Max's Helping Paws Foundation

Pets aren’t just furry, four-legged friends, but members of the family. Max’s Helping Paws Foundation believes in keeping pets and their owners together, which is why it assists guardians of sick or injured animals with medical costs.

Dyana Klein and her husband, Dr. Jonathan Fradkin, named their non-profit after their late miniature pinscher, Maximillian, who died in 2016. The organization awards pet owners in Monterey County, most of whom are seniors, low-income and disabled people, one-time grants ranging from $500 to $6,000 to help cover veterinary care, such as diagnostic, surgery, and treatment. This reduces euthanasia and keeps dogs and cats from suffering and out of shelters.

Since it began, the foundation has helped hundreds of families and approved more than $330,000 in financial assistance. In 2020, Chestnut’s Crisis Fund, named after another one of the owners’ pets, was specifically established for pet owners suffering from COVID-19’s financial impact.

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