The purpose and mission of HHCS is three fold:

First, we want to provide a safe permanent haven for cats with uncurable, chronic or terminal illness, old age, and/or personality problems. These cats are not animals that would be adoptable or could even be sustained in a normal animal shelter setting. However, despite taking in these special needs cats, we do believe in quality of life, rather than quantity of life.We do not let any of our animals suffer and in most cases, we do not incur large veterinary bills to do heroic, life-extending medical measures.

Second, we seek to serve the communities of San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano and Dana Point, California, in reducing the number of stray and feral cats living on the streets. As we have for 21 years, we assist our fellow residents in finding solutions to problems with local feral and stray cats. If possible, non feral cats are removed and rescued; if possible, feral cats are trapped, spayed and returned, but only if there are willing caretakers. In addition to our major work in San Clemente, we also help rescue and trap cats in neighboring communities such as San Juan Capistrano and Dana Point. On numerous occasions we partner with other rescue organizations throughout Southern California to rescue both homeless and feral cats.

Third, we seek to assist our local animal shelter (CASA) and its affiliate volunteer organization (Pet Project Foundation) with cats that are not suitable for being housed or adopted from a city shelter situation. We will either foster or permanently keep cats that otherwise would not find homes or might be euthanized. In a mutual exchange, we will relinquish the younger, friendly, healthy cats that we have rescued from our local community, to this shelter, so they may be more readily adopted.