The Petco Foundation & BOBS from Skechers Honor Foster Volunteers Nationwide during National Foster a Pet Month

SAN ANTONIO, June 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Petco Foundation and Skechers' charity footwear collection, BOBS from Skechers, are celebrating Foster a Pet Month this June by recognizing 22 National Foster Heroes who have gone above and beyond to save animal lives in their communities.

The COVID-19 crisis response proved that fostering pets is the answer to eliminating unnecessary euthanasia of pets in America's shelters. As animal shelters across the nation adjusted operations during the pandemic, families stepped up to temporarily foster pets in their homes. The percentage of pets cared for in foster homes spiked to an all-time high, and euthanasia decreased at shelters across the country.   

"As the country opens up for business, we encourage families to continue to open up their homes and hearts to shelter pets. Because, if 2% of pet-owning households in the U.S. fostered just one pet a year, we could eliminate unnecessary euthanasia in this country, not just during the COVID-19 shutdown, but forever," said Susanne Kogut, president of the Petco Foundation. "As we honor volunteer Foster Heroes, who are making a difference in their communities, we hope to inspire more people to join the pet fostering movement. Our goal is to make sheltering pets in foster homes, versus animal shelters, the new normal, so we can create a lifesaving nation together." 

Below are some of the National Foster Hero Honorees:

• Andre Karma, Muddy Paws Rescue (New York, NY): Healthcare worker, Andre, continues to give back to Muddy Paws and his New York Community despite the hardships of COVID-19. Andre is an on-site EMT for a pharmaceutical company, a medical scribe at an urgent care, and a laboratory clerk at a hospital. Even amid this challenging chapter in his life, Andre still found the time and space in his heart to continue to welcome foster dogs into his home. When asked about fostering during the pandemic, on top of his day (sometimes night) jobs, Andre said his foster dogs are not only a sight for very sore, tired eyes, but they are the perfect alarm clock and comfort to get him to his next day. After two years as a foster for Muddy Paws, Andre has helped save almost 40 lives.
• Bonnie Krause, Humane Society Waterville Area (Bangor, Maine): Bonnie's organization describes her as one of those magical unicorn volunteers who will answer a call in the middle of the night and rush over to pick up a litter of 2-day-old orphaned kittens. Bonnie includes her daughter in raising and rehabilitating kittens and cats, and she mentors other fosters as well. After COVID-19, Bonnie helped expand the shelter's capacity by aiding in the transition of their in-person foster training classes to digital classes, hosting Bottle Baby Basics and Kitten Care 101 for other foster volunteers. Having fostered 73 cats and kittens this year alone, Bonnie is a treasured volunteer who is helping her community save lives.
• Mike Gresham, K-9 Stray Rescue League (Detroit, MI): Over the past 14 years, Mike has fostered more than 200 dogs, including dogs most in need such as pregnant moms, dogs recovering from surgery, heartworm positive dogs, and those with special needs and medical conditions. During COVID-19, Mike used his foster expertise to find homes for six foster dogs in just one month. Even after all his lifesaving work, Mike doesn't consider himself a hero, just a guy who loves dogs and wants to help. Those who know him best describe him as a humble, big-hearted man, with non-stop devotion to the well-being of all dogs — the person any animal lover would aspire to be. 
• Rita Phelps, Palm Valley Animal Society (McAllen, Texas): Rita has been a foster for nearly two years and has fostered 68 kittens and cats, and one dog. She's one of Palm Valley Animal Society's go-to volunteers for neonatal kittens or animals suffering from upper respiratory and other medical complications. Thanks to Rita's care and attention, numerous litters of kittens have gotten a new chance at a life filled with love. She's touched countless animal and human lives by fostering and through her selfless acts of kindness, like baking treats for shelter pets and cookies to thank shelter staff. When asked about fostering, Rita says, "The purpose is to get them to a point where they can be healthy and happy, and make someone else happy, and I tell myself they will go to a loving home."
• Heather Higgins, Front Street Animal Shelter (Sacramento, CA): When Front Street Animal Shelter needed help caring for pets during the COVID-19 crisis, Heather didn't hesitate to foster whatever animal needed a temporary home, and she welcomed shy Luna home. Heather provided a calm environment for Luna and, in doing so, helped Luna thrive. Luna came out of her shell, mastered tricks, and learned how to use the doggy door. Heather then became Luna's advocate for finding her a loving home. Thanks to Heather's lifesaving efforts, Luna is now with her new family which consists of a mom, dad, daughter (that Luna loves and cuddles with), and a cat too!

While the Foster Heroes recognized above clearly are making an extraordinary impact, fostering just one pet makes a lifesaving difference in that pet's life. That is why during National Foster a Pet Month, the Petco Foundation encourages all pet lovers to take the Pledge to Save Pet Lives by adopting, fostering, volunteering and/or donating this summer with a goal of inspiring 1.5 million pledges to match the approximate number of pets unnecessarily euthanized in shelters each year in the U.S.

In addition to mobilizing the animal-loving public to help local animal welfare organizations save lives through the COVID-19 crisis, the Petco Foundation's Pledge to Save Pet Lives included $1M in emergency product and cash donations to animal shelters. This commitment follows the Petco Foundation's recent distribution of more than $13M to animal welfare ­organizations nationwide.  

For stepping up and saving lives, each National Foster Hero will receive a thank you gift that includes BOBS from Skechers shoes and their incredible lifesaving work will be honored on petcofoundation.org/foster. The 22 National Foster Heroes were selected after nearly 400 animal welfare organizations across the country submitted their Foster Hero nomination. Participating animal welfare organizations will join in the celebration of Foster a Pet Month and honor their Foster Heroes locally as well. 

For more on the Petco Foundation and to take the Pledge to Save Pet Lives, visit petcofoundation.org/pledge and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #SavePetLives.

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 $280 million in lifesaving 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 adoption. So far, we've helped more than 6.5 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.

About BOBS from Skechers
BOBS from Skechers' charitable collection of shoes, apparel and accessories have improved animals' lives: over the past five years, Skechers has contributed more than $5.45 million to help more than one million shelter pets, including saving more than 661,000 rescued pets in the United States. It all started in 2011, when Skechers launched a movement to support children impacted by natural disasters and poverty – a cause that has helped the Company donate more than 15 million pairs of new pairs of shoes to kids in more than 60 countries worldwide. To learn more about BOBS from Skechers' commitment to making a difference, visit www.BOBSfromSkechers.com and follow the brand on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

About Skechers U.S.A., Inc.
Based in Manhattan Beach, California, Skechers designs, develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle and performance footwear, apparel and accessories for men, women and children. The Company's collections are available in the United States and over 170 countries and territories via department and specialty stores, and direct to consumers through 3,575 Company- and third-party-owned retail stores and e-commerce websites. The Company manages its international business through a network of global distributors, joint venture partners in Asia, Israel and Mexico, and wholly-owned subsidiaries in Canada, Japan, India, Europe and Latin America. For more information, please visit about.skechers.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.

Media Contact:
Lisa Lane, Director of Marketing and Development
Petco Foundation
[email protected] 

SOURCE Petco Foundation

Related Links

http://www.petcofoundation.org