About Us

Friends of Long Beach Animals, formerly established as Friends of Long Beach Animal Shelter is a nonprofit organization dedicated to responsible pet ownership, education and humane treatment of all animals.

FOLBA is committed to reducing the population of shelter animals in the Long Beach and Signal Hill area. We accomplish this through humane education in local schools and in the community, as well as by working closely with local rescue groups.

Since its inception in 1989, FOLBA has sponsored the spaying or neutering of over 18,000 animals, thus preventing millions of pets from being born, only to be euthanized or subjected to cruelty. Our Humane Education Program, started in 2001, has provided humane education classes to over 100,000 students at no cost to the school or organization. During the current pandemic FOLBA is focusing on bringing these education classes to an online platform.

FOLBA also works to promote the adoption of animals from the Long Beach Animal Care Services (LBACS) animal shelter and other trusted local rescues. FOLBA has assisted in the adoption of more than 500 animals from the shelter and local rescues and has subsidized or paid thousands of dollars in adoption fees to help out our community members.

We also fund and help injured or sick animals in our community under special circumstances. We have provided life saving surgeries to dozens of animals in need.

During the coronavirus pandemic, FOLBA organized a Pet Food Drive where they distributed more than 9 tons of free pet food to the local community.

FOLBA also supports FIX Long Beach and has funded a surgery suite at their upcoming spay and neuter clinic that will be opening soon. In addition we support the Little Paws Project of Long Beach from the Little Lion Foundation, a kitten nursery that has rescued over 1,000 kittens since inception. In March 2021 we participated in their Free Pet Wellness Event where offerings included microchips, vaccines, food and flea medication for area pets.

FOLBA is currently working on a community outreach program through PAWZ TV, an online television program designed to increase awareness of the organization and the needs and care of our local animals. The first program is geared toward kids and teaches children about a rescue dog named Sam and how to be kind to animals. We continue to produce online segments of our events under the Pawz TV brand.

Friends of Long Beach Animals strives to live up to its name. We hope that you’ll join us in our endeavor. FOLBA is an all volunteer organization run by a dedicated team of Executive Board Members.

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS

LAUREN CAMPBELL, President

Lauren Campbell is the President of Friends of Long Beach Animals and has been a resident of the City of Long Beach for over 25 years after having emigrated here from Scotland. She has over 25 years of experience in the animal healthcare industry and has held various positions in animal health and well being including working in veterinary clinics, veterinary laboratories, veterinary Pharmaceutical companies and The ASPCA.

LARRY BLUNDEN, Treasurer

Originally from Detroit Michigan, Larry moved to California in 1972, then to Long Beach in 1978. With his partner, they started a business designing gifts and novelty items for tourism industry. It was there he met Nona Daly and Shirley Vaughn who were looking for ways to promote FOLBA. After 28 years of building the company, Larry and his partner sold the business but continued to work with FOLBA. Retiring at 57, Larry began to be a full time volunteer.

NONA ACOSTA, Director

I have been with the Superior Court of Los Angeles, as a Judicial Assistant for 31 years. I grew up in the San Fernando Valley, volunteering at no kill animal shelter in the summers as a teenager, then working at mobile vet clinic in high school and through college. I have rescued all sorts of animals throughout my life, nursed them back to health, released them back to their habitats, found them homes or kept them myself. I moved to Long Beach in 1993 with my now husband and his son.

TOM HANBERG, Director

Tom Hanberg has worked with FOLBA as a volunteer and vendor partner since 2005 before joining the board in 2019. He became involved with the organization through his website development business he founded in Long Beach in 1998. Tom currently works with animal hospitals nationwide for his companies offering of veterinary practice management software. As a serial entrepreneur, he enjoys bringing his business and marketing experience to help the animals.

BLAIR STANFORD, Director

Blair moved to Long Beach in 1989 from Denver Colorado to help his brother run a veterinary medical laboratory, which he did for over 22 years. After his brother sold the lab, a chance word from an acquaintance led to his current job working in the field of geophysics, mapping out seismic faults in Southern California. Since childhood and through his life, he has cared for horses, dogs, cats, guinea pigs, assorted birds and even a cow! All of his pets have either been rescued or given to him.

LAUREN CAMPBELL, President

LARRY BLUNDEN, Treasurer

NONA ACOSTA, Director

TOM HANBERG, Director

BLAIR STANFORD, Director

mailing Address

Get in touch

folbamail@folba.org