We provide a safety net for approximately 1200 dogs and cats each year.
Mission
Animal Friends Rescue Project (AFRP) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization (tax ID 77-0491141) based in Pacific Grove, California. We are dedicated to finding good permanent homes for abandoned, stray, and abused companion animals and ending the pet overpopulation crisis through focused spay/neuter programs. We work with our local community and animal shelters to identify and assist the dogs and cats most in need of a helping hand. Click here to read more.
History
Founded in 1998 by four compassionate individuals, AFRP started with a handful of volunteers, a garage office space and a modest adoption corner at a local pet store in Pacific Grove. Since that time, AFRP has grown into an amazing organization with over 400 active volunteers, a dedicated staff and a hard working board of directors.
Our Services
- Saving at-risk companion animals. We are a foster-based rescue group that provides a safe and loving space for homeless companion animals that are waiting to be adopted. We primarily focus on helping local shelter animals that are at risk of being euthanized because they are sick or injured, are considered too old or too young to be adoptable, are shy or traumatized animals that need some extra time to gain confidence, or need a place to go because the shelters are full. We primarily rescue animals from Monterey county, but also assist animals from Santa Cruz and San Benito counties when possible.
- Offering advice and assistance. Since AFRP is foster-based and does not own a kennel facility, we are limited in our ability to accept animals directly from the public. Instead, we offer advice and assistance to help people find new homes for their pets through our Compassionate Surrender Program (link) and our website courtesy listings (link). We are only able to take animals from the public on a case by case, space-available basis. We give priority to residents of Monterey County.
- Facilitating dog and cat adoptions. AFRP offers dogs and cats for adoption at our main AFRP Adoption Center in Pacific Grove, Pet Food Express in Carmel, Petco in Monterey and Pet Supplies Plus in Pacific Grove. We also hold regular weekend adoption days at various locations throughout the year. Check our calendar of upcoming events. (link) All potential adopters go through a thorough screening to make sure that each companion animal finds the best possible match.
- Offering Training and behavior resources. AFRP offers basic training for dogs and puppies (link) and ongoing behavior advice for adopted dogs and cats to help them stay in their homes.
- Providing a safety net. AFRP has a lifetime promise to each animal that is in our care. We do not put animals down because they have medical needs or have been with us too long. Animals adopted from AFRP are always part of our AFRP family, and can return to our adoption program for their lifetime.
- Spay/neuter assistance. AFRP strongly believes that offering affordable spay/neuter programs plays a crucial role in reducing the numbers of homeless animals entering our overburdened local shelters. We offer low-cost spay/neuter vouchers for low-income pet guardians, and we operate a mobile spay/neuter clinic (link) to provide free services for qualified residents of Monterey County.
- Transporting at-risk shelter animals. Our Loads of Love Transport Program (link) saves an additional 500 – 1,000 local at-risk shelter animals per year by driving them to animal welfare organizations that have space for them and where they are quickly adopted.
- Helping feral/community cats. Our feral/community cat volunteers work tirelessly to provide Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) services to reduce the numbers of free roaming cats in Monterey County. We have a limited number of humane traps available for rental. (link to feral FAQ page)
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Placement of Homeless Animals into good permanent homes.
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Major and minor medical care, including spay/neuter for the animals in our care.
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Spay/neuter voucher program and education about the problems of overpopulation.
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Behavioral guidance and referrals.
We rely on our community to provide these life saving services –
volunteers, donors and local business sponsors.
Dogs and most of the cats we rescue from the shelters are housed in volunteer foster homes. Every animal coming into our adoption program receives all necessary medical care needed and when ready they are placed up for adoption. AFRP has approximately 400 active volunteers.
We have a lifetime commitment to every animal that comes into our care. We do not euthanize animals because they have been with us too long or for medical reasons. If an adopter is no longer able to keep their adopted animal we are committed to bringing it back into our adoption program. AFRP feels strongly about reducing the number of animals that enter our shelters and offers free/reduced cost spay/neuter vouchers for small dogs and cats. We also have a Community/Feral Cat Trap Neuter Release (TNR) Program.
Our main adoption center is located in Pacific Grove, CA. We also have satellite adoption sites at Pet Food Express in Carmel and Petco in Monterey. We hold regular Adoption Days throughout the community, advertise in local newspapers, show adoptables on our web site and newsletter, and work with other rescue groups and shelters to successfully find homes for many of our animals. All potential adopters go through a thorough screening to make sure that each companion animal finds the right home.
Board of Directors
Leigh Jeter, President
Lisa McElmoyl, Vice President
Carol Walsh
AFRP Staff
Darla Smith
Executive Director
Kris Boudreau
Operations Supervisor and Volunteer Coordinator
Jill Long
Office Manager
Bob Tyson
Outreach manager
Linda Wilsey
Adoptions Manager
Kim Erlandson
Dog Adoption Manager and Offsite Event Coordinator
Daniel Ericksen
Interim Cat Intake Coordinator
Sandy Benzor
Dog Evaluation and Behavior Specialist
Alexis Stockton Holtz
Adoption Specialist
Erica Freestone
Adoption Specialist
Deborah Ferguson
Treasure Shop Sales Associate
Karen Gunby
Treasure Shop Sales Associate and Adoption Specialist
Sarah Hoshii
Petco Cat Care Specialist and Adoption Coordinator
Nathalie Tourel Bugay
Pet Food Express Cat Care Specialist
Nathan Ybarra
AFRP Adoption Center PM Cat Care Specialist
Kasandra Espino
AFRP Adoption Center AM Cat Care Specialist
AFRP Vet Clinic Staff
Dr. Mako Matsuki
AFRP Veterinarian
Ofelia Lopez
Vet Technician
Kaitlin Fields
Vet Clinic Receptionist and Office Assistant
Katherine Iverson
Vet Clinic Animal Care
Financial Documents
AFRP’s most recent 990 tax returns are available to view online. Download a PDF version (you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed) by clicking on the buttons below.
Download 990 Form 2013-2014 Download 990 Form 2014-2015
