AFRP About Us

About Us

About AFRP

Animal Friends Rescue Project (AFRP) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in Pacific Grove, California. We were founded in June 1998 by four individuals who were passionate about making a difference to companion animal overpopulation. 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.
AFRP is led by an active Board of Directors and a dedicated staff. We also rely on our incredible volunteers which now number over 300.

Meet our Board of Directors:

Board of Directors (L-R): Jackie Wendland, Lisa von Saltza-McElmoyl,
Monica Rua, Carie Broecker, Kelly Lehrian.
Cat and Dogs (L-R): Thumper, Ebee, Max, Champ, Marshall, Tennessee, Spunky

Meet Our Staff:



Alexandra McCabe Executive Director (with Sir Winston and Tupelo Honey) full-time	Jill Gomon Intake and Office Manager (with Hope) part-time	Kat Serafin Adoption Center Manager (with Sophie) part-time	Linda Wilsey Adoptions Manager (with Sterling) part-time

Bob Tyson Outreach Manager (with Sealy) part-time	Micheline Beck Office Assistant (with Calvin) part-time	Jane Roland Treasure Shop Manager part-time	Sue Trapp Santa Cruz Prog. Manager (with Bing) full-time

Donna Pederson Satellite Adoption Site Coordinator (with Ling Ling) part-time	Martina Shaw Dog Intake Manager (with Cheetoh & Thursday) part-time	Allison Clark Volunteer Coordinator (with Alfie) part-time

We use our extensive network of volunteer foster homes to take in animals at the request of animal shelters that have not been able to adopt them out due to age, medical issues, personality issues, or due to space constraints. We have a lifetime commitment to any animal that comes into our care until they are adopted; we do not put animals down because they have been with us too long or need medical attention.

Animal Friends Rescue Project provides the following services:


		placement of homeless animals into good permanent homes
		temporary care for homeless animals in foster homes or kennels
		necessary veterinary care for the foster animals
		education about the proper care of companion animals and education to promote compassion towards animals
		spay/neuter program and education about the problems of overpopulation
		behavioral guidance and referrals
		assistance to people needing help placing a stray they have found or in placing their own pet in another home

We primarily take animals that are at risk of euthanasia from the City of Salinas Animal Shelter and the Monterey County Animal Shelter. Our other priorities are helping animals in need in Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties. We have also been called on to help with animals in need from other parts of California including Los Banos, San Jose, Stockton, Tulare, Bakersfield, and Merced.

Our main adoption center is located in PG. We also have satellite adoption sites at Posh Pets in Pacific Grove, PETsMART in Sand City, Salinas and Santa Cruz. 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.

AFRP has a reputation in the community for taking the "least adoptable" animals from the shelters, giving them them the time and medical attention they need, and finding them good permanent homes. Our priority for intake is to accept animals from the shelter that our least likely to survive the shelter situation. We work closely with the shelter staff to determine which animals need our help the most. Due to the lack of funding and space available to many city and county run shelters, most animals with any sort of illness from a simple cold to a condition requiring serious surgery can not be put up for adoption. We provide a unique service in the community because of our ability to take on these cases that require commitments of time and money.

In addition to our adoption program, AFRP feels strongly about doing what we can to reduce the number of animals that enter city shelters in the first place. Our Prevent-A-Litter Program (P.A.L.), a community spay/neuter voucher program, helps members of the general public spay and neuter their animals. This program is for those who cannot otherwise afford to have their animal altered and a financial screening process is in place. AFRP knows that every animal altered will stop countless litters of unwanted kittens and puppies from being born.

We know we have made a huge difference in the lives of many homeless cats and dogs, as well as their human caregivers thanks to the support of our community. There is no way we could accomplish this much needed work without the countless hours from our dedicated volunteers and the financial support of our community.

We still have much more work to do and we do not have an easy task ahead of us. Just look into your dog's or cat's eyes, and you know we cannot stop until there are no more homeless companion animals. We want to ensure that all companion animals who need a home in our community are spayed and neutered and placed in good homes. Our goal is to end euthanasia as a means to control the pet overpopulation problem in our community.

If there is anything else you would like to know about Animal Friends Rescue Project, please email us at info@animalfriendsrescue.org or call us at (831) 333-0722. Also, let us know if you are interested in joining our mailing list.