Saving Lives One Paw at a Time

With thousands of acres of open space, miles of trails, 38 parks scattered throughout the community and three dog parks, Santa Clarita is not only family and business friendly, but pet friendly too! According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), approximately 6.3 million animals enter U.S. animal shelters each year. That adds up to around 3.1 million dogs and 3.2 million cats. In our community, we strive to find as many loving homes as possible for stray or surrendered pets. The City of Santa Clarita works closely with local organizations, nonprofits and the Castaic Animal Care Center to promote animal adoptions.
Rescuing a pet not only helps our community, but it provides a much-needed home to an animal in need. When walking through the Castaic Animal Care Center, you will meet pets with one thing in common – the desire to find their “fur”ever home. If you’re looking for a four-legged pet (or sometimes even three!) you’ve come to the right place. Visitors will be greeted by a wide range of wagging tails and excited barks, whether you are looking for a small sidekick, or a large friend to go on adventures with, there really is a dog for everyone.
If you are more of a cat lover, look no further than our cat habitat! Housing all of our local felines, there’s a dedicated space to meet one-on-one with senior and adult cats or kittens in a quiet area, making it easy for you both to choose each other. The cat habitat also provides our furry friends the opportunity to bathe in the warm sun on their outside “catio.”
Throughout the year, the City of Santa Clarita is proud to partner with the Castaic Animal Care Center to host pet adoption events in the community. During these events, adoption fees for residents are waived by the City, making it the perfect time for community members to come out to one of our parks or facilities and meet their newest pet. In July, the City and Castaic Animal Care Center held our Summer of Love adoption event at Valencia Heritage Park, giving a handful of dogs the opportunity to run around in the grass and show their loving personalities to prospective owners.
This year, the City also started an Animal Care Grant Program which offers local nonprofit organizations grant money to support animal care services for dogs and cats in our community. In July, the City awarded four nonprofits with grant money which will directly support animals in need here in Santa Clarita.
Additionally, the City has also partnered with Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control and Simi Valley Non-Profit Spay and Neuter Clinic to provide low-cost spay and neuter services for pet owners in our community. Every Monday, the mobile clinic is located in the parking lot of the Newhall Community Center. Pet owners interested in receiving services for their pet must call (805) 584-3823 for an appointment.
With so many animals in need of a home, we encourage residents to visit our local Castaic Animal Care Center, or attend a City adoption event to find their new pet. Be sure to also follow the City’s social media pages to see event information and photos and videos of animals available for adoption. To learn more about any of our animal care services, please visit SantaClarita.gov/AnimalCare. If you would like to view animals that are currently up for adoption, please visit AnimalCare.LACounty.gov. By working together to spread the word about the importance of adoption, we can ensure more pets are placed in loving homes, right here in Santa Clarita.

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