Every year, shelters all over North America are flooded with cats and dogs. At PetSmart Charities, we believe the best way to stop the tide of animal homelessness is to spay and neuter pets. That’s why PetSmart is proud to have chosen Spay and Neuter Kansas City to receive a PetSmart Charities grant.
For David Michael, district lead with PetSmart, selecting Spay and Neuter Kansas City was an obvious choice.
“Spay and Neuter Kansas City is a wonderful community resource for pet owners and local animal welfare organizations,” Michael says. “They work to keep pets and their families together through education, wellness services, and resources. They offer low-cost spay and neuter, food assistance and education, among other services.”
This Life-Changing Work Began With a Vision
It all started with founder Michelle Rivera, who worked at a local animal shelter and became dismayed at the sheer number of homeless animals.
According to Scott Cotter, Spay and Neuter Kansas City’s director of marketing, it was a life-changing experience for Rivera.
“She began by working with local vets to hold weekend, high-volume clinics,” Cotter said. “From that modest beginning, we’ve grown to help over 25,000 pets and their people in a variety of ways every year. In that time we’ve also fixed close to 120,000 animals, which has resulted in a dramatic drop in shelter intakes.
“It also makes it possible for our shelters to take animals from other communities when they have overpopulation problems or disasters.”
One of the most difficult problems the organization faces is fundraising. Providing spay and neuter services is expensive. The PetSmart Charities grant will help the organization buy supplies and rescue animals in need of new homes.
With PetSmart Charities’ help, Spay and Neuter Kansas City can continue its fight against pet overpopulation.
