Each year, PetSmart Charities recognizes exceptional organizations that help pets in need. In 2018, the Friends of Madera Animal Shelter in California received a PetSmart Charities grant to help them continue their life-saving work.
In Madera, the median household income is less than the national average. That means pet owners struggle to make ends meet and care for their pets. Many animals end up abandoned or surrendered, and few are spayed or neutered.
That’s where this amazing organization comes in.
Implementing a Vital Spay/Neuter Program
The Friends of Madera Animal Shelter is a nonprofit animal rescue that aims to help these animals and their families. According to Kirsten Gross, director of Madera County Animal Services and founding board member of the Friend of Madera Animal Shelter, the organization is the reason why the city has a spay/neuter program today.
“Luckily, we have a partnership with an awesome nonprofit group the Friends of Madera Animal Shelter,” says Gross. “These dedicated volunteers have supported the efforts of the shelter by administering the spay/neuter programs. Since the inception of this FMAS group in 2012, the volunteers have raised through grants and donations, over $4 million to provide spay/neuter services for pet owners in our community.”
The work of the organization has had a significant impact on the lives of animals in the community.
“Through these efforts we have seen the incoming homeless animal population decrease over 3,000 annually,” says Gross.
The grant from PetSmart Charities will help the pet rescue continue their work and help more animals.
“There have been multiple families that needed spay/neuter services for their pets, transportation to the veterinarians, and provided pet food assistance if needed,” says Gross. “We have found it very rewarding to help those residents and their animals.”
PetSmart Charities Grant Provides Important Funding
Recently, the Friends of Madera Shelter helped an elderly couple with over 50 chihuahuas and cats who could not care for them properly. None of the animals were spayed or neutered, making the problem much worse.
The Friends of Madera were able to intervene and care for the animals and find homes for the majority of the dogs and cats. Now, these lucky pets are part of new families where they are loved and pampered.
"PetSmart Charities has been an amazing partner for us and helped us to adopt, rescue, and get multitudes of dogs and cats in Madera altered,” says Gross. “Without PetSmart Charities, we would not have been able to provide these multiple life-saving efforts!”