- Who is CARE? CARE is a group of citizen volunteers who formed a non-profit corporation in August 2000, to provide humane animal rescue and adoption services for the citizens and animals of San Juan Capistrano.
- How did CARE start? After determining there was an urgent need, 2 of CARE’s original founders rescued and treated several local feral (wild) cats. In the following months, more than 30 stray cats and kittens were rescued and adopted. During the following year, a grass roots group of San Juan Capistrano residents formed CARE and petitioned the City Council to provide local humane animal rescue and adoption services for San Juan Capistrano residents.
- Why do we need a rescue and adoption group for San Juan Capistrano, when the City has contracted with Orange County for animal services since 1941? Even though many positive changes have been made at the OCACC, the aging County facility built in 1941 and located 30 miles away in the city of Orange is not equipped to board stray animals indefinitely. Coupled with the fact that the County takes owner relinquished animals from residents in every city in Orange County, the County facility has had a 65% euthanasia rate compared to the 4% rate at humane animal shelters like San Clemente/Dana Point and Mission Viejo/Laguna Niguel.
- What does CARE’s rescue and adoption efforts cost San Juan taxpayers? Nothing. CARE is a non-profit 501(C) (3) corporation, funded entirely through tax deductible donations and various grants.
- Many other non-profit organizations operating in San Juan Capistrano also serve residents outside the City. Who does CARE serve? While CARE functions as a rescue and adoption organization exclusively for San Juan Capistrano animals, our adoption services are available to residents in all communities. CARE also has a “2nd Chance” Program which allows us to rescue other homeless, adoptable animals facing euthanasia at the County Shelter on a space available basis.
- What local veterinarians support CARE? Capistrano Veterinary Clinic, Affordable Spay & Neuter of Orange County, San Juan Capistrano Banfield Pet Hospital, San Juan Animal Hospital, Dana Niguel Veterinary Hospital, Estrella Veterinary Hospital, Dana Capistrano Animal Clinic, Golden Lantern Animal Hospital and Camino Veterinary Clinic.
- Why do we need humane animal services for San Juan Capistrano, when we have two humane shelters next door in San Clemente and Mission Viejo? These shelters only service animals abandoned or found in their own contracted cities. They do not provide sheltering services to any animals lost or found in San Juan Capistrano.
- Do you have discounted memberships for Senior Citizens and Students? Yes. CARE offers many types of memberships. Call us and ask us about which membership is right for you.
- I already support PPF and DAWG, why should I get involved with CARE? The Pet Project Foundation supports the San Clemente/Dana Point Animal Shelter. Dedicated Animal Welfare Group supports the Mission Viejo/Laguna Niguel Animal Shelter. The San Clemente Animal Shelter serves the cities of Dana Point and San Clemente exclusively, and the Mission Viejo Animal Shelter serves the cities of Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel and Aliso Viejo exclusively. San Juan residents’ contributions to these outside groups do not help their own city’s residents or pets in any way.
- Will the City now be providing Animal Control? No. The County of Orange will continue to provide Animal Control and licensing. CARE currently has a partnership with the Orange County Animal Care Center to retrieve dogs and cats picked up within our City limits on a space available basis. The Capistrano Animal Rescue Effort will provide all the foster care for these animals until they find new homes. The City of San Juan Capistrano is not involved with the operations of CARE.
- Why didn’t CARE build their facility? On June 2, 2009, the City Council voted to terminate the lease with CARE for a small piece of excess city-owned land located north of the intersection of Camino Capistrano and Junipero Serra, where we had planned to build an Animal Adoption & Rescue Center. According to our lease, the city had the right to rescind the lease agreement with 12 months’ notice. The site’s viability was in question as a result of the City’s proposed Creekside Buffer Ordinance currently under consideration. It would have rendered the site unusable for the facility we had planned. CARE agreed to give up our development rights in exchange for reimbursement of the actual costs to improve the site and prepare it for construction (approximately $25,000 to $35,000). We have recommended that a dog park be located on thesite named after long time SJC Veterinarian and Founding CARE member, Dr. Joe Cortese, which would still be in keeping with our mission of supporting animals.
- How will CARE operate without a facility? CARE took steps to ensure our long-term commitment by broadening our mission and capabilities. In January 2010, CARE amended their articles of incorporation to become a Foundation that will support other organizations which provide the services that match CARE’s goals. Without the overhead and burden of trying to entitle, build and manage a physical rescue center, our precious donors’ dollars will be more effectively utilized in activities that serve the lost, abandoned and at-risk animals. This change will allow CARE to reduce the need for intensive ongoing fundraising to support operations (and competition with other nonprofits, however we will continue with our successful annual CARe SHOW and Poker Run.
- Can I volunteer to work with the dogs and cats? Yes, you can sign up to volunteer on our web site (www.capoanimalresue.com),
call the CARE line at 949-240-1735, or contact any CARE member. You can also volunteer to foster an animal in your home or to assist at the cattery, where CARE showcases their adoptable cats. Because of insurance requirements, only adult volunteers can work directly with animals and will also be required to become members of CARE.
- Do you allow minors to volunteer? Yes. We are one of the only shelter groups to allow youths to participate in specified volunteer activities, as long as they are accompanied by a parent.
- Who is responsible for so many stray animals? 3 kinds of pet owners; one who fails to spay and neuter their animals, allowing them to continually reproduce, another who does not look upon pet adoption as a long term commitment and in so doing will abandon their own animals, and anyone who fails to properly tag or identify their pets.
- Where can I see CARE’s adoptable animals? On CARE’s web site, which is also linked to the County of Orange (www.capoanimalresue.com),
at PetFinder.com, and at adoption events or call CARE at (949) 240-1735 to see cats by appointment.
- How can I help? Get involved!
Volunteer,
become a member,
foster an animal,
help with fund raising, provide animal care, make a contribution, attend a meeting, tell a friend.
- What happens to money donated to CARE for specific purposes? Monetary donations are logged into a data base. Unspecified money goes into a general fund which is used for purposes of providing care for the animals, fund raising, operational costs, etc. Donors who specified contributions for construction, memorial bricks or kennel/cat cage plaques, etc. will be given the option to have their donations refunded or reapplied to the general fund. All donations have been, and continue to be, tax deductible.
- Can I review CARE’s financial records? CARE’s annual tax return in posted on-line at www.guidestar.com. Because a financial audit is not required by the State of California for non-profit organizations with less than $2 Million in assets, CARE has obtained a Financial Analysis instead, which is available for a service and copying fee. It can also be reviewed on CARE’s web site. Records of CARE expenses and assets have been maintained over the life of the corporation by all CARE’s Chief Financial Officers, and all funds can be tracked and accounted for. CARE’s annual report to the City of San Juan Capistrano can be reviewed by going to the CARE web site and clicking on the file cabinet.
- Does CARE have a Business Plan? When CARE incorporated in 2000, there was an initial business plan created with projections and costs for the future. Since that time, the various Boards of Directors have not authorized any changes to that Business Plan
- Is CARE a “No Kill” rescue group? No. CARE is a “humane” rescue group, which means that animals may have to be euthanized under certain circumstances such as; injury, disease, suffering or aggressive and dangerous behavior. These decisions are made by an independent committee made up of experts in the animal field. A treating veterinarian always has sole discretion in cases of severe pain.
- Can San Juan Capistrano join another city for humane animal services? In 2005 the City of Mission Viejo was looking for another small city to partner with and San Juan Capistrano expressed their interest in being considered. Since Mission Viejo had many of the same goals and objectives that CARE has adopted in humane animal rescue, CARE supported the decision, subject to certain conditions. Since then Mission Viejo and Laguna Niguel have partnered with Aliso Viejo. San Clemente has indicated that they would have to expand their facility to accommodate another city. The City of San Juan Capistrano felt that sharing those construction costs would be prohibitive.
- Does CARE discriminate between dogs and cats? No. CARE is notified of all unclaimed San Juan Capistrano dogs and cats being held at the Orange County Animal Shelter. CARE is currently taking animals on a space available basis. A second rescue group in San Juan Capistrano who has focused primarily on the rescue of dogs, also rescues San Juan Capistrano animals, they are The ARK of San Juan.
- What is the future for contracted animal services with the County of Orange? The animal shelter for the County of Orange is grossly inadequate to shelter and treat all the lost and stray animals picked up from the 22 Orange County cities that they currently contract with. The County is only obligated by law to provide animal services and animal control for unincorporated County areas. If the County of Orange fails to renew their contracts with cities like San Juan Capistrano, they, along with any other contract cities, will be forced to provide their own animal control and sheltering services. There has been talk among several South County cities about a joint venture to build and maintain a facility to serve the needs of their communities. In 2010 the County of Orange stopped taking owner relinquished animals from residents of cities that they do not contract with for animal control and sheltering services, such as Dana Point/San Clemente and Mission Viejo/Laguna Niguel/Aliso Viejo.
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