Cat’s Cradle of the Shenandoah Valley has received approval from PetSmart Charities, the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, to expand its grant-funded spay and neuter campaign in Augusta County.
The grant funding initially focused on Crimora, Fishersville, Lyndhurst/Sherando, Stuarts Draft, and Verona, but as of June 11, 2018, the grant may be used for all residents of Augusta County, including the cities of Staunton and Waynesboro, which are within the scope of the grant’s overall purpose.
With the help of the $32,000 grant funding received from PetSmart Charities in January 2018, Cat’s Cradle will continue to facilitate spay/neuter surgeries at the Anicira Veterinary Center in Harrisonburg for only a minimum copay per cat of $10.00, which may be waived in extraordinary cases. The grant covers the balance of the surgery costs and Anicira is donating the cost of the legally required rabies vaccine, if proof of rabies vaccine is not provided. The goal of the project is to reduce the number of cats and kittens into the county’s shelter. Spay/neuter surgeries for cats and kittens that Cat’s Cradle rescues for adoption from the county’s shelter are also covered by the grant.
Cat’s Cradle has been a leader in pro-active, targeted spay/neuter since 2005, helping to alter approximately 2,000 cats and kittens each year, including Trap-Neuter-Return for colonies managed by caretakers. Cat’s Cradle partners with area clinics and veterinarians offering low-cost spay/neuter and is partnering exclusively with Anicira Veterinary Center on this grant.
Jennifer Kirkland, Executive Director of Cat’s Cradle, was thrilled to announce the expanded range of the grant and partnership. “With this grant, and with our partners, PetSmart Charities and Anicira Veterinary Center, we have already altered more than 200 cats from the initially targeted zip codes. With the expansion into the remaining rural zip codes of the county at large, and the Cities of Staunton and Waynesboro, we can make a huge difference in the intake of cats and kittens into our local shelter, thus preventing needless euthanasia of healthy, adoptable animals.”
PetSmart Charities aims to proactively prevent pet homelessness through increased spay and neuter efforts. With the help of animal welfare partners, such as Cat’s Cradle of the Shenandoah Valley, PetSmart Charities has helped facilitate over 1.7 million spay and neuter surgeries in the U.S. since 2009.
“We are happy to support organizations, such as Cat’s Cradle, that provide critical services to help prevent unplanned litters in Augusta County,” said Sima Thakkar, regional relationship manager at PetSmart Charities. “This grant will help make spay and neuter surgeries more accessible to cat parents and help reduce the strain on local shelters.”
Residents living in Augusta County, and the Cities of Staunton and Waynesboro, should call Cat’s Cradle at 540-433-1135 to take advantage of this program. Trapping and transport/return (not removal) services for cared for feral colonies can also be provided by Cat’s Cradle.
About Cat’s Cradle of the Shenandoah Valley
Cat’s Cradle of the Shenandoah Valley, Inc. has been in existence since 1998, incorporated and tax-exempt since 2005. Its mission is to reduce the number of cats and kittens taken into local shelters and thereby prevent needless euthanasia of healthy, adoptable animals. Cat’s Cradle’s programs include rescue/foster/adoption, financial assistance for spay/neuter, TNR, and pet retention programs (including behavioral counseling and veterinary assistance. Cat’s Cradle rescues over 800 animals each year, adopts out over 600, transports over 250 to other no-kill organizations for adoption, and assists over 175 families with pet retention programs. Cat’s Cradle serves Rockingham, Augusta and Page counties.
- Cat’s Cradle’s website: www.catscradleva.org
- Follow Cat’s Cradle on Facebook: Facebook.com/catscradleva
About PetSmart Charities®
PetSmart Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit animal welfare organization with a mission to find lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together. In addition to finding homes for almost 500,000 shelter pets each year through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities provides funding to non-profits aligned with its mission through four key areas of grant support: Preventing Pet Homelessness; Helping Shelter Pets Thrive; Supporting the Bond Between People and Pets; and Emergency Relief and Disaster Support. Each year, millions of generous PetSmart shoppers help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities using the pin pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses 90 cents of every dollar donated and has become the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, donating about $300 million to date. PetSmart Charities, a 501(c)(3) organization, has received the Four Star Rating from Charity Navigator, an independent organization that reports on the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of nonprofits, for the past 14 years in a row – placing it among the top one percent of charities rated by this organization. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org.
- Follow PetSmart Charities on Twitter: @PetSmartChariTs
- Find PetSmart Charities on Facebook: Facebook.com/PetSmartCharities
- See PetSmart Charities on YouTube: YouTube.com/PetSmartCharitiesInc
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