ANIMAL COALITION GROUP INC
The system is failing. We are here to change that.
Every day in Contra Costa County, residents find abandoned kittens, injured cats, dumped animals, and dogs facing euthanasia. Increasingly, they are not calling the shelter for help — they are calling rescues.
Volunteer rescue groups have become the real frontline animal welfare system in our community.
They trap abandoned cats.
They bottle-feed orphaned kittens.
They rescue injured animals from streets and neighborhoods.
They foster animals in their homes.
They respond when businesses, apartment complexes, and residents do not know where else to turn.
Yet the organizations doing this work receive few small grants and NO permanent county funding even though they are doing the work.
Meanwhile, millions of taxpayer dollars continue flowing into overhead-heavy systems where much of the funding goes toward salaries, administration, facilities, and operational costs instead of direct animal care. Contra Costa Animal Services of their $15.4 million dollar Fiscal 2024 budget spent 4.5 to 13.5 cents per dollar on animals versus 98 cents per dollar spent by the Animal Coalition through funding Veterinary offices for rescues.
The result:
• More suffering
• More abandoned animals
• More overwhelmed rescuers
• More residents feeling abandoned by the system
• Increasing overpopulation
We believe there is a better solution.
Animal Coalition’s Mission
Animal Coalition exists to support the rescue organizations doing the actual hands-on work in the community.
Our model is simple:
• Rescue groups identify animals needing help
• Veterinary hospitals provide care
• Animal Coalition pays veterinary hospitals directly
• Donations and public funding go directly toward surgeries and medical treatment
This creates dramatically more impact per dollar than traditional overhead-heavy systems.
Why Rescues Matter
Rescues are different because they are:
• Volunteer-run
• Foster-based
• Embedded directly in the community
• Operating with little to no overhead
• Responding immediately to animal emergencies
Unlike large organizations with expensive infrastructure, rescues direct nearly all resources toward helping animals – 98 cents per dollar. Contra Costa County gave $750,000 in Measure X funding to a large local nonprofit with a similar overhead structure to the Shelter, 4.2 cents per dollar goes to the animals. This same organization also has a $55 investment fund and does not go out into the field to help residents. Rescues receive very little grant money.
Rescue groups are the most effective engine for reducing suffering. They simply lack funding.
OUR PARTNERS
How It Works
The Animal Coalition Group works with Veterinary Hospitals, Rescue Organizations, and the Martinez Animal Shelter to form a vital network that works together closely towards the goal of spaying and neutering community cats. These entities recognize the importance of controlling the pet population and reducing the number of homeless animals.
Veterinary hospitals play a crucial role by providing high-quality veterinary care, including spaying and neutering surgeries. Rescue organizations actively participate by rescuing abandoned and stray animals, ensuring their well-being, and facilitating their adoption into loving homes when possible. The Martinez Animal Shelter offers a secure refuge for animals requiring assistance and contributes to the community by promoting spaying and neutering, as well as sharing valuable knowledge with rescue organizations and veterinary hospitals.
Through collaboration and coordination, these organizations address the issue of overpopulation, reducing the strain on resources and improving the overall welfare of animals. Together, they create a positive impact in the community and ensuring a brighter future for all animals.
Rescue Organizations
Veterinary Hospitals
Martinez Animal Shelter
What We Are Fighting For
We are asking Contra Costa County Supervisors to create:
Permanent annual funding for rescue veterinary care through The Animal Coalition
Our proposal:
$600,000 annually for rescue veterinary funding
This represents only 0.01% of the county budget and the Animal Coalition has identified areas where this funding could be redirected. For example, travel and entertainment expenses yet could help thousands of additional animals every year while supporting the rescuers already carrying the burden. Eventually limiting population growth and reducing funding in the future.
Why Spay and Neuter Funding Saves Lives
Spay and neuter funding is the single most effective way to reduce long-term suffering.
Without prevention:
• Litters multiply rapidly
• Rescues become overwhelmed
• More animals suffer outdoors
• More dogs and cats enter crisis situations
One unaltered pair of cats can theoretically produce:
420,000 kittens in seven years
Prevention reduces:
• Starvation
• Disease
• Injury
• Shelter overcrowding
• Euthanasia
Every surgery prevents future suffering before it begins.
Why Suffering Has Increased
Over the last decade, shelters across the country shifted toward limiting intake of community cats in an effort to reduce euthanasia rates.
While the intention may have been good, the practical result has been devastating for rescues.
Now:
• Many cats remain in the field
• Residents are increasingly referred to rescues
• Volunteer rescuers absorb the burden
• Spay/neuter demand exceeds available funding
• More animals suffer without intervention
The workload shifted.
The funding never did.
The Dog Rescue Crisis
Dogs are suffering too.
Weak breeding oversight and irresponsible backyard breeding continue contributing to:
• Overpopulation
• Shelter crowding
• Increased euthanasia
• Abandonment
When puppies do not sell quickly, rescues are often left handling the fallout.
Rescuers need funding for:
• Medical care
• Foster support
• Kennels
• Emergency treatment
• Transportation and supplies
Are We Transparent and Cost Effective?
Yes.
Animal Coalition was specifically designed to maximize direct animal impact while minimizing administrative overhead.
Our model includes:
• Direct payment to veterinary hospitals
• External CPA and bookkeeping oversight
• Public financial transparency
• Minimal operational overhead
Up to 98% of donations go directly toward animal care.
This means donations fund surgeries and treatment — not large payroll systems or expensive infrastructure.
How You Can Help
-
Donate
Your donation directly funds veterinary care and spay/neuter surgeries for rescue groups helping animals throughout Contra Costa County.
2. Help Us Push For Permanent Rescue Funding
This is one of the most important things you can do.
Email:
info@animalcgi.org
We will send you simple email templates you can forward directly to Contra Costa County Supervisors asking for permanent rescue funding.
A few emails take minutes.
Thousands of emails create political pressure.
Grassroots action is how systems change.
The Goal
A community where:
• Fewer animals suffer
• Rescue groups have stable funding
• Veterinary care is accessible
• Spay/neuter services expand
• Residents are not left handling animal crises alone
The system will not change unless the public demands it.
Please help us create that change.
Proudly Platinum Transparent for 2025!
Being awarded the Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid (formerly Guidestar) is a major testament to the transparency of Animal Coalition Group Inc.
The Platinum Seal of Transparency is a rating that puts us in the top 0.1% of charities nationally in terms of transparency and means that Animal Co has shared clear and important information with the public about our goals, strategies, capabilities, achievements and progress indicators.
As a result, potential donors can easily find in-depth financial information about our organization to help them make informed decisions when considering a gift that supports our mission. With this information in hand, they can be confident that their contribution will help us save as many lives as possible and bring about change in our community.
We are incredibly proud and humbled to receive the Platinum Seal of Transparency and are committed to continuing to be transparent and accountable to our donors and the community.