$225k PETCO Grant Awarded to Animal Services
The Stanislaus Animal Services Agency recently received a significant grant from the PETCO Foundation that will support a new life-saving project to save young cats.
Animal Services will focus on continuing to promote life-saving efforts in our community. This gift will help share the message with residents that we have the ability overcome challenges of living in an agricultural community where many animals reproduce rapidly and are then abandoned. We can do that with aggressive life-saving efforts and ongoing education. The shelter's live release rate for cats was 9% nine years ago. These rates are now at 71% and still efforts are being aimed at better outcomes. With a grant from the Petco Foundation the shelter will work to increase the overall live release rate for cats.
The intent of this grant application to PETCO Foundation is to create a new life-saving project at Stanislaus Animal Services Agency which includes a foster program for kittens. This foster pre wean project will assist in achieving the highest live release rate ever for cats, and further encourage life-saving efforts in our community. “This truly is an amazing life-changing and life-saving project,” said Animal Services Director Annette Patton. The shelter currently holds a 90% live release rate for dogs and 71% for cats for the Fiscal Year ending 2018/2019. However, there are nearly 2,000 pre weaned kittens euthanized annually. This is the largest obstacle blocking the path of the Agency's journey to increase life-saving efforts for cats.
The Agency is thankful for the support of the PETCO Foundation and looks forward to putting the much needed funding to work in saving lives of local animals.