February 4, 2021
Contact:
Sharon Fletcher, Director of Marketing & Communications
925.310.5458
fletcher@maddiesfund.org
Maddie's Fund® announced today $950,000 in grant awards to support 19 U.S. communities implementing the Human Animal Support Services Pilot Project. The Human Animal Support Services Pilot Project is a collaborative effort to keep pets and people together, so most pets don’t have to enter shelters at all. This is a huge shift from traditional sheltering and helps shelters build stronger relationships with their communities.
Pilot animal shelters are engaging their community members to be active participants in animal welfare, while creating and expanding programs and services to provide support to families. These programs and services, such as returning lost pets to their owners, short and long-term foster solutions, supporting families with the rehoming of a pet for any reason, addressing equity and inclusion, and supplying food and medical services, are allowing more people and pets to stay together.
Grants in the amount of $50,000 were given to 19 animal shelters covering 12 U.S. States in support of their community-centric programs. Those shelters include:
Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (MD), Cabot Animal Support Services (AR), Cincinnati Animal CARE Humane Society (OH), Charlotte Mecklenburg Animal Services (NC), Dallas Animal Services (TX), Denver Animal Services (CO), El Paso Animal Services Center (TX), Fresno Humane Animal Services (CA), Greenville County Animal Care (NC), Guilford County Animal Services (NC), Humane Rescue Alliance (DC/NJ), Kansas City Pet Project (MO), Lifeline Animal Project (GA), Los Angeles Animal Services (CA), Michigan Humane (MI), Oakland Animal Services (CA), Palm Valley Animal Society (TX), Pima Animal Care Center (AZ), and San Diego Humane Society (CA).
"As animal sheltering continues to evolve, community collaboration is vital to keep families together,” said Amy Zeifang, Executive Leadership Team Member at Maddie’s Fund. "With 95% of Americans considering their pets as family members, we all realize how much better for everyone it is to focus on both ends of the leash. Maddie’s Fund is proud to see our energies spent supporting that important bond."
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 $275.7 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.