The Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC) unveiled its newest mobile grooming trailer for the Castaic Animal Shelter on Tuesday, which was made possible by a donation from the Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation.

Don Belton, public information officer for the department, opened the unveiling event by thanking those involved for their commitment to helping animals and sharing DACC’s excitement in announcing the brand new grooming trailer.

The mobile grooming trailer is set to help provide necessary pet grooming in an effort to increase the wellness and adoption of animals housed at the Castaic Animal Care Center.

Santa Clarita City Councilmember Laurene Weste, who is also a board member for the Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation, also spoke during the event.

“We ask you to support animal shelters. Your shelters are the stop for the animals that have been lost, turned in or are unwanted or worn and have no ability to stay with their owners,” said Weste.

The new $45,000 mobile grooming trailer was made possible by donations from the Animal Care Foundation and the community in an effort to enable DACC officials to provide proper grooming to animals in need.

The decision to make the grooming facilities mobile versus an established structure came from the flexibility offered by a mobile grooming center, according to officials.

“Our staff is so grateful to have this new resource,” said Marcia Mayeda, DACC director. “This is the kind used by professional groomers, fully equipped for the comfort of our animals. I also want to thank all of our wonderful volunteers and our staff who work hard to provide care for our animals every day.”

The DACC offers grooming services to animals in need throughout the Santa Clarita Valley, including to pets with homeless owners, or after devastating natural disasters such as the Woolsey Fire in 2018.

“There is nothing more important than the care of our animals,” said Weste. “A country is known by the way it treats its animals, and here in L.A County, we‘re doing the best we can to give new life, new hope and joy to these animals.”

The first animal to be groomed in the trailer was a new resident of the Castaic Animal Shelter, a chihuahua mix named CP.

CP and his “sibling,” Freeway, came to the Castaic Animal Shelter on May 6 after the death of their owner.

“Today we are doing something that will change the lives of many, many animals,” said Weste.

Both CP and Freeway are available for adoption, and volunteers hope they can be adopted together into their new forever home.

CP and Freeway can be found either on the L.A. County Animal Care and Control adoption website, or via their adoption I.D. numbers; CP – A5277109 and Freeway –  A5277113.

“This is our shelter… these are our pets, and we need to take care of them,” said Weste.

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