The Kentucky Humane Society (KHS) has received $45,000 from two national animal welfare nonprofits to support its disaster relief efforts in Eastern Kentucky following the recent flooding.
A $25,000 grant from PetSmart Charities and $20,000 grant from Petco Love are allowing KHS to provide lifesaving veterinary care, food and supplies to needy dogs and cats in counties impacted by the July 26-30 flooding.
“We are so grateful for Petco Love’s and PetSmart Charities’ support as our state grapples with this tragedy. These disaster relief grants help ensure that the Kentucky Humane Society can be there for Eastern Kentuckians over the long haul, as we know families and animals will need help for many months,” said Lori Redmon, KHS President & CEO who is leading KHS’ disaster response efforts.
This week Redmon and a KHS team delivered pet food, water and crates via ATV to pet owners who are sheltering in place with their animals in some of the hardest hit areas of Floyd and Knott Counties. The team brought back over a dozen critically ill unwanted kittens, who are receiving emergency veterinary care at KHS.
To date, KHS has taken in over 125 animals from Kentucky Regional River Animal Shelter (KRRAS) in Hazard, which serves animals in Perry, Breathitt, Knott and Letcher Counties, and Floyd County Animal Shelter (FCAS). All animals were in shelters before the storms, and by removing them, local shelters have space for incoming lost and injured animals. A number of these unwanted animals were then moved out to animal shelters in Connecticut and Colorado so they can be placed for adoption. KHS is also partnering with Petco Love to help get lost pets home. Petco Love Lost is a free, lost and found pet database that uses facial recognition technology to help pet parents reunite with their lost cat or dog.
KHS has provided financial assistance to KRRAS, FCAS and Dumas Rescue, a Floyd County nonprofit that is leading the efforts to distribute food and supplies to pet owners in hard-hit communities. KHS donated over $7,000 of crates and tie-outs to help keep pets with their families. Thanks to food donations from Greater Good Charities and Chewy, KHS has sent in thousands of pounds of dog and cat food.
“The amount of devastation is almost unfathomable,” said Redmon, who has heard stories from residents of cats, dogs and horses swept away by the waters. “Kentuckians are suffering, and when people suffer, so too do the animals.”
About Kentucky Humane Society
Located in Louisville, the Kentucky Humane Society is Kentucky’s largest animal adoption agency and spay/neuter provider. KHS is also the largest destination shelter for unwanted shelter animals in Kentucky, with over 3,500 cats, dogs and horses transported to KHS for adoption from shelters in over 35 Kentucky counties each year. Through its Love 120 program – which has the goal of positively impacting companion animals in all 120 Kentucky counties – KHS works with rural Kentucky shelters to reduce overcrowding and increase their lifesaving capacity. In June KHS launched its CARE-a-van mobile veterinary unit, to reduce barriers to Kentucky families accessing affordable veterinary care. Learn more at www.kyhumane.org and follow KHS at www.facebook.com/kyhumane, www.twitter.com/kyhumane, and www.instagram.com/kyhumane.
About PetSmart Charities®
PetSmart Charities is committed to making the world a better place for pets and all who love them. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities helps up to 600,000 pets connect with loving families each year. PetSmart Charities also provides grant funding to support organizations that advocate and care for the well-being of all pets and their families. Our grants and efforts connect pets with loving homes through adoption, improve access to affordable veterinary care and support families in times of crisis with access to food, shelter and emergency relief. Each year, millions of generous supporters help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities directly at PetSmartCharities.org, while shopping at PetSmart.com, and by 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 more than $500 million since its inception in 1994. Independent from PetSmart LLC, PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization that has received the Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator for the past 18 years in a row – placing it among the top one percent of rated charities. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org.
Connect with PetSmart Charities on Social Media: Instagram @PetSmartCharities; Twitter @PetSmartChariTs; Facebook Facebook.com/PetSmartCharities; YouTube YouTube.com/PetSmartCharitiesInc
About Petco Love
Petco Love is a life-changing nonprofit organization that makes communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier. Since our founding in 1999 as the Petco Foundation, we’ve empowered animal welfare organizations by investing $330 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts. We’ve helped find loving homes for more than 6.5 million pets in partnership with Petco and organizations nationwide. Our love for pets drives us to lead with innovation, creating tools animal lovers need to reunite lost pets, and lead with passion, inspiring and mobilizing communities and our more than 4,000 animal welfare partners to drive lifesaving change alongside us. Join us. Visit petcolove.org or follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn to be part of the lifesaving work we lead every day.