Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 4 hours ago
Speakers:
Jessica Lopez, Executive Director/Founder at The Paw Mission
Kris Watson, Director at City of San Bernardino Animal Services
Jessica Lopez (Executive Director/Founder, The Paw Mission thepawmission.org/) and Kristine Watson (Director, City of San Bernardino Animal Services sanbernardino.gov/164/Animal-Services) join us from San Bernardino County where they are coordinating efforts to address the access to care challenges experienced county-wide. San Bernardino is the largest county in the U.S., and faces inequities that lead to barriers in housing and veterinary care accesstovetcare.org/vcas-map – both impacting the health and well-being of people and their beloved pets. Jessica and Kris will share strategies they’ve applied to deliver access to care with community at the heart of their work.
Reflection question:
After watching today’s presentation, what is one thing you will bring back to your organization to improve access to veterinary care in your community? Let us know on Maddie's Pet Forum: https://maddies.fund/CommunityConversations8425
About Community Conversations, hosted by Maddie’s Fund: When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, animal sheltering transformed overnight. Foster-based sheltering, home-based employees and volunteers, along with collaboration galvanized our communities. The pandemic, along with social injustice, has motivated our industry to look at how we partner with our communities and confront our own biases. Shelter and rescue staff across the country began talking on a weekly basis, offering support and innovative ideas to do things differently. To learn more about these calls, visit forum.maddiesfund.org/communityconversations
00:00 Welcome
00:32 Mary’ Ipolitti-Smith: Welcome
04:10 Grant give-away winners
10:50 Presentation
Speakers:
Jessica Lopez, Executive Director/Founder at The Paw Mission
Kris Watson, Director at City of San Bernardino Animal Services
Jessica Lopez (Executive Director/Founder, The Paw Mission thepawmission.org/) and Kristine Watson (Director, City of San Bernardino Animal Services sanbernardino.gov/164/Animal-Services) join us from San Bernardino County where they are coordinating efforts to address the access to care challenges experienced county-wide. San Bernardino is the largest county in the U.S., and faces inequities that lead to barriers in housing and veterinary care accesstovetcare.org/vcas-map – both impacting the health and well-being of people and their beloved pets. Jessica and Kris will share strategies they’ve applied to deliver access to care with community at the heart of their work.
Reflection question:
After watching today’s presentation, what is one thing you will bring back to your organization to improve access to veterinary care in your community? Let us know on Maddie's Pet Forum: https://maddies.fund/CommunityConversations8425
About Community Conversations, hosted by Maddie’s Fund: When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, animal sheltering transformed overnight. Foster-based sheltering, home-based employees and volunteers, along with collaboration galvanized our communities. The pandemic, along with social injustice, has motivated our industry to look at how we partner with our communities and confront our own biases. Shelter and rescue staff across the country began talking on a weekly basis, offering support and innovative ideas to do things differently. To learn more about these calls, visit forum.maddiesfund.org/communityconversations
00:00 Welcome
00:32 Mary’ Ipolitti-Smith: Welcome
04:10 Grant give-away winners
10:50 Presentation
