet and stoic dog who never lashed out at those trying to help her.

As Lucy recovered, a Santa Barbara Humane staff member took her in as a foster. And as luck would have it, it was that staff member who answered the phone when a family reached out inquiring about another dog because their beloved senior dog had recently passed away. While the dog they had in mind wasn’t a fit, the staff member mentioned the dog she had been fostering. A few days later, the family met Lucy, fell in love, and decided to adopt.

THOR’S STORY

Thor’s future is full of adventures thanks to community members like you. This energetic fiveyear-old Husky was surrendered to Santa Barbara Humane because his owner was moving out of the country. As staff got to know the sweet personality behind his bright blue eyes, they identified concerning abnormalities in one eye. The non-visual eye began to bulge, and because this can be very painful, the medical team jumped in to surgically remove it to guarantee a pain-free future. Thor quickly adjusted to life with one eye and was later adopted by an active young couple who simply fell in love with him—and the feeling was mutual!

PRINCE’S STORY

Support like yours makes it possible to go above and beyond for animals like Prince. Concerned about a huge wound on his back, a Good Samaritan brought this stray cat to a local emergency veterinarian. When the surgical repair would not hold, they brought him to Santa Barbara Humane’s Santa Maria campus for specialized medical attention, shelter, and care. Prince’s road to recovery was long and costly, beginning with removal of the dead tissue and placement of special sutures, and then with pain management and bandage changes every three days. Staff members fell in love with Prince’s sweet personality, and even bought Manuka honey and a special cat t-shirt to help his body heal. After a few weeks, he made a full recovery and was adopted into a loving home.

YOUR LOCAL NONPROFIT AND WHY YOUR SUPPORT MATTERS

PAIGE VAN TUYL C hief Philanthropy Officer

Growing up in Santa Barbara, I always knew that Santa Barbara Humane was a deep part of the fabric of our community. I hesitate to say, I even took it for granted as always being a resource for animals and families—no questions asked. I am happy to say that we are more than just a resource; we are a destination for hope, access, compassion, generosity, and new beginnings. And this beautiful community makes it happen.

Whether we are tabling an information booth at the Pacific Pride Festival in Chase Palm Park, administering free vaccinations to hundreds of dogs (and a few cats) at the “Day in the Park” event at Waller Park, or doing doggy yoga at the Mission Rose Garden with Santa Barbara Beach Yoga and The Juicy Life Company, we see how interested people are to see and hear about all we do.

The generosity of individuals never ceases to amaze me. Santa Barbara Wine Collective, Dean: a coffee shop, GEORGE Pet Shop, Jack’s AllAmerican Plumbing, and singer, Presley Tennant

are just few examples of humans coming together to celebrate and support all that Santa Barbara Humane does. The impact of individual donations, grants, and planned giving is what keeps our organization going. But it’s the vision of our supporters, grantors, and legacy donors that helps guide us to best meet the needs of our constituents. We are able to learn what drives people’s generosity, and therefore what will have the greatest impact on our animals and the people who love them. We are your resource.

The success stories are constant, whether it’s a dog helped through our Reactive Rover classes, a cat who found relief and healing from our veterinary clinic, or a family who met their right “match” to bring home. There are powerful moments happening right here, right now.

Our board of directors, staff, and volunteers recognize and appreciate our donors and advocates who continue to rally around us every day. We truly couldn’t do it without the direct support of so many.

Paige Van Tuyl

CREATING YOUR Legacy e

Our donors have championed animals and the people who love them in Santa Barbara County for more than 135 years. We’ve been thinking about how Santa Barbara Humane can show up for you—and the people and pets who matter most to you—in a new and meaningful way through a legacy program.

We have invested in a partnership with FreeWill so that estate planning is now free and accessible to every single friend of Santa Barbara Humane. It takes just about 20 minutes!

For more information, visit sbhumane.org/legacy or email legacy@sbhumane.org.

THE SANTA BARBARA HUMANE 1887 LEGACY CIRCLE

If you have pledged a legacy gift to Santa Barbara Humane, you are invited to join this exclusive group of supporters. Through social and educational events, you can gather with your peers to celebrate your dedication and commitment.

Members of the 1887 Legacy Circle will receive the following:

• VIP 1887 Legacy Circle thank-you event

• VIP access and recognition at Santa Barbara Humane events

• Special access and updates about what’s happening at Santa Barbara Humane

• Public recognition, should you wish, in our Annual Report, website, and physical signage

• A custom pin recognizing your support, and a special certificate

Annual events include:

• 1887 Legacy Circle thank-you event and ceremony

• Educational planned giving panel for donors and industry professionals

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

A SLICE OF SUPPORT

Klondike Pizza

What’s better than a perfect slice of pizza? Thousands of them, throughout a whole month, all while supporting animals in need with a phenomenal community effort. Klondike Pizza in Santa Maria hosted their annual fundraiser for Santa Barbara Humane in March. Their team and customers raised $5,126 through ‘paw’ sales, raffle ticket sales, and donations. Klondike’s years of support have had a tremendous impact on thousands of animals and families in Santa Maria and countywide.

SOARING AND SUPPORTING

Santa Barbara Trapeze Co.

Support for animals in need reached new heights on Friday, July 15. Santa Barbara Trapeze Co. hosted a community event to raise funds for Santa Barbara Humane at their beautiful Plaza Vera Cruz rig in downtown Santa Barbara. Kids and families enjoyed tacos and trapeze while connecting with the community and learning about Santa Barbara Humane’s mission. The evening even included a special performance by the Flying Royals.

DEBONAIRE DOGS AND POSH PUPS

Rosewood Miramar Beach

On Friday, August 26, Rosewood Miramar Beach rolled out the blue carpet for National Dog Day. Their first-ever Best in Show event was a delight for everyone, including dogs and humans, locals and hotel guests from near and far, entrants, judges, and spectators. Though a dog named Bob Ross ultimately won the first place title, all animals in need win through this new partnership.

HUNDREDS OF ANIMALS SERVED

Day in the Park

On Sunday, August 14, Santa Barbara Humane participated in Day in the Park, a fun and family-friendly event held annually at Santa Maria’s Waller Park. Thousands enjoyed live music, a car show, food trucks, activities, and more. Thanks to generous sponsors, Santa Barbara Humane was able to offer free vaccines, flea treatment, and microchips to animals in attendance. In total, 441 free services were provided to 142 animals in just four hours!

Thank you to our main Day in the Park sponsors:

Flea treatment sponsor: Rabies vaccines sponsor: DA2PP vaccines sponsor: Additional support by:

Photo: Santa Barbara News-Press

RAISE A GLASS FOR DOGS AND CATS

Lama Dog & Santa Barbara Young Professionals Club

Lama Dog Tap Room generously donated 10% of proceeds from their charity tap during September and October to Santa Barbara Humane. In total, they raised more than $1,500 to help animals in need. This outstanding show of support was the result of their dedicated team, their refreshing beer, and their awesome customers. Plus, Santa Barbara Humane was the featured nonprofit of the Santa Barbara Young Professionals Club mixer in October, which took place on Lama Dog’s dog-friendly patio. Cheers!

LUCK OF THE DRAW

Carr Winery

On Friday, November 18, Carr Winery hosted a night of bingo and bowling that was packed with impact AND friendly competition. Their efforts raised more than $1,100 for Santa Barbara Humane, which immediately went to work providing low-cost veterinary care, affordable dog training, adoption, and more to so many animals and families in Santa Barbara County.

WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Draughtsmen Aleworks

On Thursday, May 5, Draughtsmen Aleworks debuted the limited-edition “Paws Blonde Ale” benefiting Santa Barbara Humane. The can featured a photo of a boxer mix named Bear, along with information about our mission and services. The special release launched Draughtsmen’s spring fundraising campaign and continued throughout the summer as proceeds from each tap pour and canned four-pack were donated until it sold out.

BRIGHTENING THE LIVES OF ANIMALS

Santa Barbara Coastal Candles

Santa Barbara Coastal Candles is a family-run candle and gift company specializing in hand-poured, organic candles. They turned their passion and creativity into impact by designing a custom paw print candle benefiting Santa Barbara Humane. It features Santa Barbara Humane’s dog and cat characters, a two-wick design, and hand-poured organic rice wax. It is available for purchase year-round both online and at local artisan market events.

BANKING ON THE COMMUNITY

Montecito Bank & Trust

Montecito Bank & Trust, the biggest bank in the tri-county area, gives back every year to the community. The 20th annual Montecito Bank & Trust Community Dividends Luncheon was further elevated when they announced their board of directors had committed to doubling their Community Dividends investment to $2 million. Here, Jennifer Oakley presented Kerri Burns with a generous contribution to help support the critical work we do.

A snapshot of highlights of the many partnerships, third-party fundraisers, and campaigns that made a difference in 2022.

Photo: RG Photography

STORIES OF SUPPORT

From sewing toys to selling lemonade, from raising funds to collecting supplies, there are so many ways to make a difference. Here are some snapshots of community members who went above and beyond in 2022.

ELLE RYAN

Seven-year-old Elle set up a lemonade stand in her neighborhood for Santa Barbara Humane and raised nearly $80 through her sales and a generous match.

The next generation of community members is already making a difference for animals and families countywide—like Nicholas! Over the holidays, he donated his savings in honor of the dog his family adopted.

The animals at Santa Barbara Humane have never met a donor quite like Ryan Cappelluti. After the UCSB undergraduate and his girlfriend broke up, he chose to sell the two Lakers tickets he had for an upcoming game and donate the money. Days after making the initial $500 contribution to Santa Barbara Humane, Cappelluti returned with another. And then another. Through his work as a valet in the area, Cappelluti decided to donate all of his one-dollar tips. Cappelluti’s dollars have already helped so many animals in need, and this is just the beginning.

Animals in need are lucky to have a thoughtful and creative friend like Ali. Not only does she collect toys from her friends and family to donate to the shelter, but she also mends and washes gently used toys to give them a fresh start for the animals. Plus, she goes the extra mile to make kids’ toys safe for dogs by removing plastic eyes, noses, and stuffing.

HOW YOU HELPED Hobbes r

When six-month-old kitten Hobbes arrived at Santa Barbara Humane, his health was a mystery and his future was uncertain. His previous owner did not have time to care for him and reported that he vomited daily. Luckily, donors like you do not give up on cats like Hobbes, no matter how sick, fragile, or complex. Community support made it possible for the medical team to utilize every resource to understand and treat Hobbes’ mysterious condition. Though lab work, x-rays, and multiple medications provided neither answers to the team nor relief to little Hobbes, they never lost hope. Chief Veterinary Officer Dr. Katie Marrie performed an exploratory abdominal surgery that revealed a large intestinal mass.

The good news—it was not cancerous.

The bad news—it could not be fully removed because of its location near other organs.

Four different Internal Medicine Specialists agreed that his prognosis remains unknown. What was clear, however, was that Hobbes was a sweetheart who got along with dogs, cats, kids, staff, and volunteers. Everyone who met him knew he would love and be loved by the right adopter.

After a few weeks, Hobbes found his happy home, but his story doesn’t end there! Santa Barbara Humane will continue to advocate for Hobbes by communicating with his adopter, providing his ongoing medical care, and monitoring his symptoms.

When a five-year-old Great Pyrenees named Tucker first arrived at the shelter, he was very shut down. Tucker was timid and scared, barking anxiously at anyone and everyone that walked by him. I started walking by and giving Tucker treats, and pretty soon, it was clear that he knew I was “the treat guy.” Because of that positive association, Tucker started to warm up to me. Instead of seeing a scared dog, I saw a dog who was showing how smart and attentive he could be. Slowly, he warmed up to the rest of the staff and was eventually adopted. Being able to break down that barrier and make a positive connection with Tucker was one of the best feelings in the world.

TRAINING TALES

CHRISTINE BREWER, CPDT-KA Manager of Animal Behavior

Tess the Terrier was a small dog in my Reactive Rover class who had been friendly with dogs until she was attacked by a large dog. Since then, she had become reactive, barking and lunging anytime she saw another dog. This was obviously an attempt to keep them away from her before they even considered approaching. Her owners hoped to get her comfortable going for walks again. Tess made great progress in the class! She displayed less reactivity, and when she did react, she was easily redirected.

Later, the family all came to the Shy Dog class to give Tess some more exposure. She did really well and she was even able to be in a room with four other dogs without visual barriers. Tess and her family are planning to take the Basic Manners course to provide even more exposure with a larger number of dogs. A very happy outcome!

LARRY ORTIZ, JR. Shelter Supervisor Santa Barbara Campus

The dog training and behavior services at Santa Barbara Humane have been transformative for our little family, and made our dog Theo much happier and healthier. When we first brought Theo for an evaluation with Christine, Manager of Animal Behavior, we were terrified. Over the previous six months, Theo’s fear, anxiety, and reactivity issues had spiraled far outside of our control, and we were struggling to find a trainer who could help within our budget. When Theo met Christine, something clicked. Within half an hour at our very first evaluation, our painfully nervous dog was excitedly coming up to Christine and, even more amazingly, he was voluntarily taking treats out of her hand! Christine helped us understand how Theo was trying to communicate—she gave him a voice, and taught us how to listen.

After our evaluation, we signed up for the Shy Dog Class that started later in the week. The class was extremely affordable and convenient. In class, we learned how to better read dog body language and signs of anxiety. We explored ways to create, enforce, and respect boundaries. We built up the confidence of both dogs and handlers through pack walks, fun games, and small victories. Christine coached us on the best management strategies for our dogs, and helped us create a toolbox of techniques that we brought with us into everyday life. Further, and most importantly, we found a community of pet owners who understood our struggle and supported us in finding solutions; for the first time in months, we didn’t feel alone.

In and out of class, Theo blossomed. The transformation has been fantastic to watch! Equipped with an effective set of techniques and newfound confidence, we have started to truly enjoy spending time out in the world with our dog again. The overwhelming compassion and understanding of the staff at Santa Barbara Humane has been a breath of fresh air, and gives us renewed hope for the future.

Sincerely,

A Grateful Owner

PS: To those struggling with their dog’s behavioral issues, you have come to the right place! This program and these people are nothing short of amazing, and we are so grateful for their continued support and commitment to our dog’s success.

OUR OVERALL IMPACT

While adoption is at our core, we do so much more at Santa Barbara Humane. In 2022…

animals were transferred to Santa Barbara Humane from overcrowded shelters

1,031

dogs learned important behavioral skills through free or low-cost humane behavior training

1,666

animals were adopted into loving homes

622 animals received affordable or free expert veterinary care

20,426 services like spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchips, blood work, flea treatment, and medical exams were provided

46,552 v b o

A CLOSER LOOK AT OUR VETERINARY SERVICES

The donor-funded TLC medical program made a difference in the lives of more than 3,945 families who could not afford care for their pets.

provided by

SWEET LITTER OF PUPPIES Cupcake’s j

For more than 135 years, Santa Barbara Humane has had the privilege of being there for animals and the people who love them. We feel that animal welfare is not only an animal issue; it’s a human issue. In the case of Cupcake and her litter, we were able utilize our most impactful services: low-cost veterinary care, affordable dog training, and adoption.

A two-year-old cattle dog mix named Cupcake and her three-month-old puppies had already been exposed to parvovirus when they arrived at a nearby partner organization. This contagious gastrointestinal disease often affects puppies before they are old enough to be vaccinated, and unfortunately, it can be fatal. Santa Barbara

Humane immediately jumped in to assist by transferring them all to our Santa Maria campus for critical medical care and placement.

The community came together to get each of the puppies placed into loving homes within a few weeks.

For Mama Cupcake, the road to adoption was a bit longer, but she ultimately found a home where she could let her loyal and loving personality shine. Thanks to donor support, we are able to help animals like Cupcake and her puppies access comprehensive care – regardless of their age, health, behavior, or circumstances.

Hashbrown (formerly known as Cookie) was adopted from Santa Barbara Humane. He was great with other dogs, but he was very reactive to anything with wheels, including bikes, skateboards, strollers, and trash cans. We encouraged his adopters to take our Reactive Rover training class where the whole family could learn to help set Hashbrown up for success.

“We are seeing improvement in Hashbrown just since Sunday. Yesterday was garbage day and he was on high alert all morning. When we took him out for his walk, we used your trick of putting treats out in front of him on the sidewalk to distract him. It worked way better than anything else we’ve tried. We were able to continue with our walk without him being completely off the rails.

Thank you for your help. We love Hashbrown and are grateful we found him at SB Humane.”

THIS JUST IN! UPDATE ON ONE OF CUPCAKE’S PUPPIES

Cupcake | Adopted 2022

Frosty | Adopted 2022

Nugget | Adopted 2022

Muffins | Adopted 2022

Hashbrown (formerly Cookie) | Adopted 2022

Sprinkles | Adopted 2022

Liberty

A FRESH START FOR KIM & LIBERTY

Sometimes all it takes is one special connection to open up a world of possibility for an animal. For a beautiful Great Pyrenees mix named Liberty, that person was Kim. The same week Liberty was surrendered to the shelter, Kim joined the Santa Barbara Humane team as an Animal & Client Care Specialist.

Though Liberty was known to be a social dog, she had shut down in the shelter. As Kim acclimated to her shelter role, Liberty warmed up to her as an advocate and friend. Kim devoted hours of one-on-one time to Liberty as they navigated their new environment together. Liberty’s

confidence grew so much that she even started to show her silly side, bringing a toy with her to the play yard each morning.

Liberty’s progress was significant in the month that followed, but she still struggled when meeting with potential adopters. Kim turned out to be the key to unlocking her trust! With Kim by her side for an introduction to a promising potential adopter, Liberty was able to relax and show off her wonderful personality. With a wagging tail and her head held high, Liberty went home with a loving couple who absolutely adore her.

OUT OF THIS World j

It’s not unusual for staff at Santa Barbara Humane to find packages filled with pet supplies at the shelter when they arrive in the morning. But one sunny July day, staff at the Santa Maria campus were greeted by a different kind of surprise: a cat abandoned in a cardboard box. It quickly became apparent that the orange tabby, now known as Tesla, had more surprises in store.

This sweet and shy one-year-old cat was pregnant, and sure enough, a few days later, kittens Galaxy, Comet, Nebula, and Eclipse were born. Once Tesla and her kittens had received a thorough veterinary examination, a foster volunteer welcomed them into her home where they could thrive in a quiet and stress-free environment. To keep the mama and kittens happy and healthy, Santa Barbara Humane provided all the supplies the foster volunteer might need, including food, kitty litter and a litterbox, medical care, and even a digital scale to monitor the kittens’ growth.

Seven weeks later, Tesla and her kittens returned to Santa Barbara Humane to be spayed and neutered. The kittens were quickly adopted, and several weeks later, beautiful Tesla found a home to call her own.