The bond between people and pets is one of a kind: pets love us for exactly who we are, regardless of where we live, what we look like, or what’s in our wallets.
They change our lives and the places we live for the better by boosting physical and mental health, fostering belonging and social connection, and helping our communities reach their full potential.
In the last three years, shelters, partner organizations, and allies have reduced by half the number of animals euthanized in California shelters and helped keep countless others with their families, but we’re not finished yet. More than ever, it’s clear that people and pets in our state face complex challenges that can’t be solved by any one action or organization alone. Systemic barriers block families’ access to essentials, from safe and affordable pet-inclusive housing to vet care and healthy food. Pets continue to enter shelters, and adoptions aren’t keeping pace. To confront these issues, we need collective action.
How we respond in this moment matters.
We must pull together to advance everyday actions, practices, and policies that are transformative for people, pets and our communities. We need helpers inside shelters and out who can respond to these challenges by choosing solutions that build bridges to ensure animals spend more nights with their people, not in shelters.
From tapping into networks of caring friends and neighbors to get lost dogs home, funding vet care for a pet in need, or ensuring fees don’t stand between people and pets, we can unite like we’ve done in the past to keep and bring more pets and people together, until our communities truly reflect who we are and what we know: We’re stronger side by side.
Make a difference today
Join Californians who are building communities that are more: more inclusive of pets and people; more fun, fair, and welcoming places for us all to call home. Every act of community—and solidarity, belonging, joy, and love—helps ensure pets spend more nights at home, not in shelters. What will you do to keep and bring more #PetsAndPeopleTogether? Tell us and request a button; wear it to show what matters to you and invite others to team up and take action too.
5 things you, your community group, business, shelter, organization, or community can do to keep and bring pets and people together
Portal to Pets and People Together Via the Visions of Artists
Portals placed in shelter housing are gateways to happier, healthier cats and dogs. We invited emerging California artists to create portals for us: gateways to pets and people together and the communities of care we’re growing now. What does it look like when we’re stronger side by side? Meet the artists, and check out the incredible entries to our MPPT community art contest!
