$125,000 regional grant will help animal shelters in tornado-impacted communities
PetSmart Charities has awarded the Kentucky Humane Society (KHS) a $125,000 grant to help pets and people impacted by the December 11 deadly storms. KHS will use this Natural Disaster Emergency Relief Grant to provide financial assistance and supplies to local animal shelters in tornado-impacted communities.
KHS has been in contact with over a dozen municipal and nonprofit animal shelters in impacted counties, arranging animal transport, connecting shelters to needed resources and sending in critical supplies. Since December 12, KHS has helped arrange transports for hundreds of dogs and cats who were in shelters before the storms so that shelters have room for incoming stray and owner-surrendered pets.
“Many Kentucky animal shelters were already stressed and under-resourced before the storms. Now, they have the additional burdens of housing, feeding and caring for more animals and providing critical supplies to pet owners who may have lost everything,” said Kat Rooks, KHS Kentucky Initiatives Director. “We are grateful that PetSmart Charities will help us support these pets and people during this critical time.”
The grant will be distributed through the Kentucky Humane Society’s LOVE 120 Program, which aims to positively impact companion animals in all 120 Kentucky counties.
“No one is fully prepared to cope with a disaster like this one,” said Aimee Gilbreath, President at PetSmart Charities. “But we knew our trusted partners at the Kentucky Humane Society would spring into action to help displaced people and pets. We’re glad to support the important work they do, because when people experience trauma, they need the comfort of their pets more than ever. By alleviating their immediate worries about shelter and food, survivors can concentrate on the hard work of healing and recovery.”
