Friends of Upland Animal Shelter began as a group of volunteers who were committed to supporting Upland Animal Services with time, talent, and fund-raising activities. Friends created positive relationships with shelter staff and spent thousands of hours assisting at the shelter or at off-site events.

In August 2011, Friends was recognized as a member organization of the Upland Community Foundation. Friends formally incorporated as a non-profit organization and obtained tax-exempt status [Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code] in 2013.

In October 2015, Friends began operating 2nd Chance Thrift Shop to provide funding for all of our endeavors.

In May 2016, Friends was selected by the Upland City Council to expand our role in the shelter to include direct responsibility for all animal sheltering and adoptions at the Upland Animal Shelter, located at 1275 San Bernardino Road in Upland.

Friends now operates the shelter and works in partnership with the City’s Animal Control Officers to make sure every adoptable animal finds a new, forever home.

Friends of Upland Animal Shelter operates with over twenty employees and several volunteers in three main areas of focus: Shelter Operations, Fundraising, and 2nd Chance Thrift Shop.  Friends is led by a 7-member, all volunteer, Board of Directors, and receives support and guidance from several volunteer professional advisers to address veterinary medicine, animal behavior and training, finance and accounting, insurance and legal matters, and human resources, plus several standing committees that work on fundraising/development, finance, thrift shop and shelter operations.