Featured rescues/shelters
Animal Shelter Relief Rescue
Santa Cruz
Animal Shelter Relief Rescue (ASR) is an all-volunteer, non-profit, 501(c)(3) animal rescue organization located in Santa Cruz, CA.
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Carivintâs Winery
Solvang
Carivintâs Winery Tasting Room in Solvang, Santa Barbara County, is a serene destination where both pets and children are warmly welcomed.
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Friends of Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz
Friends of Santa Cruz County Animals (FOSCCA) is a nonprofit 501c3 organization dedicated to supporting the vital work of the Santa Cruz County Animal Services.
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Lompoc Animal Shelter
Lompoc
Lompoc Animal Shelter, located in Lompoc, serves the communities of Lompoc, Buellton, Solvang, and the Santa Ynez Valley in Santa Barbara County on the Central Coast.
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Santa Cruz County Animal
Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter – Lost Dogs, located in Santa Cruz County on the Central Coast, offers a valuable resource for pet owners in search of their missing furry companions.
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Santa Cruz County Animal
Watsonville
In Watsonville, Santa Cruz County, California Coast, the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter's Watsonville location offers a haven for lost dogs. Operating hours are Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m.
Read moreOther rescues/shelters
American Fox Terrier Rescue
Pacific Grove
American Fox Terrier Rescue - Northern California is a dedicated group of individuals and small volunteer teams across the US and Canada who rescue Wire and Smooth Fox Terriers from shelters and help find them loving homes.
Read moreAnimal Friends Rescue Project
Pacific Grove
Animal Friends Rescue Project (AFRP) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Pacific Grove, California, serving as a beacon of hope for abandoned and abused companion animals in Monterey County.
Read moreAnnie’s Blankets
Aptos
Annie's Blankets is a dog rescue and shelter organization in Aptos in California’s Central Coast dedicated to finding loving homes for dogs in need.
Read moreATRA
Somis
Abandoned Terrier Rescue Association (ATRA) in Somis, Ventura County, Southern California, is a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing and providing care for terriers in need.
Read moreChihuahuas of the Valley
Newbury Park
"Chihuahuas of the Valley is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit dog rescue based in Los Angeles, California, dedicated to saving small and toy breed dogs from high kill shelters and providing them with a second chance at a loving home.
Read moreDaisyLu Ranch
Camarillo
Located in beautiful Camarillo, California, DaisyLu Ranch is a 501(3)c non-profit senior dog rescue and sanctuary where animals have a loving and warm place to live out their lives.
Read moreHART
Cambria
HART is a dog rescue and shelter organization in Cambria in California’s Central Coast dedicated to finding loving homes for dogs in need.
Read moreMeade Canine Rescue Foundation
Creston
Located in the picturesque town of Creston in San Luis Obispo County, the Meade Canine Rescue Foundation (MCRF) stands as a beacon of hope for dogs in need.
Read moreMonterey Bay Labrador
Monterey
Levi, adopted from Monterey Bay Labrador Retriever Rescue Monterey Bay Labrador Retriever Rescue is a small, close knit group of lab rescue “pros” who love labs and have many as part of their own families.
Read moreMonterey County
Salinas
Monterey County Animal Services, in collaboration with the City of Salinas Animal Services, operates harmoniously under one roof at 160 Hitchcock Road. This unified effort ensures a streamlined approach to animal welfare in the region.
Read morePeace of Mind Dog Rescue
Pacific Grove
Peace of Mind Dog Rescue (POMDR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2009. Their mission is to be a resource and advocate for senior dogs and senior people on California’s Central Coast.
Read morePet Friends and Rescue
Hollister
Pet Friends and Rescue is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that benefits homeless companion animals of San Benito County. Its mission is to eliminate cruelty and neglect of abandoned companion animals and to encourage a community atmosphere of education, care, and concern that will strengthen the
Read moreSan Luis Obispo County
San Luis Obispo
The mission of the San Luis Obispo County Division of Animal Services is to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of domestic animals and the people they serve through public education, enforcement of applicable laws, and the humane care and rehoming of impounded and sheltered
Read moreSanta Barbara Animal Shelter
Goleta
Santa Barbara Animal Shelter, a full-service shelter serving the city of Goleta and the South County (excluding Carpinteria), is a beacon of hope for animals in need on the Central Coast.
Read moreSanta Barbara County
Goleta
Santa Barbara County Animal Services is the sole open admissions shelter in Santa Barbara County, boasting shelters in Lompoc, Santa Maria, and Santa Barbara.
Read moreSanta Cruz SPCA
Santa Cruz
The Santa Cruz SPCA, an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County, on the Central Coast, is dedicated to the welfare of animals.
Read moreSanta Maria Animal Center
Santa Maria
Santa Maria Animal Center, located in Santa Maria, Santa Barbara County, is a full-service facility catering to the cities of Santa Maria and Guadalupe and the North County.
Read moreSecond Chance
Templeton
Located in Templeton, Second Chance at Love Humane Society is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and re-homing of dogs in dire need.
Read moreShadow’s Fund
Lompoc
Shadow's Fund, located in Lompoc, Santa Barbara County on the Central Coast, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting the most vulnerable shelter dogs.
Read moreSPCA for Monterey County
Salinas
The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) for Monterey County is a nonprofit, independent, donor-supported humane society that has been serving the animals and people of Monterey County since 1905.
Read moreThulani Senior German Shepherd
San Juan Bautista
Thulani Senior German Shepherd is a dog rescue and shelter organization in San Juan Bautista in California’s Central Coast dedicated to finding loving homes for dogs in need.
Read moreWest Coast Labrador Retriever
Simi Valley
West Coast Labrador Retriever Rescue (WCLRR) in Simi Valley, Ventura County, Southern California, is a beacon of hope for abandoned and unwanted Labrador and Golden Retrievers.
Read moreWoods Humane Society
San Luis Obispo
Established in 1955, Woods Humane Society stands as an independent nonprofit organization committed to the compassionate care of homeless dogs and cats in San Luis Obispo County.
Read moreWoods Humane Society
Atascadero
Woods Humane Society - North County, located in Atascadero, San Luis Obispo County, on the Central Coast, is a renowned animal rescue and shelter facility.
Read moreMore Adventures in Central Coast
8 dog-friendly cabins in Monterey and Big Sur
8 dog-friendly cabins across Monterey and Big Sur, from Big Sur to Pacific Grove, drawn from DogTrekker's directory of vetted pet-welcoming properties.
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Spring in Paso Robles with your dog
Paso Robles wine country has a short window every year when the hills turn electric green, the vines are just starting to leaf out, and the tasting rooms…
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Central Coast nesting season: a dog owner’s calendar
Month-by-month guide to Central Coast beach closures for snowy plover nesting, plus dog-friendly beaches that stay open March through September.
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Heatstroke and hot pavement: California dog summer safety
Heatstroke kills 50–64% of affected dogs, and 3 out of 4 cases are caused by exercise — not hot weather alone. Here's what California dog owners need to know about hot pavement, warning signs, emergency cooling, and the state law…
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An easy California dog trip for seniors
California suits seniors traveling with dogs when the trip is built around short drives, easy walks, cooler weather and stops with clear pet rules.
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Santa Barbara with your dog: what locals keep quiet
Santa Barbara's dog-friendly secret isn't on the downtown wharf: it's in the foothills, the canyons, and a beach the locals still call Hendry's. Here's where we actually go on a Central Coast weekend.
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