Santa Cruz SPCA

11/20/2025

✨🎁 Home for the Holidays Feature: APPLE! 🎁✨

Meet Apple, our sweet ~3-year-old brown tabby who is absolutely made for cozy holiday vibes. 🍎🤎

This gentle girl adores head scratches, soft meows, and warm moments with her favorite people. Here at the shelter, Apple greets everyone with friendly leg rubs and the cutest “please love me” purrs. She would love nothing more than to curl up in her forever home just in time for the holidays. 🏡💕

If you’ve been thinking about adding a loving companion to your family, Apple might be your purrfect match. Let’s help her go HOME for the Holidays! 🎄✨

Here's a reminder of which animals qualify for the Home for the Holidays Adoption Special:

🐶 Big dogs (40+ lbs)
🐱 Adult cats (6+ months)
⏳ Adult dogs & cats who’ve waited 30+ days for a home

We’re open Tuesday–Sunday, 11am–5pm.
See all our adoptable animals at www.spcas.org💻🐾

Bring home love this season! ❤️

11/19/2025

Santa Cruz Gives begins today, and we're proud to participate.
Our Vision for 2025: The Journey Home.

It's a thoughtful approach: Every animal that enters our care embarks on a carefully orchestrated journey. First, intake and assessment. Then comprehensive medical care. Training follows. And finally, the most rewarding chapter: adoption into a loving home.

Some animals arrive frightened and uncertain. Others require immediate medical intervention or simply the comfort of a patient, gentle presence. Each one is waiting for that perfect match, the right family to recognize their potential. When it happens, it truly is magical.

Animal shelters across the nation are facing real challenges right now. Adoption rates have declined, facilities are at capacity, and many families are making heartbreaking choices about pets they can no longer keep. But challenges present opportunities for meaningful action.

At the Santa Cruz SPCA, we've committed to excellence in animal care. Every dog, every cat receives proper medical treatment, behavioral training, and individualized attention tailored to their specific needs. This level of care requires dedication, resources, and, most importantly, a compassionate community willing to invest in these deserving animals. Together, we're creating beautiful outcomes, one adoption at a time.

We embrace hard work. It's how good things get done. With your generous support, we'll expand our adoption program and save even more lives.

Our mission is to provide safe harbor for animals in need and promote an active humane community through adoption, advocacy, and education.

11/18/2025

The Santa Cruz SPCA’s Home for the Holidays event starts TODAY -- and our adoptable animals are ready!! Like, brushed-their-fur-and-everything ready.

From NOW through Jan 3, you can meet your future snuggle buddy AND enjoy waived adoption fees for the following animal categories:

🐶 Big dogs (40+lbs)
🐱 Adult cats (6mos+)
⏳ Adult dogs/cats who’ve waited 30+ days for a home!

Come meet your new bestie. They’re cute. They’re available. 10/10 would recommend. 🐾 We are open Tues-Sun from 11am - 5pm.

11/17/2025

🎉 SEVENTEEN Adoptions Last Week! 🎉
What an incredible week for finding forever homes! 🐾💙

And… we have to shout this from the rooftops…
🌟 GRACIE WAS ADOPTED AFTER 301 DAYS IN OUR CARE! 🌟
This sweet girl waited so patiently for her perfect match, and seeing her finally head home has our whole team buzzing with joy. Go, Gracie!! 🥹💛

Here’s the full list of the wonderful pets who found their families last week:

🐶 Dogs: Gracie (!!!), Oscar, Jilly, Pepper, Mattie, Harpo, Chikis, and Leia.
🐱 Cats: Fawn, Mike & Teddy (together!), Wilma, Dash, Cheeto, Herbie & Itty Bitty (together!), and Jasper.

Every adoption is a victory — and this week was full of them. Thank you to every adopter who opened their heart and home. 💕

🐾

11/15/2025

It's a cold, rainy day so let's warm it up with this sweet post!

Get ready for a heart-melting update! Our sweet boy King—now renamed Benji—has officially hit the jackpot with his amazing new family, and he’s living his very best life. 💛

His adopters checked in to say:
“Hello! Benji (known as King) is doing well. He is the sweetest, most handsome boy. He’s already traveled to so many places and does wonderfully in the car!” 🚗✨

From road-trip adventures to snuggles with his new family, Benji is soaking up every moment of love, fun, and freedom. We’re so happy to see him thriving!

Enjoy these adorable photos of this handsome explorer on his new journey! 🏞️ A huge thank you to his wonderful adopters for giving this handsome boy the loving home and adventures he deserves. 💙🐶

11/15/2025

🐾 Volunteer Opportunity at Santa Cruz SPCA! 🐾

Looking to make a pawsitive impact? We’re seeking volunteers to help care for our furry friends! Join us this Sunday, 11/16 from 10am - 12pm to learn how to lend a hand at the shelter. Whether it's walking dogs, cleaning kennels, or simply offering some love, your help means the world!

Location: 2601 Chanticleer Ave in Santa Cruz, CA
Date: Sunday, 11/16
Time: 10am - 12pm

Sign up today and help us give these animals the love they deserve! 💖🐶🐱
Link to our Volunteer page: https://spcasc.org/volunteer/

Walk-ins welcome!

11/13/2025

Say hello to Marvin! 🐾 This ~8-month-old Border Collie mix (53lbs) is a curious, treat-obsessed ball of energy who loves to herd… everything (sorry, cats!). He’s smart, friendly, and full of puppy spunk—he’ll do just about anything for a snack. Marvin is a big fan of dog friends too, especially those who like to wrestle and play rough. He’d thrive in a home where he has a “job” to do and an owner ready to teach him some manners as he grows.

Ready to meet this herding superstar? Stop by the shelter Tuesday–Sunday 11–5! We are located at 2601 Chanticleer Ave in Santa Cruz, CA!

Marvin's adoption fee is $200. Adoption fees include: spay/neuter, microchip, recent treatment for fleas and worms, age-appropriate vaccinations, certificate for free vet exam, and an adoption packet with additional pet care information and coupons. Reach out to us with any questions or to learn more about Marvin!

☎️Call us: (831) 465-5000
📨Email us: [email protected]
💻Website: www.spcasc.org

11/12/2025

🦃 Wishlist Wednesday: Gobble Gobble Edition! 🍂

Our shelter pets are ready to give thanks - but they’d be even more thankful with a few extra goodies this holiday season! 😻🐶

Here’s what’s on their Thanksgiving wishlist this year:
🍗 Pet food — because everyone deserves a full belly at the feast!
🧼 Cleaning supplies — for when someone overdoes it on the gravy...
🧶 Cat litter — let’s just say some leftovers don’t belong on the floor. 😅
🎾 Toys & treats — gotta work off that turkey nap somehow!
🛏️ Blankets & towels — cozy vibes only for post-dinner snoozes.

🧺 Drop off donations at our shelter located at 2601 Chanticleer Ave in Santa Cruz or send items from our Amazon or Chewy Wishlist: https://spcasc.org/amazon-wish-list/

Let’s make this Thanksgiving one to purr about! 🐾
Our animals are stuffed with gratitude already—but there’s always room for seconds. 😋

11/11/2025

This Veterans Day, we honor those who’ve served—and introduce one very special soldier of snuggles: Callisto! 🎖️💛

At 2-ish years old, this dilute tortie has perfected her mission: Operation Cozy Home. She’s a little shy at first, but give her some time (and maybe a few treats), and she’ll melt right into your arms.

Callisto loves cuddles, naps, and on-leash missions—she just prefers to keep her base dog- and cat-free. Think of her as a “solo command unit” for love and lap time.

Meet her today, we are open until 5pm!

11/11/2025

Peggy Hillis spent years supporting animals who had nowhere else to go. Her family has created a matching gift in her name -- generosity that doubles what you give, up to $1,000 per gift! 😲

Through December, donations will be matched up to $25,000. This means twice the nourishment, twice the healing, twice the tender, unseen moments of comfort and care that define shelter life. 💕

Donate to Santa Cruz SPCA and help local animal find the shelter they need. Your support provides for homeless pets in Santa Cruz County.

11/10/2025

Adoptions numbers for last week landed at -- SIX! 🐾

The full adoption list for the week is as follows:
🐶: Westley (after 388 days in care!!!), Rocky (!!), Paloma, Breezy, and Esme.
🐱: Bamboo!