Kent Animal Shelter gets PetSmart Charities spay/neuter grants for 5th year
For 2017, Kent Animal Shelter has been awarded a PetSmart Charities grant to spay or neuter pets as part of a continuing campaign against pet homelessness in the region. This is the fifth year in a row that the shelter has received the grant from the charity. The grant allows the shelter's on-site clinic to provide low cost pet sterilizations for Long Island pet owners. In addition, new this year, the grant gives the shelter additional grant money to spay/neuter 300 feral and free roaming cats.
“When one cat or dog can have one or two litters each year, and each of those pets can in turn have litters, the problem compounds very quickly,” said Pamela Green, Executive Director of Kent Animal Shelter in Calverton. “A big reason for pet homelessness is unwanted litters so a big part of the solution is pet sterilization. We’re grateful to PetSmart Charities for not only recognizing the reality of the situation but giving us resources to help deal with it.”
The funding has been designated for a series of campaigns: a “Happy Neuter Year” campaign for male cats and dogs in January, a “Beat the Heat” campaign for feral and owned free roaming cats in February, a “Precious Not Parents” campaign for dogs and cats aged six months or younger in June, and a “Primp Your Pit” campaign for pit bulls and pit bull mixes in August.
Spaying and neutering is one of the most effective ways to reduce the homeless pet population and is safe for puppies and kittens as young as eight to 10 weeks old, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
About PetSmart Charities: PetSmart Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that saves the lives of homeless pets. More than 400,000 dogs and cats find homes each year through its adoption program in all PetSmart® stores and its sponsored adoption events. PetSmart Charities grants more money to directly help pets in need than any other animal welfare group in North America, with a focus on funding spay/neuter services that help communities solve pet overpopulation. PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization, separate from PetSmart, Inc.
