Across Bakersfield and Kern County, abandoned animals continue to face an uncertain future, relying on volunteers and community rescue organizations for food, medical care, shelter, and a safe place to live.

One local organization working to address this problem is Bakersfield Strays, which began on July 4, 2022, in response to the growing number of abandoned dogs being found in rural areas and orchards throughout the community. What began with volunteers providing food and water to dogs living on the streets has grown into a network of volunteers and organizations working together to provide animals with veterinary care, temporary shelter, rescue programs, and permanent homes.

“Bakersfield Strays was never meant to be one rescue trying to do everything. It is a coalition built around the idea that if each of us does the part we do best, together we can create a path from the street to safety,” says Leesa Molina, Bakersfield Strays Administrator.

In just over four years, Bakersfield Strays has helped more than 670 dogs get off the streets and facilitated more than 840 spay and neuter procedures. The organization also provides approximately 5,000 pounds of dog food each month to help animals and families in the communities it serves. One of the organization's important developments has been the creation of a transition property in Bakersfield. The property provides a safe place for dogs to stay after being removed from the streets while volunteers work to secure rescue placement.

The need for foster homes and rescue partners remains important. Volunteers continue to find abandoned dogs, but shelters and rescue organizations throughout California are overwhelmed. Additional rescue partners, foster homes, and adopters are needed to provide animals with a safe place to stay after they receive initial care and stabilization. Financial support is also critical. Veterinary care, spay-and-neuter procedures, food, temporary housing, and the continued operation and improvement of the transition property all require ongoing funding.

“The question we face every day is painfully simple: Where are they supposed to go? The shelters are full. The rescues are full. And still, the dogs keep coming,” Molina says.

For Bakersfield Strays, the goal is not simply to rescue more animals. It is to build a community where fewer animals are abandoned in the first place and where residents know that resources are available when an animal needs help.

But the organization's mission goes beyond rescuing animals already living on the streets. Bakersfield Strays is also focused on reducing the number of animals that become homeless in the first place through affordable spay-and-neuter services, education, responsible pet ownership, and community accountability.

“They didn’t abandon themselves. Every dog we find on these streets was failed somewhere along the way,” says Molina. “We cannot rescue our way out of a culture of disposability. Rescue saves the dog in front of us, but prevention is how we change what happens to the next one.”

Finding a stray animal can be overwhelming for residents who want to help but don’t know how. A friendly dog or cat wandering the neighborhood may be lost, abandoned, or in need of medical attention. Bringing a lost animal into a home with other pets can also raise health and safety concerns, making veterinary care and appropriate testing important before introducing the animal to the family and its pets.

Local veterinary clinics, animal shelters, and rescue organizations can help determine the appropriate next steps, from checking for identification and handling medical needs to arranging temporary care or finding a permanent home. For more information regarding fostering, adopting, or donating, please visit www.bakersfieldstrays.org.