Support 4 Paws
and their humans
EIN 92-1841003
Who We Are
Support 4 Paws is a 501c3 nonprofit animal rescue organization supporting animals and their guardians through community outreach, medical assistance and educational programs. Our mission is to keep animals safe, out of shelters and off the streets.
What We Do
Adoptions
Microchip clinics
Vaccine clinics
Spay
and
Neuter
Fix-it Fund
Customized tags
Education programs
Microchips and vaccines provided at no cost to underserved areas. Sponsor a clinic now.
Upcoming Events
We’re out helping the community again with two FREE vaccine and microchip clinics. This will be our 3rd clinic in Yucca Valley and our 1st (but not last) in Desert Hot Springs.
Keep checking back for more clinics in 2024!
Adopt a Senior
November is national Adopt a Senior Dog month and we have two wonderful seniors looking for their forever home.
For more information, check out Hachi and Ruby on Petfinder by clicking on their picture.
Fundraiser
On November 5th we held our first official fundraiser, a horse show for riders of all disciplines and all skill levels to do their “Best.“
We had 13 participants and everyone had a great time and many ribbons were handed out.
The riders and non-riders donated just shy of $1,500 and we can’t wait to do it again!
Big shoutout to Shadow Mountain Ranch for hosting.
How to Help
Rescue doesn't end when the animal is out of the shelter or off the street. Rescues rely on community support to function.
What can you do?
(1) Donate money
(2) Volunteer
(3) Become a foster
(4) Adopt
(5) Become an advocate and demand your local representatives fight for low-cost spay/neuter options
Veterinarian Shortage
There is a crippling vet shortage nationwide and it's having a huge impact on the Coachella Valley. Low-cost options in our area are increasingly difficult to come by because they don't have the staff for more clinics and appointments at a vet clinic are weeks out and more expensive than many can afford. A quick google search yields frightening headlines like:
"New Studies Find Veterinarian Shortage Could Leave 75 million Pets Without Medical Care by 2030."
Scary, right? Even with an average of 2,500-2,600 veterinarian graduates a year, there is still an estimated 15,000 vet shortage for U.S. animals in less than 7 years.
The Coachella Valley is already feeling the impact and is losing its only 24 hour emergency vet. Now, pet parents are going to have to drive nearly an hour to the nearest emergency vet. Imagine doing that while your pet is lying on the seat next to you struggling to breath.
Fix-It Fund
Like a lot of areas, the Coachella Valley struggles with inequitable access to veterinary care. Lack of access coupled with a vet shortage + rising costs of animal care + an economic crisis + changing priorities in the post pandemic life = dogs and cats dying in shelters and on the streets.
The Fix-It Fund is how we're going to make a big difference in the desert. The fund is available to help those who have no other options and may be forced to surrender their pet if they don't get assistance. Our goal is to keep pets with their owners and if we can help, we want to 'fix it.'
If you are in need of assistance with pet expenses - medical, food, supplies - reach out with details and we will be in touch.
The Shelter Crisis
Riverside County shelters are overflowing with adoptable dogs because, simply, the number of dogs coming in far exceeds the numbers being adopted. That means healthy, adoptable dogs are being needlessly killed to make room for the new ones.
The most vulnerable are owner turn-ins and the seniors. If you surrender your dog to the shelter it is most surely a death sentence. Owners are dumping their senior dogs - dogs that have been in a home for 12 or 15 years - in alarming numbers. As dogs age they need more medical attention. Nearly every senior dog in the shelter is going blind and deaf and needs an expensive dental cleaning/extractions. Some owners can't afford to pay the associated costs so the dogs end up terrified in the shelter. Worse yet, owners will simply turn dogs loose in the desert because they don't want to pay the surrender fee the shelter charges - or the shelters have refused to take the dog due to overcrowding.
By the Numbers
The data below is from Shelter Animals Count and represents animal outcomes across all reporting California shelters. Data for 2023 is for the first quarter. RTO=Return to Owner.
Adoptions
RTO
Transfers
Euthanized
2023
2022
2021
49%
53%
47%
20%
18%
13%
24%
17%
6%
27%
20%
6%
In Riverside County the euthanasia rate more than doubled in 2022 to 15%, up from 6% in 2021*.
*Source: Riverside County Dept. of Animal Services
Fostering Saves Lives
There are 85 million US household with pets.
If just
2%
of those households
Fostered just
ONE
dog per year
We could eliminate preventable euthanasia tomorrow*.
*Source: Petco Love Foundation
Rescue's rule of 3
All dogs are different but rescue dogs will benefit from being allowed to decompress when you bring your new friend home. The rule of 3 is a good guide to prepare you and help you understand your new family member.
Feeling overwhelmed
May be scared and unsure
Not comfortable or confident enough to act like normal
May not want to eat, drink or even go potty
Shut down and wants to hide
Tests boundaries
3
Days
Starting to settle in, feels more comfortable
Realizing this could be his forever home
Starts getting into a routine
Lets his guard down, true personality begins showing
As he gets more comfortable, behavior issues could come up
3
Weeks
Fully comfortable in his new home
Has built a trust and true bond with his new humans
Has gained a complete sense of security with himself and his new family
Has settled into the household routine
3
Months
