PetSmart Charities® Donates $52,000 to Wisconsin Humane Society to support acquisition of Green Bay and Door County shelters
WISCONSIN – The Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) announced that it has received a $52,000 grant from PetSmart Charities, the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, to support expenses incurred by WHS in acquiring shelter operations in Green Bay and Door County. WHS acquired both the Bay Area Humane Society in Green Bay and the Door County Humane Society in Sturgeon Bay, WI on January 1, 2018 after working with both organizations for several months to ensure that animal services would continue in their respective regions.
“Since 1879, WHS has always worked to identify and respond to the most current needs of animals and the people who love them,” said Anne Reed, President & CEO at WHS. “Today, the fragmentation of animal welfare into so many different organizations has created a new need: the need to support vital work for animals with a strong, simple infrastructure. The consolidation of our experience and resources has strengthened all of us and is a better return on investment for the community that supports this work.”
The funds from PetSmart Charities were used for operational enhancements and improved equipment at the Green Bay and Door County shelters, including: adding more animal housing and supplies, upgrading security systems, making HVAC system repairs, implementing new shelter software, and conducting extensive staff training. These initiatives have streamlined shelter operations, reduced animals’ length of stay in-shelter, and better supported animal health. Total transitional expenses are expected to be about $175,000.
“We are deeply grateful to PetSmart Charities for their continued support of the Wisconsin Humane Society. We jumped into the busiest part of the summer season better prepared for the inevitable flood of animals through our doors because of the operational improvements this grant supported,” said Reed.
”For nearly 20 years, PetSmart Charities has worked with Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) to help local pets in need and, throughout that time, they’ve demonstrated their dedication to solving pet issues within the community,” said Kelly Balthazor, regional relationship manager at PetSmart Charities. “We thank them for expanding their presence in nearby communities to take in additional pets in an effort to strategically streamline local animal welfare efforts and strengthen support for homeless pets.”
WHS was founded in 1879 and is the oldest and largest shelter in Wisconsin, annually serving 40,000 animals and the people who love them. WHS is an independent nonprofit and receives no general government funding and is not part of any national umbrella group. WHS operates shelters in Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Brown and Door Counties, as well as a spay/neuter clinic in West Allis. The organization offers adoption services, youth programs, veterinary services, retail stores, wildlife rehabilitation, training classes and more. WHS is ranked 4 stars by Charity Navigator, the premier independent charity watchdog group. To learn more, visit www.wihumane.org.
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 more than 500,000 shelter pets each year. PetSmart Charities also provides grant funding to nonprofits aligned with its mission under four key areas of support: Preventing Pet Homelessness; Helping Shelter Pets Thrive; Supporting the Bond Between People and Pets and Providing 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 more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, granting almost $340 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 15 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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- Friday, October 12, 2018
