Shenandoah Valley Animal Services Center receives $30,000 from Petco Love

On July 21, the Shenandoah Valley Animal Services Center received a $30,000 check from Petco Love.

“We are so honored and thankful to once again receive this generous, lifesaving grant funding from Petco Love,” Alidia Vane, SVASC’s executive director, said. “From 2013 to 2022, Petco Love has invested $322,500 in our organization. This funding provides many of our animals with injuries, illnesses or urgent behavioral needs the opportunity to receive treatment, and ultimately to get adopted by loving families in Waynesboro, Staunton or Augusta County.”

Funding from Petco Love pays for the majority of spay and neuter surgeries, which enables the shelter to focus on spay/neuter. “This allows us to be sure that the animals we adopt out will not produce more animals for us to take in later. These critical surgeries have contributed to our overall decrease in intakes and drastic increase in save rate since 2013,” Vane said.

SVASC was able to reduce its intake rate by 42.56 percent from 2016 to 2021, according to Vane. In 2016, the shelter’s intake was 2,777 and 1,595 last year.

“This grant funding also enables us to set aside funding for community members who need assistance with spaying or neutering their pets, as well as for a pilot program for positive reinforcement canine behavioral training with a local trainer,” Vane said.

The shelter hopes to shift the purpose of funding from Petco Love as the intake rate decreases to more innovative methods of marketing adoptable animals. The focus will remain on reducing length of stay for every intake.

“We look forward to a continued partnership with Petco Love and we are deeply humbled and grateful for their support, financial and otherwise,” Vane said.

Petco Love, formerly Petco Foundation, has had a single mission since 1999 “to create a better world for animals and the people who love and need them. And it all begins with love.”