Critical Funds to Help Pet Families in Underserved Communities across Massachusetts
BOSTON, Dec. 30, 2020 – One of the most common reasons pets are surrendered to local shelters is the lack of affordable pet wellness, training and education programs. Due to cost and other barriers, pets in under-resourced communities often do not have access to basic veterinary care such as spay and neuter services, vaccinations, dental care and other medical and preventative care.
With a $302,000 grant from PetSmart Charities, the MSPCA aims to support pets and pet parents in need of these services by providing pet food relief—with more than 750,000 pet meals already distributed to pet owners in 2020—steeply discounted spay and neuter services (and vaccination and microchipping), as well as urgent care through its recently announced low cost clinics, which are co-located within its animal care and adoption centers in Boston, Methuen and Centerville, Mass. The grant focuses funding in three of the most underserved communities in Massachusetts – Lowell, Lawrence and Hyannis.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has created economic hardships for so many, and we know that lack of affordable veterinary care, and access to that care, adds an additional financial and emotional strain to families,” said Aimee Gilbreath, President of PetSmart Charities. “They may have to make difficult choices including the possible surrender of their pets to shelters in order to receive veterinary care. Grants like these to MSPCA help keep families healthy and together, even during difficult times.”
Since 1994, through its partnership with nearly 4,000 humane societies, SPCAs and pet rescues across North America, PetSmart Charities has helped more than 9.5 million pets find loving homes via its in-store adoption program in over 1,650 PetSmart® stores. The leading funder of animal welfare has also donated nearly $430 million to positively impact communities, connect people with pets and to help preserve families and improve access to veterinary care through initiatives like this one with the MSPCA-Angell.
For more information about the MSPCA’s Community Outreach initiatives, click here.
About PetSmart Charities®
PetSmart Charities, Inc. is committed to finding lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities helps to find forever homes and families for nearly 600,000 shelter pets each year. PetSmart Charities also provides grant funding to nonprofits aligned with its mission. 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 more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, granting nearly $430 million since its inception in 1994. Independent from PetSmart Inc., PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization that has received the Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator, a third-party organization that reports on the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of nonprofits, for the past 17 years in a row – placing it among the top one percent of charities rated by this organization. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org.
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