No dogs left behind
C.A.R.E.4Paws organizes mobile vaccine clinic for unhoused pet families inside Santa Maria Riverbed
A CAUSE FOR A PAWS: C.A.R.E.4Paws’ June 8 mobile wellness clinic was designed specifically to serve unhoused pet families. Executive Director Isabelle Gullö said the clinic served as an extension of C.A.R.E.4Paws’ weekly free pet food distribution on Tuesdays, when the group partners with local organizations providing human health services in the riverbed. For more information about future wellness clinics and the Tuesday initiative, call 805-968-2273 or visit care4paws.org/clinicservices and care4paws.org/unhoused.
Walking along the desolate dirt paths deep within the Santa Maria Riverbed, there’s scarce to see but dehydrated brush and the occasional jackrabbit. The faded hues of the desert shrubbery and distant cliffs seem to be in no hurry to capture the eye’s attention.
In the distance, a group of people appears among the bushes. A man in bright mint green scrubs with a stethoscope around his neck rips opens a bag of plastic syringes and grabs a small, clear vial from the red NOBIVAC 3-rabies CA case in his black Hulongo insulated waterproof cooler.
He jams the syringe into the vial’s lid, filling it with a pink liquid, and carefully injects it into a nervous grey Maine Coon cat named Bebe being held by two volunteers in “STAY PAWS ITIVE” shirts.
Veterinarian Dr. Alex Gomes slowly presses down on the syringe as one volunteer pets Bebe and another squeezes him some Chicken with Cheese INABA Churu Lickable Purée. The liquid in the syringe expires, a volunteer hands Bebe a few Northwest Naturals Raw Rewards Freeze-Dried Minnows, and the Maine Coon leaps from the volunteers’ arms, slowly strolling back to the gate guarding its home.
On June 8, members of C.A.R.E.4Paws, the Street Dog Coalition, and Santa Barbara County Animal Services wandered into the depths of the Santa Maria Riverbed to search for unhoused pet families they could provide physical examinations and vaccines. The mobile clinic was the fourth pet wellness event C.A.R.E.4Paws and the Street Dog Coalition hosted in the riverbed since they started last August in response to the riverbed encampment demolitions ordered by Gov. Gavin Newsom and Santa Maria City Council.
With Gorilla Carts full of vaccines and parasite treatment, volunteers ventured from the Preisker Park roundabout into the heart of the riverbed, foraging the dirt paths for tent encampments accommodating unhoused pet families. C.A.R.E.4Paws ensured at least some of its volunteers were bilingual, so they could help pet parents who only spoke Spanish.
Along with rabies, distemper, and Bordetella vaccines, volunteers offered free bags of pet food, water, Greenies treats for pets’ teeth, wipes for eye infections, harnesses, and edible broad-spectrum de-wormer. Santa Barbara County Animal Services also provided microchips and dog licenses.
“We're not a full-service vet, but we can do a lot of the basic care,” C.A.R.E.4Paws Co-Founder and Executive Director Isabelle Gullö said. “When we roll out our mobile units [like these in the future] … any family that struggles to pay for basic services can show up and get them for low cost. If someone can't afford to pay, they can pay on a sliding scale, or we’ll comp their services, depending on their situation.”
Mobile Clinic Services Coordinator Christy Todek said the clinics are open Tuesday through Friday and every other Sunday. Currently serving Santa Barbara and Northern San Luis Obispo counties, C.A.R.E.4Paws has received requests to organize a clinic in Fresno, she said.
“The mobile clinic is our largest program now. Last year, we helped 19,200 dogs and cats through that program alone,” Gullö said. “Every Tuesday, we're in Lompoc. Every Wednesday, we're in Santa Maria. Thursdays, we usually go to Grover Beach. And the first Sunday of every month, we’re in Oceano.”
June 8’s mobile clinic was designed specifically for unhoused pet families. The three organizations said they plan to host mobile clinics specifically for unhoused pet families every three months.
Volunteers are especially cautious about respecting pet families and their encampments. They always ask permission before entering and don’t force any services pet parents don’t want.
“You don’t have to be away from him very long,” one volunteer said to a pet parent. “He’s your buddy.”
Gullö said going out into the community and reaching unhoused people where they’re at helps show them their pets are in good hands.
Now, 16 years in, C.A.R.E.4Paws assists more than 25,000 pet families every year through services like its mobile clinics, she said.
“We want families to stay together,” Gullö said. “We have seen firsthand what happens when pets and their parents get separated. We want to prevent that. We want to keep pets healthy, happy, safe, and with the people who love them.”
Highlight
The Classical School of Ballet will host Dancefest on June 13 and 14. Tickets are on sale now.
Audience members will enjoy ballet, tap, jazz, and ballet pointe solos when the eight dancers perform at 217 S L St. in Lompoc. The show begins June 13 at 7 p.m. and continues June 14 at 1 p.m. before concluding that night at 6.
Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for kids under 12. They are available for purchase June 9-11 at 217 S L St. between 4 and 8 p.m. and at the door on show dates. For more information, call 805-736-4646.
*This story was originally published June 12, 2025, at https://www.santamariasun.com/news/local-volunteers-organize-mobile-vaccine-clinic-for-unhoused-pet-families-inside-santa-maria-riverbed-16567918