San Diego’s Face Foundation

Eliminating “Economic Euthanasia” by helping families in financial distress

“We would have been broken apart if it weren’t
for FACE.”

Upcoming Events

4th Annual 5K Doggie Dash & 10 Year Celebration
Sunday, September 25th, San Diego
Dash for a cause while celebrating FACE’s 10 Year Anniversary at our annual Doggie Dash! Rally your friends, family and pups for this fun 5K that features a lively vendor village, prizes, and an amazing opportunity drawing. All proceeds will benefit FACE.

5th Invitational Golf Tournament
Monday, November 7th, Solana Beach
Join us for a dog-friendly day of golf at FACE’s annual Golf Tournament. Followed by dinner, a live auction, and an opportunity drawing, this event is the perfect way for golf enthusiasts to help save the lives of pets in need of emergency care.

7th Annual Bags & Baubles
Spring 2017, Rancho Santa Fe
Fashionistas and animal lovers will gather for a silent auction: hundreds of handbags, jewelry, sunglasses and accessories—all to benefit FACE. Will also feature estate tours, complimentary wine and desserts!

For most pet parents it is difficult to imagine life without the omnipresent love that pets bring to our lives. Over 84 million U.S. households have a pet, and most consider them family members (according to the American Veterinary Medical Association). But what happens if your pet becomes gravely injured or ill and you can’t afford the treatment your beloved companion needs to survive? What would you do? Where would you turn? For many, the only option is “economic euthanasia,” where pet parents are forced to make the heartbreaking decision to put their pet to sleep due
to financial constraints.

In response to this tragedy, a group of veterinarians and concerned citizens formed the Foundation for Animal Care and Education (FACE), a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) public charity that provides financial assistance to pet owners who cannot afford emergency veterinary care. “We felt that the foundation would serve a purpose that is really needed in our profession,” said Dr. Keith Richter, a board-certified veterinarian and one of the founders of FACE.

The Save-A-Life Program is a partnership between FACE and San Diego veterinary hospitals to save the lives of pets facing euthanasia due to financial difficulties. Their veterinary partners provide at least a 25% discount to FACE in an effort to help the Foundation continue its mission of saving lives. Since its inception, FACE has partnered with over 120 veterinary hospitals in the county. FACE’s goal is to ensure that no veterinarian in the San Diego community will ever have to euthanize an otherwise healthy animal.

In her position as Hospital Manager at Veterinary Centers of America’s (VCA) Animal Specialty Group, Sonni Nevarez plays a key role in helping save the lives of pets in need of critical veterinary care. “My role as a hospital manager is to always find ways for owners to provide care for their beloved pets,” she explains. Nevarez works closely with FACE to help clients in financial need. “With the help of the FACE Foundation, I have the ability to save several pets a year from being euthanized that are in desperate need of medical care,” she says.

Nevarez has fond memories of many FACE success stories, but “Malakai takes the cake,” she adds. “He was such a special dog … who jumped out of a window and broke both of his front legs!” At the time, Malakai’s owner was a young veteran studying pre-med and living off student loans. Malakai’s surgery was not something she could afford, and she would have lost Malakai if it were not for the FACE Foundation.

In addition to saving lives, FACE serves as a support center that guides and comforts distraught pet owners in times of crisis. The Foundation also has an active Humane Education Program, providing free monthly lessons on animal welfare to local youth. To date, FACE has saved over 1,450 pets; 2016 marks the Foundation’s 10th Anniversary.

“The world is a better place with our animals,” said one grantee, whose dog is enjoying a second chance at life because of the efforts of FACE. “We would have been broken apart if it weren’t for FACE. I will forever be grateful.”

Visit face4pets.org or call 858.450.3223 to learn more about FACE Foundation, donate or get involved.