SPCA Monterey County
1002 Highway 68, Salinas 373-2631, spcamc.org
This fiercely independent nonprofit takes in all kinds of animals: horses, bunnies, orphaned pets and injured wild creatures. “When you need help, you can turn to us,” says spokesperson Beth Brookhouser. “We are here to help.” SPCA has been serving the animals and people of Monterey County since 1905. That happens through rescues and adoptions, but also rehabilitation and support for pets, livestock and wildlife. Sometimes that means fostering dozens of creatures during a wildfire evacuation. Sometimes it means investigating a case of animal abuse and helping build a case against the bad guys. Sometimes it means low-cost spay and neuter clinics, or stocking up its pet food bank for pet parents in need. However it happens, from the tiniest pet lizard to the strongest horse, it happens thanks to volunteer power from this local nonprofit. “We are not a chapter,” Brookhouser notes. “We are a local organization.”