1,000th Pet Adoption Provides Bonus Grant
A partnership between Riverside County Animal Services and PetSmart reached a pet adoption milestone this month by surpassing 1,000 pet adoptions.
PetSmart and Animal Services formed a partnership years ago, but this is the first time the 1,000th-pet plateau was reached for adoptions during a calendar year. Most of the pets are cats with a few “pocket pets” in the mix, too.
In addition to shelter pets finding their forever homes, the outreach relationship comes with a bonus for Animal Services. PetSmart Charities provides Animal Services a $25,000 grant for reaching that specific mark.
“We are very thankful for the opportunity to work with PetSmart,” Animal Services Director Julie Bank said. “PetSmart is an amazing partner and certainly the grant funding is fantastic. More importantly, of course, is the high number of cats and other pets getting a chance to live a happy life with their adoptive families.”
The 1,000-plus adoptions are an accumulation of all the shelter pets that have been placed in PetSmart stores throughout Riverside and San Bernardino counties in 2020. PetSmart Charities and Riverside County Animal Services expanded the partnership in 2019, which resulted in a $66,000 grant for spay and neuter surgeries and vaccinations to better prep the pets for adoption at the stores.
PetSmart Charities has provided Animal Services an additional $75,000 so far in 2020.
Image Sources
- Cat heading to PetSmart store on Dec 1, 2020: Riverside County Department of Animal Services