Donate to Coastal Animal Advocates

The Coastal Animal Advocates is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that provides assistance to Daufuskie’s pets and pet owners, and works on general animal welfare activities on Daufuskie Island and throughout Beaufort County.

It was originally established in 2023 under the name of Daufuskie Island Partnership for Animals by Deb Smith. Deb Smith was a long time Island resident who continues to work for the well-being of both Island pets and their owners. Her strong commitment to Daufuskie is what continues to drive her to work for causes that improve Island life.

A recent example of this is she worked with the Daufuskie Island Counsel to submit a proposal to the County to spay/neuter & vaccinate up to 40 cats in 2026 to help reduce the feral cat population.

Key activities:

• Animal Welfare: The organization assists with animal welfare needs on Daufuskie, including coordinating spaying/neutering and vaccinations services. In 2025 alone, the organization has assisted with spay/neutering and vaccinations of more than 25 cats and kittens and several dogs.
• Support for pet owners: Since its inception, the organization has donated 3,000 pounds of pet food to low-income pet owners.
• Education: The organization seeks to educate pet owners about responsible owner practices including the importance of vaccinations, heartworm prevention for dogs, the need for spay/neuter procedures, and TNR programs for feral cats
• Cat Sanctuary: The organization operates a sanctuary for unwanted and abandoned cats, providing them with food, housing, and medical care, and when possible finding adoptive homes. Originally based on Daufuskie Island (on the site that will soon be the location for the Daufuskie Veterinary Clinic), the resident cats have been moved to a new location in Beaufort SC.
• Disaster Relief: In early 2025 the organization donated 2500 pounds of cat food to North Carolina shelters that were impacted by catastrophic flooding.
• Wildlife Care: The organization supports residents who help with injured or orphaned wildlife, including facilitating a substantial donation of food for disabled raccoons and other animals in 2024-25.
• Advocacy: The organization advocates for humane-related public policy issues at the local and state levels. For example, CAA played a key role in changing the Beaufort County building code to allow for Daufuskie’s first veterinary clinic to be located in the historic district. The organization also continues to press for a waiver of all pet fees on the island’s public ferry.

Veterinary Care

The organization’s Veterinary Consultant is Dr. David Sandefer, from the Daufuskie Veterinary Clinic. The organization also works in partnership with Beaufort County Animal Services and Riverwalk Animal Hospital in Ridgeland.