Pledge amount rises to more than $10 million
June 3, 2014
Contact:
Sharon Fletcher, Director of Marketing & Communications
925.310.5458
fletcher@maddiesfund.org
An unprecedented 15,0001 dogs and cats found homes this past weekend at the nation's largest free pet adoption event, Maddie's® Pet Adoption Days, sponsored by Maddie's Fund®. This represents a 78% increase over last year's 8,432 adoptions during this annual two-day event. Maddie's Fund originally set aside $10 million to underwrite the adoptions managed by participating organizations this year, but the total donation amount is likely to be much higher.
Now in its fifth year, Maddie's® Pet Adoption Days spanned 591 cities in nine states across the country. More than 200 shelters and rescue groups worked tirelessly over the two days to give homeless pets a second chance. Communities throughout the U.S. were buzzing with adoption events, and many locations had people lined up hours before their doors opened.
"As we near our goal of a no-kill nation by 2015, we are thrilled at the sheer number of people who visited all of the locations over the weekend," said Maddie's Fund president Rich Avanzino. "We congratulate the groups on a successful event, and applaud the thousands of people who opened their hearts and homes to a shelter pet this weekend."
Inspired by one family's love for a Miniature Schnauzer, Maddie's® Pet Adoption Days has found homes for more than 30,000 homeless dogs and cats since 2010. For each pet adopted, Maddie's Fund gives participating shelters from $500 to $2,000 to cover the true costs of those adoptions. This funding enables the shelters and rescue groups to save and treat more animals throughout the year.
"Each year, Cheryl and I see the spirit of Maddie at every adoption location we visit," said Maddie's Fund founder Dave Duffield. "It's a tribute to her legacy and the power of one little dog to inspire a movement and bring communities together to find thousands of animals loving homes."
Maddie was a beloved four-legged family member of Dave Duffield, founder of Workday® and PeopleSoft, and his wife, Cheryl. For the last five years, Maddie's Fund, their family foundation, has sponsored Maddie's® Pet Adoption Days to honor her memory.
For more information about Maddie's® Pet Adoption Days visit http://adopt.maddiesfund.org
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1 Total adoption numbers and donation amount are expected to increase as Maddie's Fund continues to collect data from participating shelters and rescue groups. An updated press release will be issued with final numbers in the coming weeks.
About Maddie's Fund
Maddie's Fund® is a family foundation established in 1994 by Dave and Cheryl Duffield and is the fulfillment of a promise to their inspirational dog, Maddie. She provided them much joy from 1987 – 1997 and continues to inspire them today.
The Foundation has awarded over $265 million in grants toward increased community lifesaving, pioneering shelter medicine education and establishing foster care as a standard across the U.S.
Maddie's Fund proudly offers the industry a national voice, important funding opportunities for bold ideas, learning resources and access to collaborate and share innovative solutions. The Foundation invests its resources in a commitment to keeping pets and people together, creating a safety net of care for animals in need and operating within a culture of inclusiveness and humility. #ThanksToMaddie.