Petco Foundation Empowers Virginia Organizations To Save Shelter Pets

SAN ANTONIO, Aug. 26, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Petco Foundation, a national nonprofit working to inspire and lead change for animals, is providing crucial lifesaving support of more than $750,000 to help Virginia animal shelters reach their goal to save more than 90% of pets entering shelters in the state.  

During the Virginia Federation of Humane Societies conference held earlier this year, Petco Foundation president Susanne Kogut applauded the work of Virginia animal shelters towards achieving a 90% statewide save rate, the recognized benchmark for a lifesaving community, and announced support for those shelters that still had not attained this rate.

"Saving lives requires communities to come together to help their local animal welfare organizations," Kogut stated. "Petco's commitment to the health and wellness of pets includes its long-standing commitment to pet adoption and ending unnecessary euthanasia of shelter pets. Creating a lifesaving nation will be done one community at a time, and this is why the Petco Foundation invests strategically and empowers those local community organizations dedicated to achieving this goal."

Five Virginia organizations will receive grant investments ranging from $75,000 to $285,000, totaling more than $750,000 to increase their save rates to help Virginia reach the 90% goal: Norfolk Animal Care Center, Penninsula Regional Animal Shelter, Galax Carroll Grayson Animal Shelter, Pittsylvania Pet Center and Buckingham County Animal Shelter. "At the Petco Foundation, we believe that data saves lives," Kogut explained. "Virginia leads the nation with their transparency of shelter pet data, which enables us to identify where help is needed most. The organizations we are supporting today eagerly want to join the list of other Virginia organizations that have proudly created communities where all shelter pets are safe." 

Virginia is one of the few states that requires all animal welfare organizations (municipal animal shelters, humane societies and rescues) to report their animal data and makes this information available to the public. In 2005, when shelter data became public, Virginia shelters were euthanizing almost half of the pets in their care. Now Virginia is close to achieving the national goal of saving at least 90% of shelter pets in need. Debra Griggs, president of the Virginia Federation of Humane Societies, credits access to data with building a collaborative environment of support among communities and animal welfare organizations all working together to save shelter pet lives. "Having the data is vital to our organization," said Griggs.  "We now know where the problem areas are and can laser focus where we go to work and place our resources." 

Achieving a lifesaving nation requires communities to come together and support their local organizations by adopting, volunteering, fostering or donating. Petco is committed to supporting these efforts by partnering with the Petco Foundation and local animal welfare organizations to showcase pets for adoption in Petco stores and providing all Petco customers with the opportunity to join this lifesaving mission through donations at checkout. The Petco Foundation encourages every pet lover across the nation to get involved and become a lifesaving champion for pets.

The Petco Foundation's All for Saving Lives campaign takes place through September 15 in all Petco stores nationwide to celebrate the life-changing effect of pets in our lives with a goal to raise $2.3 million to support lifesaving animal welfare organizations across the country. Together in partnership with more than 1,500 Petco locations nationwide, we're mobilizing millions of people to put their love for animals into action so our collective impact creates a lifesaving nation, where one day no animal will be unnecessarily euthanized.

To learn more about the Petco Foundation or Virginia's lifesaving data, please visit petcofoundation.org/data and follow the Petco Foundation on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

About the Petco Foundation
At the Petco Foundation, we believe that every animal deserves to live its best life. Since 1999, we've invested more than $250 million in lifesaving animal welfare work to make that happen. With our more than 4,000 animal welfare partners, we inspire and empower communities to make a difference by investing in adoption and medical care programs, spay and neuter services, pet cancer research, service and therapy animals, and numerous other lifesaving initiatives. Through our Think Adoption First program, we partner with Petco stores and animal welfare organizations across the country to increase pet adoptions. So far, we've helped more than 6 million pets find their new loving families, and we're just getting started. Visit petcofoundation.org to learn more about how you can get involved.

Media Contact: Lisa Lane, Petco Foundation Director of Marketing and Development, (210) 201-9253 | [email protected]

SOURCE Petco Foundation

Related Links

http://www.petcofoundation.org