Rescue & Veterinary Support

Community Animal Network provides rescue for both dogs and cats. C.A.N.’s foster homes physically care for the animals and drive them to and from the organizations contracted veterinarians that provide; spay / neuter, blood testing, treatments, procedures, surgeries as well as; vaccinations, de-worm and other common rescue treatments; such as upper respiratory infections (URI), ear mites, ringworm, mange.

The organization supplies the pet food, supplies, boarding, training as well as a non-surgical procedure to implant an AVID microchip that protects the organizations rescue animals if they become lost after adoption.

Kittens found in bushes are bottle-fed and hand-raised and feral (wild untouchable) kittens are tamed to “Pet Quality” with the experience and guidance of the founder, Ms. Pfaff-Martin; using her taming/training techniques. 

1) The Life Program

“The Life Program” is for rescued felines that have “treatable” conditions and diseases that may prevent them from being considered adoptable. Community Animal Network maintains these animals at the Director DiAnna Pfaff-Martin’s home providing special diets, treatments, medications and insulin injections for some. These animals would have otherwise been euthanized. 

 Foster Home Program

A Community Animal Network foster home is a "nurture" house where participants open their homes and give love and physical care to maintain the rescued animals while they wait for new homes. Dry food and toys are provided and other supplies such as cages and litter pans are loaned to the caregivers.

The expenses of the rescue veterinary medical care are covered by CAN’s authorized veterinarians. CAN foster parents treat the animals with prescribed medications as needed, as well as provide transportation to and from the veterinarian appointments and the adoption events.

An offshoot of this program is also available for “Good Samaritans” who find stray or abandoned animals. “Good Samaritan” rescue/fosters are also provided with the veterinary medical care for the animals they rescue, as well as the supplies and tools necessary to rescue and care for the animals until they can be adopted through one of CAN's adoption programs; humane animal traps, cages carriers, flea treatments and other necessary treatments and surgeries customary to rescue.

 Adoption Support  

Community Animal Network finds homes for both dogs and cats and C.A.N. shows animals for adoption on the weekends at the exclusive Fashion Island shopping center in Newport Beach with the cooperation of a local pet store. The animals are driven to and from the public events by the animal caregivers until they find permanent homes.

Before the animals are adopted they have all vet medical customary to rescue; which includes the AVID micro-chip, and spay or neuter, or any other medical condition treated.  

Some of the more mature cats in Community Animal Networks adoption programs are promoted as “Pets For Seniors”; which gives mature cats to qualified senior people. The mature cats in the program receive their veterinary medical exams and treatments paid by Community Animal Network for their lifetime in order to help seniors with fixed incomes afford to have a pet.

Cats with common diseases such as FIV (feline aids), leukemia (FELv) as well as diseases or conditions that can be managed with drugs or human care are made available for adoption as well.  

 Spay and Neuter Programs

1) "Free Spay for Momma Cat" - Serves people who own a cat that becomes pregnant and has kittens. Community Animal Network finds homes for the kittens through its adoption program after they are altered at 2lbs/8 weeks. 

2) "The Good Samaritan Rescue Foster Home" serves people that find stray dogs or cats that cannot be reunited with their owners. The animals can be male, or female with, or without puppies/kittens and will find new homes through the network after being altered (spayed/neutered).

3) “Kittens Found In Bushes” are raised and altered at the weight of 2lbs / 8 week honoring the 2001 State Law of California. 

4) “Spay A Stray” serves the pet-loving community to reduce the number of homeless and unwanted pets, or feral cats. CAN offers spay/neuter services for feral and stray cats over-populating neighborhoods.

Veterinarians

Local vets that support CAN give special pricing on veterinary office visits, or offer complimentary exams to rescue animals. in addition, CAN’s authorized veterinarians provide spay/neuter and other surgeries and prescribed treatments at discounted process, too. CAN is able to help more animals with strong vet alliances.  

Building a good working relationship with local veterinarians has proved beneficial to the organization which has enabled donated dollars to go further. 

Board certified feline expert Dr. Elaine Wexler-Mitchell has made the greatest contribution to C.A.N. animals with her extraordinary diagnostic ability and knowledge of rare congenital disorders and diseases. Dr. Wexler-Mitchell and C.A.N. founder DiAnna Pfaff-Martin have developed a very close professional relationship; communicating often in the evenings via email regarding problems that require immediate attention for C.A.N. animals which serves life-saving to many.

Dr. Elaine Wexler-Mitchell’s is the author of two books and writes monthly for Cat Fancy Magazine as well as has a bi-monthly column in the Orange County Register about cats.

Community Education

 1) Community Service Programs:

Community Animal Network offers community service programs that give students school credit hours for their help. Student’s middle school ages through college age adults, as well as court ordered community service requirements are honored.

 Volunteer experience develops responsibility and leadership skills applicable to children and young adults’ current and future education and their chosen careers.

 a) Forty hours of community service hours (4 years high school credit) is offered to high school students that participate in C.A.N.s foster home program; taking a homeless or pregnant cat into their family home until the animal(s) find new homes.     

b) “Play With Kitties and Help Clean-Up!” is designed to have children get involved helping once a week at the founders home. Children as young as seven years old help clean litter boxes, brush and play with the eighteen (18) felines now currently maintained in the program. 

2) Community Service Events:

Community Animal Network representatives are invited to visit local schools when they have events. C.A.N. usually takes “live” animals to draw a crowd and recruits volunteers, as well as educates the attendees as to what is available to do in their community. 

3) Community Outreach Programs:

a) “Pets For Seniors” is a program that saves the lives of older pets by giving mature cats to qualified senior people. The mature cats in the program receive their veterinary medical exams and treatments paid by Community Animal Network for their lifetime in order to help seniors with fixed incomes afford to have a pet. A community member phones and visits the home of the senior monthly to confirm the needs of the animal and the senior participant is capable of caring for the animal. 

b) Local businesses invite Community Animal Network representatives to speak at business networking groups and attend community service events put on by corporations. A common topic for Community Animal Network representatives at the events is the subject of “Disaster Preparedness With Pets”.  

4) Public Speaking Topics offered by Community Animal Network founder, DiAnna Pfaff-Martin

The speaking topic of, “Feline Pet Parenting” is Ms. Pfaff-Martin’s specialty. Almost every week Ms. Pfaff-Martin holds a class teaching important information to pet-parents; keeping cats happy indoors, introducing felines, how to have a harmonious multi-cat household and recommendations of cat litter and why micro-chipping pets is important.

The “Feline Pet-Parenting” topic has been offered as part of the community programs for the City of Newport Beach Public Library calendar of events.     

5) On the web site www.communityanimalnetwork.org CAN educates the public on animal rescue highlights and provides information on how people can help local animals.

6) Community Animal Network founder, DiAnna Pfaff-Martin has been writing the “Pet Of The Week” column for the local Los Angeles Times, Daily Pilot newspaper since 1998. The founder’s column highlights the work done in the community and the animals it represents for adoption. The published pieces are a good activity for the organization to have, and lends weight to the educational aspect of the organization as well as showing the need of local animals.

Financial Support

Community Animal Network receives its primary financial support from donations generated by articles written in the local newspaper about local animals in need written by the founder, DiAnna Pfaff-Martin.

 The founder, DiAnna Pfaff-Martin writes a bi-weekly column that has been published in “The Los Angeles Times, Daily Pilot” newspaper since 1998 with a following of readers. The founder’s column often highlights Community Animal Network’s programs and the work done in the community by the organization, as well as the animals it represents for adoption.

In addition, Community Animal Network’s animals in need are also submitted to the newspaper, “The Orange County Register”, monthly for the "Pet Section" amd rotates with other rescues for publishing in the papers, “Pet Of The Week” which gives the organization and its animals additional visibility.