SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – For the first time, Berkshire Hathaway is partnering with the CARE 4 Paws organization of Santa Barbara to host a pet drive and food drive on 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 his hand. I mean, he’s such a good kid,” said Wendy Domanski who has worked for CARE 4 Paws for years, and is to go across the country with Shadow.
Domanski said she can’t imagine the psychological toll of having to part 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 the COVID, which was great, it helped the shelters, but a lot of those pets came back. Sometimes people just find themselves in a situation where they have to make this bad choice to feed herself, paying bills, or feeding her 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 with their fur babies.
That’s why she encourages pet lovers to drop off dog and cat food, new or gently used pet supplies, or monetary donations.
“The feed is for our dogs, cats, bunnies, gerbils, birds — all animals,” Cross said.
“People are struggling right now. And the last thing people want to do is give up a family member because they can’t afford pet food,” Domanski said.
Donations will go to CARE 4 Paws and the Santa Barbara County Animal Services shelter, where they will ultimately be redistributed to the pet parents who need them most.
“Last year Paw Care hosted a holiday donation drive and we collected over a ton of pet food and $25,000 in monetary donations. So we hope our amazing partnerships this year will increase even more more with community support,” said CARE 4 Paws spokeswoman Julia Black-Devre.
The donation drive will take place Saturday at the Berkshire Hathaway office on State Street and Sunday at the Santa Barbara County Animal Services shelter in Goleta from 10 am to 1 pm both days.
