The Animal Welfare League of Arlington (AWLA) recently received a $15,200 grant from PetSmart Charities, the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, designed to help keep more people and pets together in Arlington County.
When people are experiencing life changes and challenges such as homelessness, financial struggles, domestic violence, or emergency situations, having a pet can add an extra layer of complexity and concern. Pet parents in these situations often feel that they have no other option but to surrender their beloved pets to local animal welfare organizations.
With the help of this new grant, AWLA is committed to offering solutions that will help pets to stay within their loving homes and families. These programs will include vouchers for spay/neuter services, wellness clinics, expansion of a pet food pantry, flea/tick preventatives, microchips, rabies vaccine vouchers, enrichment packages, safekeeping for emergency situations, grooming, and much more. Our aim is to help owners comply with local laws and keep loved pets in their home and out of the shelter. With this generous grant we aim to serve an additional 225 families and approximately 380 pets by October 2019.
“We strive as an organization to ensure that all companion animals in Arlington County find compassionate, loving and forever homes. We know this program will further that mission and help owners and families fill in small holes that arise that would lead to them being unable to keep their beloved pet. With rising costs on all fronts in the county continuing, including the cost of veterinary care, we aim to assist owners to comply with the law so people and their pets can live healthy, secure, and happy lives,” said Jennifer Toussaint, Chief of Animal Control at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington.
“We are happy to support the work of the Animal Welfare League of Arlington to provide affordable pet health and wellness care,” said Sima Thakkar, regional relationship manager with PetSmart Charities. “Thanks to our donors nationwide, more people and pets will be able to stay together during the most challenging of times due to the support of the Animal Welfare League of Arlington.”
Pet retention is just one of PetSmart Charities’ seven grant categories. Funding from PetSmart Charities supports animal welfare organizations and non-profits committed to reducing pet homelessness and enhancing the human-animal bond. For more information, visit www.PetSmartCharities.org.
