What spcaLA does

spcaLA (The Los Angeles Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1877 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It is the oldest continuously operating animal welfare organization in the region and operates without affiliation to any other SPCA or humane society. The organization delivers animal welfare, cruelty prevention, and violence-prevention services across Los Angeles County and Southern California, primarily through three physical adoption centers (Los Angeles, Hawthorne, Long Beach), an online adoption portal, mobile low-cost vaccine clinics, and community-based programming.

Its core offerings include pet adoption services, animal cruelty investigations, disaster response (DART), a dog training program, low-cost vaccine clinics, and a retail marketplace. Differentiated proprietary programs include the Animal Safety Net (ASN), which has provided temporary emergency housing for pets of domestic violence survivors and individuals experiencing homelessness since 1998; Teaching Love & Compassion (TLC), a four-week violence-prevention curriculum pairing middle school students with shelter dogs; the Youth Diversion Program delivered in partnership with the Los Angeles County District Attorney; and the Friends for Life Summer and Spring Camps for youth ages 9–15. The organization operates without significant proprietary technology, relying on standard third-party platforms (Convio for donations, Volgistics for volunteer management, MindBody Online for class scheduling) and a branded e-commerce site.

Revenue is generated primarily through donations and contributions (one-time gifts, monthly giving, memorial/honor donations, wills and estates, tribute funds, vehicle donations), adoption and program fees (adoption specials, dog training, summer/spring camp), merchandise sales via the spcaLA Marketplace, event fundraising (Pet Adoption Day, dine-and-donate partners, charity concerts), and grants (notably Petco Love for free vaccines at community clinics). Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, with adoption and supporter acquisition concentrated in adoption events, fundraisers, foster training classes, and partnerships with local businesses; direct-to-consumer engagement occurs through the three physical centers, the online portal, and walk-in services. Customer segments span the general public (pet adopters, owners, donors), domestic violence survivors and homeless individuals, youth and families, and institutional partners including school districts, the LA County District Attorney, and corporate sponsors (VCA Animal Hospitals, Petco Love, KLOS Radio).

Name

spcaLA

Legal name

The Los Angeles Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Website

https://spcala.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1877

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

spcaLA is a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1877 that delivers animal adoption, cruelty prevention, disaster response, and violence-prevention programming across three regional centers. It serves individual pet adopters, donors, youth, domestic violence survivors, and institutional partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Welfare Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Advocacy, Policy & Public Awareness (Animal Welfare) (BPAGAIAJ), Education & Community Outreach (Responsible Pet Ownership) (BPAGAIAK), Animal Welfare & Advocacy Organizations (AFAEALAC)

Keywords

• Animal welfare services
• Pet adoption services
• Humane education programs
• Animal cruelty prevention
• Violence prevention education

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Primary revenue source including one-time donations, monthly giving programs, memorial/honor donations, wills and estates planned giving, and tribute funds. Individual donors contribute directly through the organization's donation portal.
2. Adoption and Program Fees: Fees from pet adoptions, dog training classes, summer camp registrations, and humane education programs. Adoption fees vary by special event; dog training requires payment 72 hours prior to class start.
3. Merchandise Sales: Revenue from spcaLA Marketplace retail store, online merchandise, and t-shirt fundraisers. Includes pet supplies and branded merchandise.
4. Event Fundraising: Community fundraising events including dine-and-donate programs (25% of check donations), charity concerts, round-up programs, and corporate sponsorships. Petco Love grants support vaccine clinics.
5. Vehicle and Property Donations: Vehicle donation program allowing donors to contribute cars, boats, and other vehicles. Managed through third-party partnership.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

spcaLA is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that operates three pet adoption centers and delivers a broad portfolio of programs including pet adoption services, the Animal Safety Net (ASN) emergency pet housing program for domestic violence survivors and homeless individuals, Disaster Response (DART), dog training classes, low-cost vaccine clinics, and humane education programs such as Teaching Love & Compassion (TLC) violence prevention curriculum and Friends for Life Summer Camp. The organization generates revenue through adoption fees, service fees, grants, retail merchandise, and donations while serving the greater Los Angeles region.

Product overview

spcaLA is a nonprofit animal welfare organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs and services centered on animal welfare and violence prevention. Core offerings include pet adoption services across multiple adoption centers, the Animal Safety Net (ASN) program for temporary pet housing during family crises, Disaster Response (DART) for emergency situations, and dog training classes. The organization operates extensive humane education programs including the Teaching Love & Compassion (TLC) violence prevention curriculum, Friends for Life Summer Camp for youth, and the Youth Diversion Program for juvenile offenders. Supporting services include low-cost vaccine clinics, an Animal Resource Library, lost pet services, volunteer programs, and retail operations through the spcaLA Marketplace. The organization also offers software products including Paw Trax and Paw Palace, though these are non-refundable digital offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Teaching Love and Compassion (TLC): A violence-prevention program that works with students and shelter animals to help break the cycle of violence.
• Animal Safety Net (ASN)
• Disaster Response (DART)
• Friends for Life Summer Camp

Products and services

• Pet Adoption Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,808 pets placed in homes in 2025
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• VCA Animal HospitalsflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 June 2026VCA Animal Hospitals is the presenting sponsor of the 20th Annual Pet Adoption Day, providing support for the organization's largest adoption event of the year. VCA provides goodie bags for adopters and brand visibility at the event.
• Petco LovecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 June 2026Petco Love provides grant funding that enables free vaccines (FVRCP for cats, DHPP for dogs) at spcaLA's low-cost vaccine clinics, expanding access to affordable pet care in the community.
• Get Together FoundationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 30 May 2026Get Together Foundation's charity concert at Orpheum Theatre donates a portion of proceeds to spcaLA along with other nonprofit beneficiaries including The Midnight Mission, Guitar Center Music Foundation, and Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services.
• Corner BakeryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorner Bakery Redondo Beach location participates in dine-and-donate program, donating 25% of customer checks to spcaLA when customers mention the organization at checkout.
• See's CandiesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSee's Candies Spring Yumraiser campaign allows customers to purchase candy with spcaLA receiving 20-50% of sales as a fundraising partnership.
• Cooportunity MarketminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRound Up at the Register program at Cooportunity Markets in Santa Monica allows shoppers to round up their grocery bill to the nearest dollar with the difference donated to spcaLA.
• 33 TapsminorGTM or Marketing Partner33 Taps Culver City restaurant hosts fundraising brunch events where a percentage of proceeds during specific hours are donated to spcaLA. Event is dog-friendly at the patio.
• Ruth AkemiminorGTM or Marketing PartnerArtist Ruth Akemi provides custom digital pet portraits as prizes for the Pet Photo Contest. Shopping partner contributing to adoption day celebrations.
• KLOS RadiocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerKLOS radio is the presenting media sponsor for Pet Adoption Day, providing promotional support and brand visibility for the annual event.
• Los Angeles County District AttorneycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to operate spcaLA's Court Diversion Program for Youth, a two-day intensive program modeled after TLC that is a condition of probation for juvenile offenders.
• BonfireminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorT-shirt fundraising platform used for pre-selling event merchandise like Pet Adoption Day 2026 t-shirts with portion of sales benefiting spcaLA.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• PetSmart Charities: Corporate-affiliated foundation funding adoption, spay/neuter, and pet welfare grants. Provides grants to spcaLA-aligned programs and competes as a national fundraising/grant channel.
• Maddie's Fund: Family-founded animal welfare philanthropy that provides grants to shelters and adoption programs nationwide. Acts as a peer funder rather than operator, comparable as a capital source for shelters like spcaLA.

Regional players

• San Diego Humane Society: Large regional animal shelter operating adoption, veterinary, cruelty investigation, and education programs in San Diego County. Comparable multi-program nonprofit model and similar scale of adoptions and vet procedures.
• Orange County Animal Care: Public-private animal shelter serving Orange County, CA with adoption, lost-and-found, and low-cost clinic services. Closely comparable geographic and operational scope within the broader LA/Southern California market.
• Pasadena Humane Society: Another established Southern California animal welfare nonprofit operating a shelter, adoption, and humane education programs in the immediate LA-adjacent market. Directly comparable in mission, scale, and regional fundraising competition.
• Helen Woodward Animal Center: San Diego County-based nonprofit animal welfare organization running adoption, humane education, and therapy animal programs. Comparable multi-program nonprofit model in Southern California.
• Sacramento SPCA: Independently chartered California SPCA offering adoption, veterinary, training, and humane education. Most directly comparable governance structure (independent SPCA, not ASPCA affiliate) and programmatic mix.

Broad incumbents

• Humane Society of the United States (HSUS): Largest U.S. animal protection organization, primarily advocacy and policy-driven, but runs direct shelter and rescue pilots. Competes with spcaLA for national donor attention and grant funding.
• ASPCA: National animal welfare organization with shelter, adoption, veterinary, cruelty response, and national fundraising operations. Competes for donor dollars and policy influence but operates at vastly greater scale and geography than spcaLA.
• Best Friends Animal Society: National no-kill advocacy and shelter-support organization running sanctuary, adoption, and grant programs across the U.S. Comparable mission and adoption-focused operating model, with national reach that dwarfs regional players.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/spcaLA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/spcaLA
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/spcaLA/60903617089
• Instagraminstagram.com/spcaLA
• TikToktiktok.com/@spcalosangeles?lang=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about spcaLA