About HSVC
The Humane Society of Ventura County is a non-profit, NO-KILL organization dedicated to the protection and adoption of homeless animals throughout Ventura County.
Our mission statement is, “The Humane Society of Ventura County is dedicated to promoting the health, safety, welfare, compassionate care and protection of all animals through education and community outreach programs.”
The Humane Society of Ventura County fulfills its mission by:
- Providing a safe environment for homeless, neglected or abused animals
- Providing adoption services to responsible homes
- Promoting and providing spay and neutering to reduce overpopulation
- Pet-assisted therapy in hospitals and nursing homes in the community
- Providing Humane Education in local schools
- Humane Officers investigate reports of cruelty, abuse and neglect
- Compassionate care including medical treatment
- Organized volunteer program including training and socialization
Who We Are
Nestled in the rolling hills of the picturesque Ojai Valley lies a 4.4 acre hidden treasure for wayward animals. Founded in 1932, we here at the Humane Society of Ventura County have been serving not just the animals of the Ojai Valley, but all of the animals in Ventura County. Traditionally, an animal shelter is thought of as solely a place for animals to seek refuge until a permanent home can be found. While here at the Humane Society of Ventura County we provide this safe refuge, we also strive to remedy the greater problem of animal overpopulation, abuse and neglect. We are dedicated to promoting the health, safety, welfare, compassionate care and protection of all animals in the Ventura County through education and community outreach.
Countless animals are the innocent victims not only of senseless and deliberate abuse and neglect but many others are the victims of unintentional abuse. Abuse can come in many forms ranging from physical abuse to simple failure to care for an animal properly. Here at the Humane Society of Ventura County we seek to break this cycle by visiting schools, day care facilities, clubs, volunteer organizations to provide information on animal health and safety, disaster preparedness, overpopulation, abuse, neglect, animal rights, and pet care and responsibility.
Education is a great way to break the cycle; however, in the meantime 6-8 million animals enter shelters in the United States each year. Roughly half of them will be euthanized because of overpopulation. Here at the Humane Society of Ventura County we run a no-kill shelter and provide a low to no cost spay and neuter clinic for the county. Our clinic currently spays and neuters approximately 15-20 animals 5 days a week. With the addition of the Harry Valentine Visitors Center we are now in the process of expanding our spay and neuter clinic to approximately twice its existing size.
As we continue to educate individuals in the county and spay and neuter as many animals as we can, we also provide safe, temporary housing for animals across the entire county. We provide our animals with medical treatment, proper nutrition, exercise, rehabilitation and lots of love. Our volunteers play with the animals, walk the dogs and give the animals the love and attention they so desperately need and deserve. Entering our Cat Haven is like walking into small house complete with a beautiful, cheerful mural painted by Iris Williams. One would find cats contently curled up on chairs, cat hammocks, beds and cat trees. And if the cats were not content sleeping or playing inside, one might find them doing so in our safe, enclosed outdoor portion. While for safety reasons we cannot house all of our dogs in a similar facility, we provide outdoor play pens with toys, water and some room to stretch their legs. We seek foster homes for our special needs animals and permanent, responsible homes for all of our animals which are screened by our humane officers, staff and volunteer yard checkers. We also attempt to reunite owners with lost animals that have been brought to us.
In addition to all of the above, we also provide many other services. These include our pet therapy program in which volunteers bring our animals to assisted living facilities and hospitals within our county to provide comfort to patients and purpose to our animals. We also provide owner requested euthanasia and grief counseling references for the difficult time that follows. Further, our humane officers are a great asset to our shelter. We are the only agency in Ventura County with Humane Officers. They assist local law enforcement with animal abuse and neglect cases and often resolve many cases before law enforcement must be called.
All of our programs, services and outreach are funded one hundred percent by donations, memorials and sponsorships. We are not affiliated with the Humane Society of the United States nor do we receive funding from the city, state or federal government. With the help of many volunteers and continued financial support through donations, memorials and sponsorships we will continue to provide for the safety, health, welfare, compassionate care and protection of all animals within our county. To make a donation click here.
In addition, Shelter employees are prepared, 24 hours a day, to help with the rescue and transportation of animals during emergencies and natural disasters. Because pets are not allowed in Red Cross evacuation centers, the Humane Society is also a drop-off point for animals following a natural disaster such as a flood, fire or earthquake.
For more information about the Shelter and the many services available, including the Spay and Neuter Clinic, call 646-6505 or 656-5031.
