Grant Recipient Stories

PetSmart Charities donates $10,000 to 4 Paws for Ability

vnelson — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 07:00:00 +0000

PetSmart Charities donates $10,000 to 4 Paws for Ability vnelson Tue, 08/21/2018 - 03:00

Tue, 08/21/2018 - 12:00

azannis

In 2013, John Bickham, operational excellence manager for Distribution Center 10, attended a graduation ceremony for an Ohio-based nonprofit organization called 4 Paws for Ability. He had heard about the organization’s great work to connect pets and people within his community and had been invited to learn first-hand of its impact.

It was there that John met a young girl named Megan. Megan was by John’s side throughout his entire visit, helping him take photos, introducing him to her friends and discussing how her service dog, Brave, helped her move from a school for students with special needs to her local elementary school. Following the ceremony, John was approach by Megan’s parents, who tearfully told him that she suffered from severe social anxiety. They had watched closely as Megan guided John throughout his visit and couldn’t believe how she was effortless able to engage with a stranger. They said Megan had made more progress in the 12 days that she had been with Brave than she had her entire life.

Seeing the impact that 4 Paws for Ability was having on local members of the community, DC 10 made an initial commitment of $10,000 to the organization through the now defunct PetSmart Gives Back program. To date, 4 Paws for Ability has received more than $45,000 from PetSmart and PetSmart Charities Field Grants to help its mission to place quality service dogs with children with disabilities and Veterans who have lost use of limbs or hearing; help with animal rescue, and educate the public regarding use of service dogs in public areas.

DC 10 continues to show its support for the organization by volunteering at local fundraising events and attending graduations.

“Attending graduation ceremonies as often as we can, we are constantly reminded of the amazing work this organization does and the significant benefit to the quality of life for those in need,” said Bickham. “Although each graduation ceremony is different, the emotions and joy expressed by the children and families is overwhelming.”

Earlier this year, DC 10 presented 4 Paws for Ability Executive Director and Founder Karen Shirk with a 2018 PetSmart Charities Field Grant for $10,000.

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Knox PAWS Receives Field Grant to Support Local Senior Citizens

vnelson — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 07:00:00 +0000

Knox PAWS Receives Field Grant to Support Local Senior Citizens vnelson Tue, 08/21/2018 - 03:00

Tue, 08/21/2018 - 12:00

azannis

Mr. Williams* is 79 years old and lives in Knox County, Tennessee. Years ago, he retired to care for his wife of 55 years whom was diagnosed with cancer. When she sadly lost her battle to the disease, Mr. Williams was overcome with loneliness and depression. For two years, he lived a life of solitude while seeing a therapist until a friend referred him to Knox PAWS, a program that matches qualifying seniors with homeless, adoptable animals.

According to the Human-Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) and the National Coalition of Aging, the human-animal bond can help combat loneliness, social isolation and other mental health conditions. A 2011 study found that pet owners are “happier and that pets provide meaningful social support and improve pet owners’ lives.” Loneliness is a common theme among senior citizens like Mr. Williams as they live on their own, away from family and friends and often find themselves without a companion to lean on day in and day out.

Through Knox PAWS, community members 60 years and older and making no more than $1,517.50 a month – 150 percent below the poverty level – are eligible to receive an adoptable pet if they are living alone, isolated and demonstrate a need for companionship. Once the Knox PAWS. volunteers conducts a site visit to ensure the potential pet parent is able to care for a pet in a safe, loving environment, volunteers work to find a pet that best fits their needs.

“Most senior citizens are looking for dogs that are calm and already housebroken,” said Kendra Luketic, Knox PAWS coordinator. “The majority of the dogs that we adopt from local shelters are senior dogs. Not only are we helping seniors, we’re helping senior dogs who typically stay in shelters longer than normal because of their age.”

Knox PAWS. provides continued financial support for pet parents in need by covering any fees associated with veterinary care, vaccinations, medication for flee and heartworm prevention and fees associated with having a pet in apartment complexes. Volunteers also provide transportation for veterinary appointments.

The results are lifechanging.

Having his dog. Maya*, which he adopted through Knox PAWS. has given Mr. Williams a reason to wake up in the morning. He’s more social, and loves taking walks with “his baby.”

“I cannot tell you how many times I’ll do a six-month check-in and the pet parent has said their pet makes them more social or has helped them overcome depression,” said Luketic. “For those who are alone without family or a support system, their pet gives them someone to love unconditionally.”

Throughout pet ownership, the organization is there as a resource. If pet parents are admitted into a hospital, nursing home or passes away, they often worry more about what will happen to their pet. With Knox PAWS., they can rest assure that their pet will be placed in a foster home or boarding facility until their able to place the pet with a new senior pet parent.

In spring 2018, Knox PAWS. was nominated by PetSmart District Leader Chris Bault to receive a PetSmart Charities grant for $5,000.

“We are so fortunate to have a group like Knox PAWS. operating in our area,” said Bault. “The work they do in our community, not only by matching homeless senior pets with senior citizens, but with the continued care they give through vaccinations and microchipping of those pets, made it an easy match for us. Their mission falls directly in line with our values, and is a program that is saving pet lives and changing the lives of so many seniors in our community, as well.”

*Names have been changed to ensure the privacy.

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University of Florida Saves Pets Impacted by Hurricane Irma

Petsmart Charities Staff Writer — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 07:00:00 +0000

University of Florida Saves Pets Impacted by Hurricane Irma Petsmart Chari… Wed, 04/11/2018 - 03:00

Wed, 04/11/2018 - 12:00

vnelson

Students and Staff Deploy Mobile Clinic for Emergency Relief Efforts

As Hurricane Irma approached Florida the first week in September, different groups within the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine rallied to provide assistance to pet owners, veterinarians and animals of many species throughout the state.

Responses began with preparations prior to the storm and continued during and after it with administration, faculty, staff and students involved in various aspects of the collective effort.

“I’m so proud of the way in which our college actively participated in providing assistance to so many groups and animals affected by Hurricane Irma,” said the college’s dean, James W. Lloyd, D.V.M., Ph.D.

“We were able to provide invaluable help to veterinarians and others in the veterinary medical profession who were adversely impacted by this storm, as well as to anxious pet owners in our own community and those areas more directly hit,” Lloyd added.

Read more about the University of Florida

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Sebastian County Humane Society Offers Free Spay/Neuter

Petsmart Charities Staff Writer — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 07:00:00 +0000

Sebastian County Humane Society Offers Free Spay/Neuter Petsmart Chari… Fri, 03/16/2018 - 03:00

Fri, 03/16/2018 - 12:00

vnelson

With the help of this donation, Sebastian County Humane Society hopes to help reduce pet homelessness in its' local community. The funds helped cover free spay/neuter surgeries for 625 cats, as well as 600 dogs.

In 2017, Sebastian County Humane Society received a grant which allowed it to spay and neuter a total of 600 animals. The expanded spay and neuter grant opportunity offered in 2018 helps the organization reach its' goals of decreasing the number of stray animals in the community.

About Sebastian County Humane Society

Established in 1937, Sebastian County Humane Society has provided care for unwanted animals for over 79 years. They promote the notion that human and animal life are interdependent and that all animals, have needs and rights; most importantly, the right to not be abused but rather experience love and respect.

Since 2013, Sebastian County Humane Society has adopted out more than 2,000 cats and over 4,800 dogs into loving homes.

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PetSmart Charities Invests In Lifesaving Work of Margaret B. Mitchell Spay/Neuter Clinic

Petsmart Charities Staff Writer — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 07:00:00 +0000

PetSmart Charities Invests In Lifesaving Work of Margaret B. Mitchell Spay/Neuter Clinic Petsmart Chari… Fri, 03/16/2018 - 03:00

Fri, 03/16/2018 - 12:00

PetSmart Charities Staff Writer

Margaret B. Mitchell Spay/Neuter Clinic is a nonprofit organization serving Southwestern Virginia and Northeast Tennessee. Since 2005, the Margaret B. Mitchell Spay/Neuter Clinic has spayed/neutered over 110,000 cats and dogs and therefore saved tens of thousands of lives from ending in local shelters. In addition to reduced cost spay/neuter services the clinic provides monthly vaccination clinics to the community in order to help keep the region’s animals healthy.

The PetSmart Charities investment covered the cost of spay/neuter surgery and rabies vaccinations for cats and dogs whose owners live in Smyth County and may not otherwise be able to afford the procedure.

Executive Director, Dr. Jennifer McCall Ketron says, “The team at our clinic is really excited to roll out our Smyth County campaign to assist with the cost of dogs and cats in that area! According to our research on this area’s unsterilized pet population, there is a need in Smyth County for focused spay/neuter assistance. We believe that targeting this specific area for spay/neuter will help to minimize the intake and euthanasia rates at the animal shelter as well as provide financial relief for pet owners who cannot afford surgery and vaccinations. The Smyth County campaign is a wise investment that will directly impact the animals and animal lovers in this region.”

“Through the hard work and dedication of partners like Margaret B. Mitchell Spay/Neuter Clinic, PetSmart Charities hopes to help local pets and pet parents in need have access to affordable spay and neuter procedures,” said Sima Thakkar, regional relationship manager for PetSmart Charities. “Through this effort, this organization is taking a proactive approach to preventing unplanned litters and reducing pet homelessness in Bristol.”

About the Margaret B. Mitchell Spay/Neuter Clinic

The mission of our clinic is to provide targeted, high-volume, reduced-cost spay and neuter services in an effort to reduce the dog and cat over-population problem in the Virginia counties of Buchanan, Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington and Wise; the Cities of Bristol and Norton; and the City of Bristol and County of Sullivan in Tennessee. While the clinic's focus is on serving these counties, animals will be accepted from other counties as availability permits.

Our vision is to end the need to euthanize healthy, adoptable dogs and cats by reducing the number of dogs and cats that enter the region's shelters.

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Sussex County Free-Roaming Cats Get Free Spay, Neuter & Vaccination Services

Petsmart Charities Staff Writer — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 07:00:00 +0000

Sussex County Free-Roaming Cats Get Free Spay, Neuter & Vaccination Services Petsmart Chari… Fri, 03/16/2018 - 03:00

Fri, 03/16/2018 - 12:00

vnelson

Forgotten Cats Inc., a nonprofit cat rescue organization, received a grant from PetSmart Charities to humanely reduce the overpopulation of cats in southern Delaware. The grant covers the costs of trap, neuter/spay, vaccinate and return services for 1,000 cats across Sussex County.

Over the last two years, Forgotten Cats reduced the number of unsterilized free-roaming cats in New Castle County by 35 percent thanks to grant funds from PetSmart Charities.

"Forgotten Cats' targeted TNVR effort in New Castle County was so successful that we now have our sights set on making a similar impact in another heavily overpopulated region of the state," said Felicia Cross, founder and executive director of Forgotten Cats. "Until now, there has been little help for Sussex County's feral and stray cats, as well as their caretakers, and we intend to change that."

Forgotten Cats does more than a typical spay/neuter clinic. It will humanely trap feral and stray cats in eligible Sussex County neighborhoods, transport them to one of the organization's two clinics to be sterilized and vaccinated, care for them while they recuperate from surgery, and return them to their original location. Domesticated cats will be put up for adoption in one of the organization's eight adoption centers.

"When performed per Forgotten Cats' protocol, TNVR not only is the most effective way to manage the feral cat population, but it also plays a major role in reducing animal suffering," said Cross. "It allows us to give medical treatments to feral cats who otherwise wouldn't have access to such care, as well as prevent the births of homeless kittens and take abandoned or lost stray cats off the streets to find them loving homes. It's a win-win for everyone involved - humans and cats alike."

Forgotten Cats is unique in that its trapping protocol ensures all cats within a colony are sterilized, resulting in no colony growth both immediately and over time. In addition to halting the growth of feral cat populations, the organization also works with colony caretakers to find homes for the friendly cats and kittens that are living on the streets, thus providing an instant reduction in colony size.

Since 2003, Forgotten Cats has provided TNVR and adoption services to cats in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey. To date, it has sterilized more than 100,000 cats, preventing the births of millions of homeless kittens.

Story Courtesy of the Cape Gazette

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Super Adoption Event Brings Local Shelters Together to Save Lives

vnelson — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 07:00:00 +0000

Super Adoption Event Brings Local Shelters Together to Save Lives vnelson Fri, 03/16/2018 - 03:00

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vnelson

Since 2009, Jenny’s Hope has helped local shelters raise awareness for rescue pets through their annual Super Pet Adoption event.

This event gives local shelters a way to come together for a common cause — helping animals find forever homes. The Super Pet Adoption event gives adoptable pets a chance to shine in a fun outdoor event, away from a shelter environment where potential adoptive families see how wonderful rescue animals really are.

Store leaders from the Kennewick PetSmart store reached out to PetSmart Charities about an opportunity to support this great local adoption event. With help from a $3,638 grant, Jenny’s Hope lead another successful event, with a total of 53 pets adopted.

About Jenny’s Hope

Jenny’s Hope is a registered 501(c)3 organization founded in 2009 to help the local shelters and rescues who were doing such amazing work helping animals. Jenny, a rescued pup, is the inspiration behind the events. Rescued when she was approximately 7 months old, Jenny was found pregnant and malnourished. She was abused by her owners and tied to a chain. Today, Jenny is doing extremely well, living a happy and healthy life in her forever home. In an effort to ensure all pets live healthy, happy lives, Jenny’s Hope was founded to help all abandoned and neglected animals find their forever home.

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Nebraska Humane Society Finds Success with Volunteers

vnelson — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 07:00:00 +0000

Nebraska Humane Society Finds Success with Volunteers vnelson Thu, 03/15/2018 - 03:00

Thu, 03/15/2018 - 12:00

vnelson

The Nebraska Humane Society (NHS) found that volunteers play an essential role in their organization’s adoption success.

Volunteers of the NHS have taken the initiative to develop a program where they work solely with a specific PetSmart store, which enables them to build strong relationships with the Store Leader and potential pet parents. “What makes the in-store adoption program so successful is the ownership volunteers have in the program,” says Pam Wiese, a PR & Marketing representative for NHS. “Our volunteers are very passionate about finding forever homes for our furry clients. By working closely with a Store Leader, they’re able to establish a full-service adoption program in a specific PetSmart store.”

Wiese says the volunteers essentially run the PetSmart Charities 7-Day Cat Adoption Centers and are involved in every step of the process — from intake to adoption. Wiese says it’s not uncommon for a dedicated volunteer to leave for a store with five cats from the NHS who are ready for adoption. After transporting them, setting up their kennels, playing with and feeding the kittens and cats, the volunteers report that often by noon, three of the cats they brought in that morning will have found forever homes.

With partnerships at five PetSmart stores and a dedicated NHS volunteer in three of those stores, NHS’s reach spans throughout the Omaha metro area and could translate into dozens of lives saved that will support the ongoing animal welfare work of the Nebraska Humane Society.

When asked what advice she would give to adoption partners, Wiese says, “Look for volunteers you can depend on. They’re absolutely essential to every non-profit’s success and certainly to ours. The dedication of our volunteers has put us on track to not only save the lives of pets that depend on the Nebraska Humane Society, but also for great success in securing much needed funds for our shelter through the generosity of PetSmart Charities’ grants.

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Minnesota Rescue Group Receives $10,000 Grant to Reduce Pet Overpopulation

vnelson — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 07:00:00 +0000

Minnesota Rescue Group Receives $10,000 Grant to Reduce Pet Overpopulation vnelson Thu, 03/15/2018 - 03:00

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vnelson

Pet Haven Inc. of Minnesota received a $10,000 grant from PetSmart Charities to assist low-income pet owners in the Twin Cities area to spay and neuter cats and dogs.

Over the next 12 months, Pet Haven will help to subsidize low-cost spay and neuters to more than 300 animals throughout Minneapolis and St. Paul, in partnership with Kindest Cut and MnSnap.

Pet Haven believes that we cannot “adopt our way” out of the problem of pet overpopulation. By providing affordable and accessible spay and neuter services to those in need, the needless suffering caused by too many unwanted animals will be alleviated.

Pet Haven is Minnesota’s oldest foster-based animal rescue, founded in 1952. Since 2005, Pet Haven has awarded more than $220,000 to Minnesota nonprofit organizations to fund spay/neuter efforts to reduce the number of homeless animals.

Pet Haven volunteers educate the public about responsible companion animal care by conveying respect for animals as they talk with prospective new families, meet people at public events, and socialize with friends and family. Staff and volunteers encourage others to view and treat their pets as members of the family — with firm belief that we are their guardians, and they depend on us for our companionship and care.

PetSmart Charities aims to proactively prevent pet homelessness and assist pets in need through many efforts including facilitating adoptions and expanding spay and neuter initiatives. With the help of animal welfare partners, including the Pet Haven, PetSmart Charities has funded more than 1.4 million spay and neuter surgeries in the U.S. since 2009.

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Humane Society of Missouri Helps Transport 120 Dogs from Northern Texas

vnelson — Wed, 14 Mar 2018 07:00:00 +0000

Humane Society of Missouri Helps Transport 120 Dogs from Northern Texas vnelson Wed, 03/14/2018 - 03:00

Wed, 03/14/2018 - 12:00

vnelson

HSMO’s team of six ACT members in three animal transport vehicles made the 1,600-mile round trip to bring the dogs to HSMO’s Macklind Avenue headquarters with the help of an emergency relief grant from PetSmart Charities. The dogs range in age from two-month-old puppies to adults and consist of many different small, medium and large breeds. Each dog received a veterinary examination, necessary vaccinations and treatment, spay/neuter surgery and a microchip.

“We are very proud that, thanks to our generous, pet-loving donors, we have the facilities and expert veterinary and shelter staff to care for and find these dogs the forever homes they need,” said Kathy Warnick, President of the Humane Society of Missouri. “We are thankful to PetSmart Charities as well for its generous grant-making support of our nonprofit.”

About the Humane Society of Missouri Animal Cruelty Task Force

The Humane Society of Missouri Animal Cruelty Task Force (ACT) is one of the largest animal rescue/disaster response teams in the United States. For more than 40 years, ACT has worked side-by-side with state, local and city law enforcement officials to investigate and help prosecute animal abusers.

Annually, Humane Society of Missouri’s 15 field-tested, professional animal cruelty investigators and staff:

· Aid more than 26,000 animals

· Make 10,000 responses to reports of abuse/neglect

· Travel more than 313,000 miles to help pets in need

Humane Society of Missouri’s animal cruelty investigators understand the nuances of animal abuse law and the criminal justice process for documenting and filing evidence and work directly with sheriff’s offices, police departments and prosecuting attorneys to help ensure animal cases are handled in an expedient and professional manner. Humane Society of Missouri investigators also provide expert testimony in legal cases and before legislative bodies and provide consultation and training workshops for law enforcement, state agencies and local animal care and control workers.

Together, they work to hold people accountable for the abuse and neglect of animals in the St. Louis Metropolitan region and all of Missouri.

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