21st Century Animal Resource and Education Services

History of 21st Century C.A.R.E.S.
Randy Warner first began rescuing Dalmatians in the 1980’s and discovered it was his calling in life. He also discovered the overwhelming need for such a service, because so many people adopt animals without giving much thought to what is involved. Once they realize the tremendous responsibility they have unwittingly taken on, many reject it and either give the pet to the pound, where it is usually destroyed, or fail to provide adequate care and attention, and itsuffers. Randy’s first response to this every day tragedy was to establish his own rescue and shelter. He quickly reached the conclusion, however, that this no shelter could ever resolve the problem. Instead, they actually increase the problem by hiding it view and enabling people to assuage their guilt with their wallets without addressing the underlying causes. Millions of dollars are contributed each year to organizations that try to manage the abuse, neglect and over-population of companion animals. But very little attention is paid to why this terrible situation exists, and much less money is put toward trying to change the human behavior that creates it.

Randy decided to attack the disease instead of its symptoms. He began delivering humane education programs to schoolchildren in the Los Angeles area. He was shocked at how little the participants knew, but encouraged by their positive response to him, the dogs he took with him and his message. This inspired him to think bigger. In 1998 he launched 21st Century C.A.R.E.S., the United States’ first organization dedicated to teaching people how to treat pets properly. He began to plan a nationwide tour, the costs of which would be covered by marketing campaigns. The goals of the tour would be to speak with one million youth, and to replicate the program in other areas. 21st Century C.A.R.E.S. was built on the principle that people who understand what is involved in caring for a pet will either accept responsibility for treating the animals they live with properly, or they will not acquire animals to begin with. A corollary to this principle is that people who have been taught how to treat animals properly will be less tolerant of those who don’t.

Note: PO Boxes will not show correctly on the map below.