Mission Statement
The mission of K-9 Placement and Assistance League, Inc. (K-9 PALS) is to provide adoption support and promotion, veterinary care, adoption and rescue, and advocacy for the homeless and abandoned dogs of shelters in Santa Barbara County and other dogs in need, all in effort to increase live release rates and eliminate euthanasia so that every adoptable dog will have a chance for a loving home.
K-9 PALS is the all-volunteer, non-profit organization working on behalf of the homeless and abandoned dogs of the Santa Barbara County and beyond..
The organization began working with the Santa Barbara County Shelter in March of 2000, was incorporated in December of 2001, and received tax exempt status in July 2002. Our volunteers provide nearly 14,000 hours of service annually, which is equivalent to almost 5 full time employees.
K-9 PALS provides veterinary care, dog behavior training for adopters of shelter and rescue dogs, adoption promotion, rescue networking and adoption, and advocacy for homeless and abandoned dogs of the County Shelters.
Goals
1. Promote health, comfort, and behavior management of shelter dogs.
2. Promote placement of shelter dogs into homes through adoption, redemption, rescue and foster care.
3. Advocate for the welfare of homeless and abandoned dogs.
4. Promote responsible pet ownership and public education for responsible pet ownership.
K-9 PALS provides high quality veterinary care, food, medications, adoption promotions, outreach events, transports, rescue networking, rescue and adoption that would otherwise not be available for shelter dogs.
K-9 PALS volunteers organize and participate in fundraising events, adoption awareness events, and outreach events; provide foster homes; transport shelter dogs to other shelters and rescue organizations; volunteer at our partnering shelters to provide daily care,exercise and socialization for the dogs in shelters.
K-9 PALS volunteers for the past 18 years have provided shelter dogs and our rescue dogs with high quality daily care that includes exercising, training, and socializing, bathing, counseling for prospective adopters, assessing dog behavior, and cleaning and maintaining exercise yards and work areas.
K-9 PALS constructed several areas at the Santa Barbara County Animal Shelter: the Visitor's Garden where prospective adopters can meet dogs for adoption, a large fully fenced Dog Training area, several exercise/play yards for the dogs, and the K-9 PALS storage building for supplies.
K-9 PALS made a substantial donation of $146,500 for the renovation of the Santa Barbara Shelter's main kennel building in 2007. This donation was provided by funding from the estates of John J. Phelan and Susan M. Camusi.
K-9 PALS gratefully receives donations and funding from individuals, groups, organizations and local businesses, and grant awards from foundations and charitable trusts.
Board of Directors of K-9 PALS is comprised of a group of people who have great compassion, interest and experience in areas of veterinary care, behavior training and animal welfare, and some have worked with Santa Barbara Animal Shelters going back as far as 1994.
