About Four Paws to Love
We work hard to give each adopter and animal the personal touch that is needed to make a lifelong match. We are 100% foster-home based, which allows adopters to visit animals that have been in home environments. We rescue animals from all over Central California, including Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Benito, Monterey, and Kings Counties. Read about us below and see our FAQ page for more details.
Our Mission
Four Paws to Love is an all-volunteer non-profit, 501(c)(3) animal rescue group. Our mission is to rescue homeless and at-risk pets from overcrowded shelters, thereby reducing euthanasia. We value the bond between humans and animals, and appreciate the important role that pets play in our everyday lives.
Our goal is not only to help animals, but to help people whose lives are greatly enriched by adopting animals in need. Four Paws to Love is run by volunteers who generously give their time, homes and hearts in order to save lives. Through our Foster Care program, animals have a safe, healthy place to be until loving homes can be found for them. We ensure that all of our rescued animals are spayed or neutered, and we provide education to the community about the importance of spaying and neutering in order to reduce the homeless animal population.
Our History
Four Paws to Love was founded in January 2014 by a group of close friends with a shared passion for animal rescue. After years of volunteering with various organizations, we felt there was room for something more—something that not only focused on saving lives but also celebrated the unconditional love and joy that pets bring into our homes and hearts every day.
From the beginning, we partnered with PetSmart Charities, hosting weekly adoption events at our local Santa Cruz PetSmart. It was a wonderful way to connect with the community and find loving homes for so many animals.
In 2017, we decided to take a new path and began holding our adoption events at General Feed & Seed—a beloved small business in town. Their store quickly became a home away from home for our rescue. The team there wasn’t just welcoming—they were true animal lovers who treated every pet like family. We even had a few adoptions happen right on the shop floor! After nearly 50 incredible years in business, General Feed & Seed closed in March 2025 as owner Deb retired. While we’re sad to say goodbye, we’re so grateful for the memories and the heartfelt support they gave us along the way.
But with every ending comes a new beginning…
In April 2025, we proudly moved our weekly adoption events to Pet Pals—another amazing locally owned business that welcomed us with open arms! Their team shares our passion for animals, and we couldn’t be more excited to start this new chapter with them. It already feels like home, and we can’t wait to continue growing, rescuing, and celebrating the joy of pet adoption from this new space.
Come Meet Your New Best Friend!
Join us at Pet Pals every weekend for our adoption events! Whether you're ready to adopt, volunteer, or just want some puppy love and purrs, we’d love to see you. Check out our Events Page for the latest schedule, or follow us on social media to stay up to date on who’s looking for a forever home.
Together, we can change lives—one paw at a time.
Meet the Team
Annette Hogue
Annette is a founding member of Four Paws to Love and currently serves as the President of the Board of Directors. From the very beginning, she has been a driving force behind our mission to rescue, nurture, and rehome animals in need.
In addition to her leadership role, Annette is also our Foster Care Coordinator, overseeing the day-to-day needs of animals in foster homes and supporting the families who open their hearts and homes to them. She ensures that every animal gets the care, attention, and love they deserve while they wait for their forever family.
Annette also leads our weekly adoption events at Pet Pals, where she brings her infectious energy and deep knowledge of each animal to help create perfect matches between pets and adopters. Her ability to connect with both people and animals makes her an incredible ambassador for the rescue.
Known for her compassion, organizational skills, and unwavering commitment, Annette is truly the heart and soul of Four Paws to Love. Her dedication has helped hundreds of animals find safe, loving homes—and continues to inspire everyone involved with the organization.
📧 Contact Annette: annette@fourpawstolove.org
Terry Marino
Terry is one of the founding members of Four Paws to Love and currently serves as the Vice President of the Board of Directors. A vital part of our team since day one, Terry brings a wealth of experience, compassion and dedication to everything she does. With a deep love for animals and years of hands-on experience in rescue work, she currently serves as our Assistant Foster Care Coordinator, helping to ensure our animals receive the care and attention they need while they wait for their forever homes.
Terry also acts as our South Santa Cruz County representative, building strong connections within the local community and playing a key role in coordinating adoptions, foster support, and outreach in the area. Her calm, compassionate nature makes her a favorite among both people and pets—and her dedication continues to inspire everyone on the team.
Whether she's helping a new foster family get started, attending adoption events, or offering a listening ear to fellow volunteers, Terry brings warmth, reliability, and a heartfelt commitment to every part of her work.
📧 Contact Terry: terry@fourpawstolove.org
Jenifer Pratt
Jenifer serves as the Secretary of the Board of Directors for Four Paws to Love, bringing thoughtful organization, attention to detail, and a calm, steady presence to our leadership team. In addition to her board duties, she provides vital administrative support, helping to keep our operations running smoothly behind the scenes.
Beyond her official role, Jenifer is also a passionate advocate for community cats. She lovingly manages a feral cat colony near her home in Petaluma, CA, where she oversees daily feeding, coordinates spay/neuter efforts, and ensures the cats are safe, healthy, and cared for. Her dedication to these often-overlooked animals exemplifies the heart and mission of Four Paws to Love: compassion, commitment, and care for all creatures, no matter their circumstances.
Jenifer’s work is a perfect blend of structure and heart—and her contributions, both administrative and hands-on, make a lasting impact on the animals we serve.
📧 Contact Jenifer: jenifer@fourpawstolove.org
Mark Pratt
Mark is our resident Director of IT, Designer, and Web Producer—or as we like to call him, the Mac Jedi of Four Paws to Love. With lightsaber in one hand (okay, maybe it’s just a stylus) and keyboard in the other, Mark blends his background in art, design, and technology to keep our digital presence running smoothly and looking great.
From crafting eye-catching graphics and designing user-friendly web pages to solving tech hiccups before most of us even notice them, Mark does it all with a calm, creative flair. His love for both animals and clean design makes him the perfect bridge between heart and hardware.
Known for quoting Yoda at just the right moment—“Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.”—Mark brings Jedi-level wisdom and wit to every project. Whether he's building new features for the website, troubleshooting IT issues, or making sure our online adoption stories shine, Mark is always in sync with the Force (and the mission).
When he’s not behind a screen, you’ll probably find him hanging out with a furry friend, camera in hand, or dreaming up his next creative project.
📧 Contact Mark: mark@fourpawstolove.org
Sequoia Fellenbaum
Sequoia is our dedicated Assistant Foster Care Coordinator at Four Paws to Love and an inspiring example of the next generation of animal advocates. With a calm demeanor and a deep passion for animal welfare, she works directly with our foster families to ensure they have everything they need—from supplies and medical support to advice and encouragement. Her thoughtful, hands-on approach helps our fosters feel confident and supported as they care for animals on their journey to adoption.
In addition to her work with foster families, Sequoia also coordinates all of our spay/neuter surgeries, handling the scheduling and communication with veterinary partners to ensure every animal in our care receives timely and essential medical procedures. Her attention to detail and organizational skills are a huge asset to the team, and her work is crucial in preparing our animals for their forever homes
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Beyond her role at Four Paws to Love, Sequoia is currently an intern at the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter Veterinary Clinic, where she is gaining real-world experience in the field of veterinary medicine. She is actively working toward her goal of becoming a licensed veterinarian, and we are so proud to support her on this exciting path. Her compassion, intelligence, and dedication to both people and animals make her an incredible asset to our rescue—and a bright light in the animal care community.
We’re lucky to have Sequoia on our team, and we can’t wait to see all the amazing things she’ll accomplish in the future.
📧 Contact Sequoia: sequoia@fourpawstolove.org
Laura Patton
Laura is our dedicated Data Management Specialist, the backbone behind keeping our records accurate and up to date. From tracking medical histories to managing adoption paperwork, her careful attention to detail ensures everything runs smoothly behind the scenes, helping us provide the best care for our animals.
But Laura’s contributions don’t stop at the computer—she is also a vital part of our rescue logistics team. She regularly transports animals from other shelters to Four Paws to Love, giving these pets a second chance at life. In addition, Laura ensures our foster animals make it safely and promptly to their medical appointments, coordinating with veterinarians and foster families to meet every health need.
You’ll often find Laura at our adoption events at Pet Pals, where she brings her friendly smile and welcoming spirit to help connect pets with their forever families.
Laura’s commitment and versatility make her an indispensable member of our team, supporting the rescue in countless ways both big and small.
📧 Contact Laura: laura@fourpawstolove.org