Swinging for Shelter: Annual ‘Putt 4 Paws’ golf tournament helps DOCPAC save lives
Published 3:00 pm Monday, November 17, 2025
Under a bright sky at Riverside Golf Course, the air was filled with the satisfying thwack of drivers and the lighter-hearted banter of competitors. Yet, the cheerful noise of the annual Putt 4 Paws golf tournament carried a deeper resonance. Every swing and every successful putt is a deliberate step toward addressing a silent, persistent tragedy in our community: the plight of unhomed and abandoned animals. Organized entirely to benefit the Dorothy O’Connor Pet Adoption Center (DOCPAC), this event seamlessly blends community spirit with the crucial mission of saving lives.
“It was actually our director’s idea, and we’ve been very successful with it year after year,” Sarah Marshall, Director of Community Relations of DOCPAC, said on Saturday. “The funds go directly to our shelter and funds everything to keep the shelter up and running. All the shelter dogs and cats, supplies and electricity are benefitting from this fundraiser.”
DOCPAC operates as a compassionate no-kill shelter, a vital haven for pets who otherwise face impossible odds. While the golf course offered wide, green fairways, the reality for many local animals is a narrow path of survival. DOCPAC currently cares for hundreds of stray, abandoned, and forfeited dogs and cats throughout the year, each with a terrible story of neglect or indifference. This constant intake strains resources, making fundraising events like Putt 4 Paws a matter of life or death.
“The pet overpopulation is crazy in our area,” Marshal said. “We do all that we can, but since it’s flooded with so many animals being homeless, it’s hard. If you’re a pet owner, definitely get your pet spayed or neutered, or if you feed a stray cat, get it fixed. We can only take in when we have space, and we only have space when we have adoptions.”
Putt 4 Paws is more than just a day on the links; it’s a powerful demonstration of community support. Local businesses sponsor the tournament, volunteers donate time, and golfers pay entry fees knowing their money translates directly into food, medical care, and safe shelter. This dedicated effort ensures DOCPAC can keep its no-kill promise, offering a second chance to animals often overlooked.
“We’re sponsored by Raisin’ Canes in Victoria, and we’re out here having fun and playing with friends and having a good time,” JJ Garcia, Frenchie pup dad and golf tournament competitor, said on Saturday.
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“We wanted to give back to the pets and try to raise as much money for them as we can,” Cody Garcia, dad of two rescued mixed breeds, said.
Like all tournament participants, the Garcia brothers competed in a team of four, with the best score taken as the final for each hole. While both participants had personal motivations for entering the tournament, the knowledge of helping other stranded animals of Victoria fueled their day on the green.
“The community has been very supportive, especially with item donations,” Marshal said. “We’ll post that we’re low on dog treats, and we’ll get a bunch brought in. We can’t thank our community enough for their support because they really do come through every time.”
The financial burden of a no-kill philosophy is immense, particularly the cost of emergency surgeries and specialized veterinary care. For every golf ball sunk into a hole, there is an animal in the shelter needing a life-saving procedure or months of rehabilitation. This is the tragedy of unhomed animals–they require resources far beyond basic care, but this ongoing need also presents immediate opportunities to help:
Adopt or Foster: Providing a loving temporary or permanent home immediately frees up space for the next animal in need.
Volunteer: DOCPAC always needs dedicated hands for walking dogs, socializing cats, and facility support.
Donate: Whether through fundraising events like this, Raisin’ Canes profit share on Wednesday, November 19th where 15% of every sale purchased between 5 PM and 9 PM will be donated, be sure to mention DOCPAC or use code RCFUND96 online or on the app.
As the last golf cart rolls in and the tournament trophies are handed out, the true prize isn’t handed to a winner, but is the renewed hope for every animal resting safely in a kennel back at DOCPAC. The dollars raised on the green will ensure that a lost dog gets her needed surgery, a litter of kittens has a safe place to grow, and the no-kill mission endures. The community’s dedication to Putt 4 Paws proves that when Victoria gathers for fun, they do so with deep, unwavering compassion, transforming a simple game into a powerful, sustaining force for life.