Every day, thousands of people and their pets are directly impacted by the ASPCA’s grant program. From coast to coast, we provide grant funding to support animal welfare programs in all 50 states, D.C. and Puerto Rico. Since 2008, the ASPCA has given over $100 million in grants to support shelters and rescue groups nationwide. Today, we’re highlighting success stories from grant recipient, Captain Care Shelter Intervention.

Captain Care is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization that focuses on shelter intervention in Los Angeles County, California. The organization works diligently to keep people and pets together by providing vital services like emergency medical care to low-income communities in Southern California. Here are a few incredible “happy tails” that our ASPCA grant program helped make possible:

Chester’s pet parent found him as a tiny puppy, abandoned in a busy parking lot, and it was love at first sight. As a new member of the family, Chester was as beloved to his pet parent as her own children. One morning, Chester wandered out of an unlatched gate and suffered serious injuries from another loose dog. Unsure of who could provide affordable, urgent help, Chester’s family was referred to Captain Care, where he was immediately treated by a veterinarian and quickly made a full recovery. 

Captain Care received an urgent call late one Sunday afternoon, about a tiny dog named Charlie who had been badly injured in an accident. At a local veterinarian, his injured paw was merely bandaged when his pet parent could not afford the x-ray and evaluation. Thankfully, Captain Care stepped in, and performed critical care that same night. Unfortunately, his injured paw could not be saved, but Charlie’s mom reports that after a few days he was back to his old playful self, enjoying life as a tri-pawed pup!

Ten-year-old, senior dog Buster Brown had a painful ear infection and needed treatment. His family  was quoted on cost of the treatment falling between $1,500 and $2,000. Unable to afford the surgery, the family was desperately seeking alternative, affordable options. They were quickly reassured when Captain Care stepped in to help. After his hematoma surgery, Buster returned home pain-free with his very grateful family. 

Sweet Oreo, in great pain from severe bladder stones, was turned down for medical care when her family could not afford treatment. Fearing they may have to surrender Oreo to a shelter, with hopes that she would receive treatment there, Captain Care intervened to provide a happy outcome for both Oreo and her family. Captain Care’s veterinarian provided immediate surgery to remove the stones. Now, Oreo is happy, healthy and remains at home with her loving family.

When 14-year-old Minnie’s pet parent passed away, her last wish was for her children to care for her beloved pooch. Minnie and her mom were inseparable, and she was a constant source of great joy and comfort. Shortly after her pet parent passed away, Minnie developed a fast-growing cyst that would cost thousands to remove. Fortunately for Minnie, it was Captain Care to the rescue after assessing that Minnie was strong enough to undergo surgery. This life-saving treatment kept Minnie safely at home surrounded by her loved ones.

These are only a handful out of thousands of pets and people whose lives are touched by ASPCA grants every day. Throughout the country, due to any number of unforeseen circumstances, families are often placed in tough situations where they need to provide critical care to save their pet’s life. As one of the ASPCA’s life-saving programs, our grants help animal welfare organizations provide happy endings, and keep people and pets together across the United States.