Current and Past Projects

Past Projects

• AHF Caring Creatures Pet Partners pet therapy program—The AHF has supported Pet Partners (formerly Delta Society) with $100,000 in grants to further the Society’s Animal Assisted therapy/Assistance Programs/R.E.A.D. The AHF conducts workshops and evaluations to train teams for our Caring Creatures Pet Partners' program, which includes 75 teams who volunteer at local hospitals, assisted living facilities, hospice, etc.
• R.E.A.D. School/Library Program—Local schools and libraries benefit from the AHF's R.E.A.D. program and when our teams attend educational special events, such as the Disability Awareness Day.
• Vests for Police K9s—The Massachusetts-based nonprofit Vested Interest reached out to the AHF to fund vests for local police dogs in various Orange County Cities.
• Pet Meal Delivery—AHF worked in cooperation with, and provided the seed money for, the Volunteers of America to provide in-home pet food delivery and other needed services to qualifying individuals in targeted areas of Southern California.

Current Projects

• Southern California Veterinary Medical Association—The AHF partners with the SCVMA on many projects each year, including sponsoring Continuing Education (CE) Programs for member Paraprofessionals, veterinarians and the SCVMA Education Fund and the SCVMA/AHF Angel Fund.

Past Projects

• OURF veterinary scholarships—We collaborated with the Orang Utan Republik Foundation (OURF) to support needy veterinary students in Aceh, Sumatra. The AHF provided scholarships within the OURF's Orangutan Caring Scholarship program to students who might otherwise be unable to attend veterinary school. Over the span of a decade, several dozen veterinary students received four-year scholarships.
• Equine Research Project (1975)—Dr. Pierre Lieux of Riverside, CA, received a grant to support his research in reproductive studies in mares.
• Acupuncture (1974)—Donations were earmarked for the National Association for Veterinary Acupuncture to further the Association’s work in animal acupuncture.

Current Projects

• SCVMA/AHF Angel Fund—The Angel Fund is a cooperative venture between the Animal Health Foundation (AHF) and the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association (SCVMA) and its members. Through member veterinarians, the fund assists pet owners in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, California, with veterinary care when paying for care is challenging or impossible.
• Boydston Senior Program—From the generous bequest of Ms. Mary Edna Boydston, through their veterinarians, senior citizens and disabled persons residing in the Los Angeles or Orange County California areas may be eligible for veterinary service support.
• Mobile Wellness veterinary clinic for pets of the homeless—Through a partnership with the Healthcare and Emergency Animal Rescue Team, AHF funds dog & cat vaccine clinics for pets of the homeless, which offer free exams, vaccinations, microchipping, nail trims, anal gland expressions, and internal & external parasite control & preventive medication.

Past Projects

• Pacemaker Bank—The AHF helped pets benefit from the advancement of medical science by establishing a Pacemaker Bank to provide recalibrated pacemakers to canine patients.
• University of California Pet Loss Support Hotline—The AHF supported the University of California at Davis Veterinary School provided a pet loss support hotline offering grieving pet owners the opportunity to share feelings with a caring professional. Unfortunately, as of June 2009, the hotline was discontinued due to budget cuts at the university.
• Pet Loss Grief Therapy Sessions—For many years the AHF provided counseling in a group therapy setting for those grieving from the loss of a pet.
• Pet Insurance Program—The AHF established a program to ensure veterinary care for pets owned by individuals with service pets. The fund to support this program was dependent upon the generosity of pet lovers.

Tennessee Elephant Sanctuary, Marine Mammal Center (San Pedro, CA), and Orange County Bird of Prey Center (Lake Forest, CA) are several organizations we have continued to help over the years.

OURF veterinary scholarships—We collaborated with the Orang Utan Republik Foundation (OURF) to support needy veterinary students in Aceh, Sumatra. The AHF provided scholarships within the OURF's Orangutan Caring Scholarship program to students who might otherwise be unable to attend veterinary school. Over the span of a decade, several dozen veterinary students received four-year scholarships.

• Disaster Relief Trailers—Two organizations, Orange County Animal Care Services and AKC Reunite, reached out to the AHF for assistance with the cost of Pet Disaster Relief Trailers which are fully stocked to help pets of those affected by local fires.
• National Disaster Search Dog Association—The AHF helped this non-profit when seeking funds to build its new facility in Santa Paula, CA. where they professionally train canines at no cost to fire departments.
• During wildfires in Northern California, the AHF donated to North Valley Animal Disaster Group. They were on the front lines helping resident pets by offering free veterinary services and boarding as needed.
• Harvey and Irma hurricanes slammed the Texas and Southeastern US, respectively, putting residents and pets in jeopardy. Best Friends reached out for financial assistance to provide much-needed shelter for pets of those displaced by the disasters and AHF was proud to be able to help fund these efforts.