California Animal Welfare Working Group Shelter Survey Report 2022

Inequitable access to veterinary care has been called the greatest threat to companion animal welfare of our generation. While some research has focused on the lack of access to care for owned pets, there is a dearth of research that focuses on the access to care challenges for animal shelters. The California Access to Care Working Group (CACWG) contracted with the University of Tennessee Program for Pet Health Equity (PPHE) to explore these challenges. With a geographic focus on California, the study was designed to answer three key questions:

1. Do animal shelters in California indicate that they are experiencing a lack of access to veterinary care?
2. What types of care can or cannot be provided?
3. What are the effects of the shelters' lack of access to veterinary care?