Safekeep Program

Our animal rescue and sheltering services are performed in partnership with municipal law enforcement and local health departments.  Animals sometimes enter the Shelter in emergency situations such as a natural disaster, house fire, car accident, or the death, hospitalization, or arrest of the owner. Our Safekeep program ensures that animals from such circumstances are held for longer periods of time to allow time to identify the optimal outcome for the pet.

Emergency Boarding services can be provided for Santa Cruz County residents’ pets for up to 8 or 14 days, depending upon circumstances, and boarding fees may or may not apply, depending upon circumstances and resources available at the time. Pet guardians must sign an agreement and waiver, and should recognize that although shelter staff and volunteers will do our best, our open-intake shelter is not an ideal environment for a pets’ temporary stay. We have high population turnover, and much of that population has unknown vaccination and disease exposure history, so pets may catch a contagious upper respiratory or other disease. The shelter is noisy, has lots of smells, and has a different schedule and rhythm than private homes, so it can be very stressful, which can lead to behavioral or medical illness.  If private boarding or staying with a trusted relative or friend is possible, that is generally less stressful and healthier for your pet, The shelter can provide a safety net when needed.