SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. — For the first time ever, Berkshire Hathaway is partnering up with Santa Barbara’s C.A.R.E. 4 Paws organization to host a pet supply and food donation drive Saturday, November 4th and Sunday November 5th.
Wendy Domanski adopted her dog Shadow from Santa Barbara County Animal Services just a few months ago, and they’ve been inseparable ever since.
“Rescue dogs are the best. I mean, all he wants to do is hold hands. I mean, he’s such a good boy,” said Wendy Domanski who worked for C.A.R.E. 4 Paws for years, and is about to move across the country with Shadow.
Domanski said she can’t imagine the psychological toll of having to separating with a pet.
The rising cost of living on the Central Coast has made this a sad reality for pet parents who can no longer afford the costs that come with pet ownership.
“A lot of people got pets during COVID, which was great, it helped the shelters, but a lot of those animals are being returned. Sometimes people just get in a situation to where they have to make this bad choice of feeding themselves, paying bills, or feeding their pet,” said Berkshire Hathaway Real Estate Agent Charlotte Cross.
Charlotte Cross wants to make sure that financial burdens don’t force pet owners to part ways with their fur babies.
That’s why she’s encouraging animal lovers to drop off dog and cat food, new or gently used pet supplies, or monetary donations.
“The food drive is for our dogs, cats, bunnies, gerbils, birds—all the animals,” said Cross.
“People are struggling right now. And the last thing that people want to do is surrender a family member because they can’t afford pet food,” said Domanski.
Donations will go to C.A.R.E. 4 Paws and Santa Barbara County Animal Services shelter, where they will ultimately be redistributed to pet parents who need them most.
“Last year care for paws hosted a holiday donation drive and we raised over one ton of pet food and $25,000 in monetary donations. So we’re hoping with our amazing partnerships this year will raise even more with the community support,” said C.A.R.E. 4 Paws Spokeswoman Julia Black-Devre.
The donation drive will take place Saturday at Berkshire Hathaway’s office on State Street and Sunday at the Santa Barbara County Animal Services shelter in Goleta from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. both days.