Foster kittens at the new ASPCA Community Veterinary Clinic in Carson on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Kathy Taggares speaks during the grand opening of the ASPCA Community Veterinary Clinic in Carson on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Kathy Taggares speaks during the grand opening of the ASPCA Community Veterinary Clinic in Carson on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Kathy Taggares speaks during the grand opening of the ASPCA Community Veterinary Clinic in Carson on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
A Foster kitten at the new ASPCA Community Veterinary Clinic in Carson on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
The ASPCA celebrates the grand opening of the ASPCA Community Veterinary Clinic by Kathy Taggares in Carson on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Foster kittens at the new ASPCA Community Veterinary Clinic in Carson on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
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Foster kittens at the new ASPCA Community Veterinary Clinic in Carson on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Los Angeles County has one of the largest and overburdened animal shelter systems in the country, with many cats and dogs spending years in a cage or being prematurely euthanized.
Why?
The lack of affordable veterinary care, according to Matt Bershadker, the CEO and president of the American Society for the Prevention of Animal Cruelty.
“It often comes down to paying for veterinary care or buying groceries, filling a prescription for yourself or for your pet,” Bershadker said. “They are choosing between basic human necessities and keeping a beloved companion healthy.”
In the past year, the Los Angeles County shelter system has had close to 200,000 admissions and while about 72,000 pets were adopted, more than 50,000 had to be euthanized because of overcrowding.
Because of how overburdened the local shelters are, Los Angeles resident and business owner Kathy Taggares decided to partner with ASPCA to open a veterinary clinic in Carson, providing free and low-cost services.
ASPCA did a survey of the Los Angeles region, Bershadker said, and determined that because of the number of low-income pet owners and the lack of available veterinary services, Carson was the perfect place to put the clinic.
The $10 million ASPCA Community Veterinary Clinic by Kathy Taggares in Carson is the first brick-and-mortar ASPCA clinic on the West Coast and is equipped to provide primary care services, illness treatment and basic surgeries.
ASPCA held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new clinic on Wednesday, July 29, and the facility is now able to provide free and low-cost treatment to the Carson area.
Free and low-cost veterinary services area available at the clinic to residents of the 10 Carson area ZIP codes: 90059, 90061, 90220, 90221, 90222, 90247, 90248, 90262, 90746 and 90747. Residents must show proof of public assistance. Eligible assistance includes public housing, Supplemental Security Income, Disability/SSD, Medicaid, welfare, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, food stamps, food and nutrition services and WIC.
“Today is about much more than simply opening a new building,” Bershadker said on Wednesday. “Today we’re opening the doors; the opportunity to hope for a healthier future for homeless animals, for pets and for the people who love them.”
Taggares is a strong believer in making sure every dog and cat is spayed and neutered to prevent unwanted litters.
“I feel spay and neutering is the single biggest thing we can do to eliminate animal suffering,” she said. “We have to stop these unwanted animals from being born in the first place. Otherwise, they are left to a life of misery, living on the streets, starving, getting hit by cars, ending up in shelters (and) living their life out in cages.”
But spaying and neutering cats and dogs typically costs hundreds of dollars. So Taggares donated nearly $6 million to offer free spaying and neutering, vaccinations, primary care and minor illness treatment to the Los Angeles area. Since 2015, Los Angeles has had two mobile clinics that have been able to spay and neuter more than 48,000 animals. This facility in Carson, however, will increase that number.
When fully staffed, the clinic will have a crew of 40 and will be able to perform at least 60 spays and neuters per day, with a goal of 15,000 within the first year. Bershadker said he expects that the facility overall will be able to increase the number of pets ASPCA helps by 25,000 per year.
Providing these services, Bershadker said, will allow more pets to stay with their owners.
“My dream is that someday, every animal, every cat, every dog will find a loving home,” Taggares said. “A loving home for every companion animal. Now, we have a long way to go. But this clinic gets us one step closer.”
Pet owners can see if they are eligible for care at the ASPCA Community Veterinary Clinic by Kathy Taggares by visiting clinic.aspca.org/clinics/los-angeles/south-bay.