Scratch This: The small nonprofit with the big heart

“It all started with a dog named Frost” — that’s the Frost Fund’s simple tribute on its home page to its spirit animal. The Frost Fund is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit whose mission in its founder’s words is “to provide hope and resources to animals and the people protecting them.”

The team works its goals through rescue, education, support for nonprofits with similar objectives, and a spate of creative fundraisers, video sessions, pet transports to other states and tirelessly posting pets needing homes on social media.

Frost Fund grew out of a master’s degree project by natural science educator Brittnei Schaeffler. Dubbed Why Should You Care (WSYC), it began in 2015 as an animal and conservation outreach project. The team supported a variety of international rescues such as UAnimals in war-torn Ukraine, raised funds through coffee sales for anti-poaching efforts in South Africa, assisted the Bay Beagle Rescue in Virginia Beach with saving dogs from being lab experiment subjects, and got the tight-lipped Pismo clams to reveal their concerns about their possible over extinction. Scores of educational videos more than do justice to the various causes.

And there was Frost himself, the Frost Fund’s forever muse. Schaeffler met the Malinois in a shelter in 2023 and fell madly in love. Schaeffler, also an athlete, would take him on long runs and made him her personal project. When he got adopted, Schaffler was deliriously happy and got visiting rights.

But Frost was sick with a viral illness that visits to the family vet couldn’t save him from. When the family called Schaeffler to tell her that Frost was possibly on his deathbed at the clinic 40 minutes away, Schaeffler took to the freeways at 100 miles an hour with the hazards on. She described the trip as a feeling that she was screaming and no one was listening.

There was no happy ending when she got to his side at the clinic.

“I held Frost close, and told him he would stay with me forever,” Schaeffler said.

He has done that. As Schaeffler grieved, she let her love take the lead.

“I decided to take all the pain felt, all the lessons learned, and the love Frost showed me and create Frost Fund,” she said.

Fast-forward to 2023. Schaeffler is now CEO of her friend’s namesake nonprofit. It does everything that WSYC has done, and then some. The organization is continually busy with even more projects, and even with her paying jobs as college professor, event coordinator and personal trainer, Schaeffler is laser focused on them all.

“I have a passion for it, which makes taking them on worth it for me,” she said.

Schaeffler said that the new nonprofit is more sharply focused on bettering the lives of animals and their human advocates and family members, particularly through saving shelter pets’ lives. College student interns, hired via a grant from Bixby Capital Management, boost the organizations efforts through educational videos and other content for animal groups that can be accessed on their web page, Instagram feed and YouTube through the keywords “Frost Fund.” The team also gives presentations to schools, scout troops, Chapman entrepreneurship schools and environmental clubs.

Once every other month, Frosted Fund hosts a Sweat to Protect fundraiser event at the Newport Beach Pier. Participants come together for a workout and a beach cleanup, followed by a brief devotional to keep the spirit up for saving lives and the environment. Shelter volunteers are invited to bring adoptable dogs, which is a great way to show the public who they really are and also give them a well-deserved play day.

“We get them out of the shelter, we post photos, we advocate for them, we talk to people on the beach,” Schaeffler said.

Frost Fund’s Red-List Rescue program is a major focus of the organization. Through the program, pets whose days in shelters may be numbered are given a chance to live a full life. Shelter pets may be put on a red list if they’re exhibiting extreme kennel stress or there’s no room for them in a crowded facility. If staff can’t find a rescue, a foster or an adopter to take them, the pets will face euthanasia on a specified date.

In the couple of years since its founding, Frosted Fund has successfully utilized social and news media to adopted 26 dogs to people, 24 of them from Long Beach Animal Care Services (LBACS), and have so far sent 39 red-listed cats to out-of-state rescues and sanctuaries.

The Red-List Rescue program forged Schaeffler’s strong connection with LBACS and, after she lost Frost, gave her the impetus to create Frost Fund out of WSYC. In 2022, Schaeffler was on the Friends of Long Beach Animals board of directors, and discovered the red-listed pets at LBACS. She was taken aback by the number of pets who were at risk of euthanasia in the shelter.

“I just decided to help red-listed dogs,” she said.

Red-List Rescue’s inaugural benefactor was Bramble, a German shepherd suffering kennel stress. Kindness Animal Sanctuary in Wyoming took Bramble in after Frost Fund made them aware of him. On the road to the sanctuary, Bramble had a nearly immediate change in demeanor. At the sanctuary, he really came into himself and was able to be trained and hired as a K9 officer.

“We did a few more [rescues], and then I realized, hey, there’s something here!” Schaeffler said. “I kept using social media as the communication with the public, and before I knew it, I had a little support base going. A couple of months later, when I lost Frost, that was the catalyst for me to take it to the next level and give the nonprofit game a shot. Now, my relationship with LBACS is probably the strongest that Frosted Fund has.”

“I’ve worked with Brittnei and Frost Fund since January 2023,” LBACS volunteer Cheryl said. “I met Brittnei while campaigning the Red List Rescue for an LBACS dog, Tapas. Since then, fellow volunteers and I gather photos and video of the urgent dogs. Through Frost Fund’s wider media presence, we have found adopters. I have personally fostered some of the most recent urgent dogs.”

An animal shelter is often the last stop for a pet who’s been abandoned, mistreated, neglected, sick, old, not a good match for the home décor, or otherwise let down by their humans. If they aren’t adopted or rescued, they can wind up on red lists. Humans come in there, too, as solutions.

“It takes involvement across all stakeholders,” Schaeffler said. “The public needs more education, cities need to allocate more funding for adoption incentives, and obviously spay/neuter is important. Because of the crisis we’re in, shelters should establish out-of-state partnerships. The public also needs to understand the funding that nonprofits need to function. Cheering them on is easy, but what you don’t often see is the exhaustion and depletion of funds and resources that are often constantly happening. People need to see their role in this as vital.”

Adoption, fostering, volunteering, donating and talking to friends and family are all parts of the solution, Schaeffler said. If you’re already involved even half as much as Schaeffler is, she advises giving yourself a break now and then.

“The animal rescue world is nonstop and can quickly overwhelm a person,” Schaeffler said. “For me, knowing that the outcome is in God’s hands and I’m just the hands and feet allows me to push on through the unknown. The day Frost died, I remember praying and thinking, there’s no way I can go through this again because of how hard it was. But I realized that the moment with Frost was preparing me for the strength to know that if I can survive this, I can endure whatever else might come, and the animals deserve the fighting chance that I feel compelled to give them.”

Frost Fund needs a transport vehicle to continue their rescue road trips to other states. As of now, they’re renting cargo vans or using volunteer vehicles. This link has details if you have a vehicle to donate or can help with the cost.  Check out the videos on Frosted Fund’s website and connect with them if you want to volunteer. Donate here to help the organization continue its good work.

YOURS DROOLY

Big dogs stay the longest in shelters, including Long Beach Animal Care Services (LBACS), and they keep coming. They wind up on shelter red lists too frequently.

The dogs featured here, the ones that LBACS volunteers picked for the Frosted Fund’s Fridays for Furever Homes video shoots, have lived at the shelter for over a year. Despite the attention from volunteers and staff, they spend most of their time cooped up in a kennel, which is no place for any animal. Adopters often go for the little guys and never find out what a good friend a large dog can be or even how someone that big can be so cute.

Making shelter dogs visible is a big plus, Schaeffler said, which Frost Fund does through events like Sweat to Protect and through Fridays for Furever Homes video projects. Check them out on the Frosted Fund’s Instagram feed — to see these dogs as who they are makes you wonder why they haven’t gone home yet. These videos get results, though an LBACS long stay named Bramble was Fridays for Furever Homes’ inaugural celebrity, and he now lives on a ranch as a working dog.

This week, the Frost Fund videotaped four long-time-resident big dogs, and you’ll see them having fun on the Instagram page. Scratch This! is offering a preview of coming attractions in the Yours drooly adoption section as an extra boost. To adopt any of these sweet dogs and further the training and affection that the LBACS volunteers have developed in them, email PetAdopt@longbeach.gov or petfoster@longbeach.gov, or call (562) 570-4925.

Even better, visit them Wednesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 7700 E. Spring St. at the entrance to El Dorado Park (no parking fee for shelter visitors.

Wynonna (ID#720461) is a 2-year-old American pit bull terrier, who’s been at LBACS since May 2024, just over 365 days. That’s half her life in the shelter. But she’s stayed positive and cheerful the entire time. Volunteer Gusti said that Wynonna is a sweet, happy, goofy girl who loves the play yard and will run herself in there, chasing toys and keeping herself entertained until she’s exhausted. Getting attention with petting, playing with stuffies and sitting for treats are some of her favorite things! As a gray pittie in a sea of unwanted gray pitties, Wynonna doesn’t have the best chance of making it out anytime soon. Can you change that? She’ll do best in a patient home that can give her plenty of walks or outlets for her energy.

Meadow, (ID#A719513), a 7-year-old American pit bull terrier, came to LBACS over a year ago. She’d just given birth and also weighed only 68 pounds. No one knew where the puppies were. She’s been well cared for, though, and now weighs 94 pounds! Volunteer Patti said that Meadow is a calm, lovely, gentle girl. Whether at the beach or just around the block, she’s great on a leash and loves her walks. Meadow’s a calm girl, knows sit and shake, and rides well in a car, although she sometimes is reactive to her neighbor dog when she exits the kennel. She recently enjoyed a Fido Field Trip to the Long Beach Zoom Room. And she makes an adorable purring noise! Meadow needs to relax somewhere calm and lovely, like, say, your couch, your kitchen floor, your backyard with lots of room to roam, or even next to you in a sleeping bag — in a meadow, of course!

Volunteer Ashley said that Silverado (ID#720420) is one of the most balanced pooches at the shelter! He’s about 3 years old and is another yearlong LBACS resident. Despite that, he’s chill and sweet, with a goofy, lovable side and another that likes to enjoy his own space for a while. Silverado revels in long walks, exploring, getting brushed and eating treats, and wow, does he love belly rubs! But he doesn’t quite understand how to play and stands his ground as an alpha dog in a shelter play group. He’s also reactive to cats. Silverado’s a husky, which is an active breed, so if you have experience with huskies or are willing to learn, he’ll bring joy to your doorstep! Even just a week of fostering will be so good for this special boy. He could learn to play in a real home!

Mayfield (ID#719434), a gorgeous 5-year-old Siberian husky, rounds up the group of pooches who have the dubious honor of making it through over a year in a shelter kennel. He’s been waiting patiently for a foster or adopter. Volunteer Stefanie loves his calm demeanor and playful side —he’ll return a tossed ball to you — and she enjoys long walks with him. Mayfield is curious about everything — his fellow dogs, squirrels and a cat who snuck into a yard near the shelter. He’s manageable on leash when his curiosity is aroused. If you know your huskies, Mayfield would do so well as your husky!

TAIL-WAGGIN' AND NOSE-BOOPIN' EVENTS

Spring Parking Lot Pet Adoption

Have a glorious day in the parking lot of the Signal Hill PetSmart! Peek at the pets from a plethora of places: K9 Kismet Dog Rescue, Little Lion Foundation, Paws in the Sand Cat Rescue and, of course, our very own Long Beach Animal Care Services! Friends of Long Beach Animals will be on paw to tell you all about their fantastic programs and the way they help animals and the people who love them.

The adoption event takes place Saturday, May 17, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., at PetSmart, 2550 Cherry Ave., Signal Hill.

Kitten Shower Bake Sale and Boutique

Kitten season brings showers of kittens, so Seal Beach Animal Care Center is holding a shower for those kittens! Buy some baked treats for yourself, enter a drawing for Visa and Amazon gift cards, and donate supplies from the Care Center’s wish list. The Center could use a foster parent or three as well!

The Kitten Shower and Bake Sale takes place Saturday, May 17, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., at the Seal Beach Animal Care Center, 1700 Adolfo Lopez Dr., Seal Beach. Shelter tours held 1 p.m.–2 p.m.

Fix Long Beach, Friends of Long Beach Animals and Santa Fe Importers Deli offer a menu of male-dog neuter deals

I cannot express this better than this ad does. Have a ball. 

Need a low-cost veterinarian, information about trapping community cats, places to volunteer, rescues and shelters to adopt from — anything pet related? Follow this link for resources. Please add your own ideas in the Comments section.