Grants Available to Fund Dog Parks

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Communities around the United States can now submit an application for PetSafe® Brand’s seventh annual Bark for Your Park™ grant-giving program.

This year, PetSafe will award 25 grants totaling $275,000 - not only to help break ground on new parks, but also to help fund maintenance and updates of existing parks.

Since the Bark for Your Park grant-giving program was launched in 2011, it has provided funding to 52 off-leash dog parks.

“The Bark for Your Park program brought our community together to enhance our Bark Park. It was a citizen driven effort, and since the park re-opened in March of 2017, the dog owners who love to use the park are even more invested,” Lisa Davol, Deputy Director, Oconee County Parks & Recreation Department, a recipient of a $25,000 grant through the 2015 program, said in a release.

The 25 grants available through the 2017 Bark for Your Park program include five New Park Awards valuing $25,000 each, 10 Makeover Awards valuing $10,000 each and 10 Enhancement Awards valuing $5,000 each.

Bark for Your Park grant recipients can receive a combination of funds as well as commercial grade dog park equipment from UltraSite™, a PlayCore Company.

Communities interested in submitting a grant application for the 2017 program can learn more about the program and view the application and submission requirements on the PetSafe website.

Application deadline is June 30th.

WELFARE - PetSmart Charities Increases Grant Opportunities

PetSmart Charities, the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, has an expanded mission and more grant opportunities for animal organizations.

Historically their grants have supported their mission to end pet homelessness, but they have expanded their scope to also include connecting pets with people.

The result is ten different grant categories under the organization’s four strategic areas of focus.

Preventing Pet Homelessness

To help decrease the number of pets entering shelters, PetSmart Charities now offers three grant categories to support programs and initiatives that proactively prevent pet homelessness and mitigate pet homelessness during family transitions.

• Spay/neuter: Preventing unplanned litters through targeted spay/neuter programs and clinic development, free or low-cost spay/neuter surgeries, trap-neuter-return (TNR) efforts, as well as veterinary school initiatives.
• Intake diversion: Keeping pets from entering shelters by making wellness clinics, as well as behavioral training and education more accessible.
• Keeping pets and families together: Creating resources for families that are or may experience domestic violence, homelessness and/or Military leave and can no longer accommodate their pet.

Helping Shelter Pets Thrive

Many adoptable pets never find homes, facing euthanasia due to lack of capacity. By supporting organizations that provide resources, build capacity to care for homeless pets and focus on adoption, PetSmart Charities expects to enhance pets’ lives in shelters and help them find their forever homes.

• Shelter management: Supporting best practices in areas such as mentoring, disease control and strengthening shelter infrastructure.
• Pet transport: Supporting organizations that relocate adoptable pets to areas where the demand for pet adoption is high so they will have the best chance possible at finding their forever family.
• Conferences and training: Funding enrichment programs and workshops for those working for and volunteering within the animal welfare industry.

Supporting the Bond between People and Pets

While there are many tales of how people save pets’ lives through adoption, there are also inspiring stories of how pets can save people. By supporting organizations that bring people and pets together to leverage the power of pets to enhance the human spirit, PetSmart Charities ultimately aims to end pet homelessness and drive awareness of the benefits of pet ownership.

• Adoptions: Partnering with local animal welfare organizations to connect people with adoptable pets everyday at PetSmart stores or and at PetSmart Charities’ signature events, including National Adoption Weekends which are held four times a year.
• Capacity building: Assisting with the construction, rebuilding or remodeling of animal welfare organization facilities that fulfill the needs of homeless pets.
• Enhancing the quality of life through pets: Supporting programs that train pets to become service animals for military veterans or people with disabilities and for pet therapy programs in hospitals, schools, senior homes or with at-risk populations.

Providing Emergency Relief

In the event of a weather crisis and natural disaster, such as the Fort McMurray fires in Alberta, Louisiana Flooding, and Hurricane Matthew, the role of local animal organizations has been critical to providing immediate support in times of crisis. Temporary shelter, pet supplies and medical care are just some of the immediate needs of misplaced or abandoned pets.

• Emergency relief and disaster response: Providing assistance in the event of a natural or man-made disaster during the rescue, relief and/or recovery stages.

Four grant categories are currently open for applications - Adoptions, Spay/Neuter,  Emergency Relief, and Conferences and Training.

The remaining grant cycles will be announced in February 2017.

Applicants must provide documentation verifying status as a 501(c)(3) organization for the US or registered charity in Canada.

WELFARE - PetSmart Charities Assisting Animals After Hurricane Matthew

More than $100,000 in in-kind supplies and emergency relief funds has been donated by PetSmart Charities to six animal welfare organizations to help local pets in need following Hurricane Matthew.

(PetSmart Charities)

Through a dedicated hurricane response effort, the organization continues to work with nonprofit organizations in severely impacted communities in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.

Before the storm hit land, PetSmart Charities dispatched an Emergency Relief Waggin’ filled with pet supplies donated by PetSmart’s central region Distribution Center in Ohio to Gainesville, Florida.

Food, cat litter, dog bowls and wired crates were among pet supplies sent to the region to help with displaced pets.

The Humane Society of the United States has also been on the ground in South Carolina providing disaster relief services in the wake of the hurricane.

Their Animal Rescue Team has saved and transported animals to supporting emergency placement partners for shelter.

“The role of animal welfare organizations in and around impacted communities is crucial before, during and after a natural disaster or weather crisis like Hurricane Matthew,” said David Haworth, D.V.M., Ph.D., president of PetSmart Charities.

As local residents sort through the aftermath of the storm, PetSmart Charities anticipates an increased need for pet supplies and medical examinations for displaced pets, as well as repairs for shelters that may have experienced flooding and damage.

The organization has emergency relief and disaster response grants available to help.

To apply for an emergency relief grant from PetSmart Charities to help local pets in need before, during or after a natural disaster, please visit PetSmartCharities.org/pro.

ASPCA Mega Match-a-thon grants $220,000 to animal welfare organizations

The American SPCA (ASPCA) announced that 33 animal welfare organizations are recieving grant funding to participate in the nationwide ASPCA "Mega Match-a-thon" events presented by Subaru, which will take place from October 17-19, 2014. The ASPCA is granting $220,000 to support a host of large-scale adoption events held nationwide in an effort to save the lives more shelter animals. 

"This is our third year holding the ASPCA Mega Match-a-thon and we can't wait to see what this year's participants have planned," said Julie Morris, senior vice president of community outreach for the ASPCA. "Creative events planned by the shelters get the attention of their local communities, which helps even more dogs and cats find loving homes." 

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ASPCA Provides Over $4.4 Million in Grants during First Quarter of 2014

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) announced earlier this month it has granted nearly $4.5 million to animal welfare organizations across the country through the first three months of 2014. A total of 316 grants were issued to over 250 organizations in 44 states across the United States. 

"The work and education of our grantees to bettering the lives of animals never ceases to inspire us," said Michael Barrett, vice president of grants management at the ASPCA. "The ASPCA has enjoyed seeing the success of our grantees this year and we look forward to the innovative ideas that will be crossing our desks as the year progresses.

Since 2008, the ASPCA has granted over $70 million to over 2,300 shelters, rescues and other animal welfare organizations across the country. To learn more about the ASPCA's Grants Program, interested animal welfare professionals can visit www.aspcapro.org/grants. 

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ASPCA provides $278,000 in grant funding for Mega Match-a-thon Event

The ASPCA supported a nationwide adoption event October 18-20 which included nearly 40 animal rescue organizations and required more than $278,000 in grants to organize. 

The second annual Mega Match-a-thon is a large-scale adoption event with partnering shelters spanning the United States. The 2012 event saw more than 6,100 animals adopted in a single weekend. 

"These events are a great opportunity for the participants to make noise about all of the wonderful dogs and cats in their care that are just waiting for someone to bring them home," said Julie Morris, senior VP of community outreach for the ASPCA. 

For more information about the event and to view participating shelters, visit ASPCA. 

ASPCA Provides $8.9 Million in Grants during First Six Months of 2013

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) today announced that it has granted $8.9 million dollars to animal welfare organizations across the country through the first half of 2013. A total of 847 grants were issued to 636 organizations in 49 states nationwide. 

Since 2008, the ASPCA has awarded more than $58 million to animal welfare programs in the United States. To learn more about the ASPCA’s Grants Program, interested animal welfare professionals can visit www.aspcapro.org/Grants.

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