All About Ayla's Acres...                Newsletter June 2025

 

AID.

Did you know that Ayla’s Acres No-Kill Animal Rescue has launched a new Community Vet Care Program? This program helps provide much needed assistance for our neighbors who want to keep the pets they love, but are faced with challenging vet bills.
We at Ayla’s Acres have learned from experience that family and job issues can lead pet owners to decide they must abandon or euthanize companion animals. When people would really prefer to keep their pets but suddenly can’t afford it, how could we help them?
In 2024, Ayla’s Acres launched a Community Vet Care Program for pet owners who cannot afford vet care for their animals. The program enables them to keep their pet, rather than rehome or euthanize the animal. Last year Ayla’s Acres spent approximately $35,000 on this program.
In 2025, we have already spent about $10,000 on community vet care. This includes heartworm treatment, leg amputations, spay/neuter, shots, ear infections, stomach surgery, teeth issues, and more. It’s one of the greatest experiences in animal rescue when we hear the relief expressed by someone who doesn’t want to rehome or euthanize their pet, but can’t afford the vet care.
We often say, “We can’t save them all.”  With this program, we not only rescue animals—we keep them right where they are! That makes both the human and the pet very happy.
If you’re able to donate to this program, please go to https://aylasacres.org/ and press the donate button. We have committed another $35,000 to this year’s program. Thank you for helping us help the animals.
If you need assistance, please contact us at 650-520-5201.

ADOPT.

 Donner is a sweet, 1 ½ years old male, Lab/Shepherd mix. Donner is the perfect mix of chill and adventure! His favorite pastime? Cuddling. Just say “come cuddle,” and he’ll army crawl his way straight into your heart. He gets along great with other dogs and snuggles with the resident cats. Ready for a run or walk on the beach? He’s all in! If you’re looking for a loyal, loving companion who can keep up with whatever mood you’re in, Donner is your guy. This big softie loves to match your energy and just wants to be by your side.


CLICK HERE to see all of our adoptable dogs and cats, or to complete an adoption application. 

ATTEND.

UPCOMING EVENTS (click here for more info):
June 6, 2025 from 4-7p.m. - Keller Williams Annual Summer BBQ at the Riverview Club, 790 Christina Drive, St. Augustine. Ayla's Acres will have available dogs there to meet and greet!!
Every Saturday from 11a.m.-2p.m. is CATERDAYS! Adoptable cats and kittens are showcased at Ayla’s Acres Thriftique located at 412 Anastasia Blvd., St. Augustine.
July 4, 2025 - Coming to St. Augustine for the 4th of July weekend? Come park with us at 93 Orange Street. Located next to Francis Field - $20 for the day - all money goes to the animals!

ADVOCATE.

So often in rescue we hear things like, “I don’t know how you do what you do. It must be heart wrenching.” Or, “I don’t know how you foster; I’d want to keep them all.”
Rescue is rewarding and sometimes heartbreaking. You see the good and the bad.
Here are some ideas that might enable you to get involved!
A rescue organization must have a team of volunteers helping in many different ways. Some will work with animals, some will not. So, individual volunteers have a choice. Together, we can match their personal disposition and preferences.
Maybe you’re someone who wants to make a difference for the animals in our community, but can’t foster, walk dogs, or otherwise engage with the animals. You can help Ayla’s Acres No-Kill Animal Rescue in many other ways.
Ayla’s Acres Thriftique is our thrift shop on Anastasia Island in St. Augustine. It is 8,000 square feet and open seven days a week. After all, our animals must eat every day! All proceeds from the Thriftique directly benefit our animals.
Volunteers keep this shop open. During the summer months, when our Snowbird volunteers return to the North, we quickly become short-handed. If you want to help the animals, you can volunteer four hours a week at the shop. The shifts are 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. or 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Our greatest needs are Monday mornings and all-day Saturdays.
We need help hanging informational flyers, gathering gift items, working at special events, parking cars, etc. All these opportunities enable Ayla’s Acres to continue its work.
We need to care for the animals with food, appropriate vet care and love. Fostering animals is a wonderful experience. Some people who foster end up adopting the pet, and it’s always their voluntary choice. Others don’t adopt so that they are available to foster again, which allows us to rescue more animals.
Ayla’s Acres has a rigorous protocol for finding animal adopters. If you’re fostering a dog or a cat, you can be sure that it will go to a good home. We work hard and leverage our years of experience to find the best fit for the animal. This includes house checks, references, vet checks and more.
Once the adoption is completed; you can foster again. With more foster homes as a resource, we can save many more animals!
If you’re interested in helping the animals in our community, please consider volunteering or fostering for Ayla’s Acres.
You can fill out our volunteer application at aylasacres.org.