Shelters Can Benefit Greatly from Big Hauls of Pet Food, Toys, and Supplies

Before the third season of ‘Extreme Couponing’ premieres on TLC on May 28, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) (ASPCA) is issuing a challenge to ‘Extreme Couponers’ everywhere: consider using your bargain-shopping prowess to help your local animal shelter or rescue group.

“Many local animal shelters – in addition to needing monetary donations – are in constant need of supplies,” said Julie Morris, Senior Vice President of Community Outreach for the ASPCA. “Generously purchasing these items for your local animal shelter or rescue group will not only help their daily operations, but it can also help improve the quality of life for the animals in their care.”

Your local shelter may be in need of one or more of the following:

• Pet food – for dogs, cats, puppies, kittens and rabbits – and pet treats
• Pet toys – chew toys, rawhides, rope toys, feather toys, treat toys and ball toys
• Pet care supplies – leashes, collars, litter, litter boxes, and scratching posts
• Pet bedding – dog and cat beds and towels that can be laundered
• Operational supplies – garbage bags, newspapers, cleaning products, paper towels, office supplies

The ASPCA recommends first calling your local animal shelter or rescue group to see if they are in need of donated food, toys and/or supplies, and what preferences they have in terms of products or brands.  Some shelters may feed their animals certain types of food (wet or dry; kibble or canned), while others may prefer using environmentally friendly cleaning products.

If you’re an ‘Extreme Couponer’ – or a seasoned coupon-clipper – and you decide to use your shopping skills to make a difference for your local animal shelter, we want you to show us your haul!  Take photos of your shopping excursion, the goods you scored, and the moment you arrive at the shelter to present them with your generous donation. Submissions will be accepted through this tab on the ASPCA’s Facebook page through June 1. We’ll also be taking to our Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest pages, and our blog, to feature how much you’ve donated and show the country your generosity. The top five winners will receive a special over-sized ASPCA shopping tote full of swag.

About Extreme Couponing

TLC’s hit series EXTREME COUPONING documents the creative real-life strategies of savvy shoppers as they clip and save their ways to outrageous deals, and as they share their impressive hauls with their communities and local charities. The new season of the series will premiere Monday, May 28 at 10/9c.

About the ASPCA®

Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is the first humane organization established in the Americas and serves as the nation’s leading voice for animal welfare. More than one million supporters strong, the ASPCA’s mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA is a national leader in the areas of anti-cruelty, community outreach and animal health services. The ASPCA, which is headquartered in New York City, offers a wide range of programs, including a mobile clinic outreach initiative, its own humane law enforcement team, and a groundbreaking veterinary forensics team and mobile animal CSI unit. For more information, please visit www.aspca.org. To become a fan of the ASPCA on Facebook, go to www.facebook.com/aspca. To follow the ASPCA on Twitter, go to www.twitter.com/aspca.

From the Best Friends Animal Society website and Facebook page:

Last year, the Back in Black adoption event was introduced to showcase black dogs and cats and give them the best chance at being adopted. And over 900 pets found homes!

This year, we’re back with Back in Black 2.

Our goal is to find good homes for 1,000 or more pets in black this May.

Right now, thousands of wonderful animals are waiting to be adopted at shelters and rescue groups nationwide. And every day, 9,000 pets are killed in shelters because they don’t have a home.

Best Friends and our No More Homeless Pets® Network Partners are committed to saving them. Join us!

Click here to find adoptable black pets near you.

Erasing myths about black dogs and cats

Even though they make wonderful pets with great personalities, black dogs and cats are often overlooked for adoption, but why? After all, the color of a pet’s fur has no relationship to their ability to provide unconditional love, companionship and devotion. Here are a couple of theories:

• Bad photos hinder “love at first sight.” Black dogs and cats are harder to photograph because their eyes are close to the color of their fur and their facial expressions and personalities don’t always shine through in pictures. That’s a real disadvantage since many adopters “meet” their new best friends online.
• Superstitions! There are negative stereotypes about black cats and dogs that simply aren’t true. Just ask anyone who loves their beautiful black pet! They’ll tell you about all the wonderful qualities their pets possess and that they wouldn’t trade them for anything.

What are you waiting for? Change the future—and the world—for homeless pets in black today. 

There are 129 No More Homeless Pets® Network partners with adoptable black cats and dogs participating across 37 states.  Click on a state below to find local groups. Click on the group to visit their website for more event details.

Alabama | Arizona | Alaska | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming | US Virgin Islands

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA) has announced the creation of a Legal Advocacy department to increase legal protections for animals across the country. The department will provide “second chair” legal support through the coordination of legal and other expert services vital to the effective handling of animal cruelty prosecutions, as well as conduct selective, affirmative civil litigation in cases with the potential to effect substantial change in animal protection laws nationwide. The team will also provide legislative analysis and bill drafting expertise to the ASPCA’s Government Relations department.

The Legal Advocacy department will be led by Stacy Wolf, who adds this position to her current role as vice president and chief counsel of the ASPCA’s Humane Law Enforcement department.

Wolf, who was a career public defense attorney before joining the organization’s Legislative Affairs department in 1998, was responsible for spearheading the passage of New York’s felony animal cruelty law, dog shelter law, exotic pets ban, veterinary reporting law, and dangerous dog law.

Ms. Wolf also served as legislative chair of the New York State Bar Association’s Special Committee on Animals and the Law.

“The formation of the Legal Advocacy department is an essential step toward fulfilling the ASPCA’s mission of providing effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States,” said Matt Bershadker, senior vice president of the ASPCA’s Anti-Cruelty Group. “Stacy has a wealth of animal law experience and possesses the necessary tools to implement significant legal change for the benefit of animals.”

Wolf has already appointed two people to the department: Jennifer Chin, who will serve as Legal Advocacy counsel; and Sandy Christiansen, who will serve as director of case development.

“I am thrilled to have Jennifer and Sandy join the ASPCA in this capacity,” said Wolf. “Their exceptional backgrounds are unique, yet complimentary, and both will play a vital role in helping to shape stronger animal welfare laws through the judicial system.”

Chin will provide second chair legal assistance to prosecutors handling animal cruelty cases across the country; assist in affirmative civil litigation cases brought by the department on behalf of the ASPCA; and provide legislative analysis for the ASPCA’s Government Relations department. Chin comes to the ASPCA from the United States Attorney’s Office in Newark, N.J., where she served as Assistant United States Attorney since 2008 specializing in criminal appellate work. She worked on complex civil litigation at two private law firms prior to her time at the U.S. Attorney’s office.

Christiansen will focus on affirmative outreach to identify and develop potential litigation opportunities; working with prosecutors and investigators on Legal Advocacy cases; and conducting legal research and legislative analysis. Prior to joining the ASPCA, Christiansen was the president and CEO of the Spartanburg Humane Society in Spartanburg, S.C. since 2005. In this role, he was responsible for supervising a staff of 41 employees and helping to grow such programs as humane education, anti-cruelty initiatives, behavior and training, and animal transport. During his 19 years working for the welfare of animals, Christiansen has also gained extensive experience in conducting cruelty and animal fighting investigations.

The Legal Advocacy department is part of the ASPCA’s Anti-Cruelty Group, which is also comprised of Humane Law Enforcement, Field Investigations and Response, Anti-Cruelty Behavior, Strategy and Campaigns, Forensic Sciences, and Anti-Cruelty Projects.

About the ASPCA®

Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is the first humane organization established in the Americas and serves as the nation’s leading voice for animal welfare. One million supporters strong, the ASPCA’s mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA is a national leader in the areas of anti-cruelty, community outreach and animal health services. The ASPCA, which is headquartered in New York City, offers a wide range of programs, including a mobile clinic outreach initiative, its own humane law enforcement team, and a groundbreaking veterinary forensics team and mobile animal CSI unit. For more information, please visit www.aspca.org.

To become a fan of the ASPCA on Facebook, go to http://www.facebook.com/aspca. To follow the ASPCA on Twitter, go to http://www.twitter.com/aspca.

What if saving a pet’s life was as easy as visiting your Facebook profile or posting something to it…?

A new, unique, online Facebook application – Share a Pic, Save a Pet allows you to help save the lives of the nearly 8 million homeless pets in the U.S. today to drive public awareness and increase adoptions through social media!

Thousands of healthy, loving pets are in need of adoption right now, and you can help!

How?

Donate your Facebook page to a four-legged friend finding a forever home with Share a Pic, Save a Pet.

It’s quite fun to play around, test it out, and share these guys on your profile – you never know who may be looking or who may be wanting to adopt.

Created by non-profit PetSmart Charities and powered by Adopt-A-Pet.com, the first-of-its-kind Facebook application transforms individual profiles to alert your friends, family and followers about adoptable pets in your own community that need lifelong, loving homes, giving Facebook users an exclusive way to ‘donate’ their profile to showcase homeless pets in the community.

How to Use Share a Pic, Save a Pet

1. Go to http://apps.facebook.com/shareapic-saveapet/

2. Input your ZIP code.

3. Select up to 10 adoptable dogs or cats to showcase on your profile by breed, color, size and gender.

4. Adopt-a-Pet.com’s nationwide shelter database enables the application to populate your Facebook profile with photos of local pets available for adoption and links to local animal-welfare organizations where the pets available for adoption. These pictures are shared directly to your Friends’ news feeds and on your Facebook timeline!

We tried it on our personal Facebook page and its fun and functional both – your friends will catch on in no time and undoubtedly be doing the same.

Just imagine the lives we could save if everyone puts up ten pets every day for one month?!?

So check out Adopt-A-Pet.com’s Share a Pic, Save a Pet now – and get to sharing!

Dear Ohio Animal Advocates,

Ohio is one of only a handful of states with virtually no regulations on wild/exotic animal pet ownership.

Even before last year’s horrific incident in Zanesville, this oversight has led to tragedy for both people and animals: The Associated Press found that along with having some of the nation’s weakest restrictions on exotic pets, Ohio has among the highest number of injuries and deaths caused by them.

This is partially due to the fact that the state has become a haven for breeders and dealers of these animals.

It’s time to stop the insanity!

The ASPCA supports Senate Bill 310, which is currently pending in Ohio’s legislature (in Columbus). If passed, it would prohibit keeping many wild, dangerous and exotic species of animals as pets (effective 2014).

The full Ohio Senate may vote on the bill as soon as TOMORROW!

What You Can Do

Visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center online to quickly email your state senator and ask him or her to support S.B. 310 to ban keeping wild animals as pets. Your senator will likely vote on the bill this week, so there’s no time to lose.

 Thank you for defending wild and exotic animals, Ohio!

Cats & pit bulls to benefit from low-cost spay/neuter surgeries

You, my beloved readers, can help put an end to a tragic situation…

Each year, thousands of kittens and puppies wind up in shelters as you know. Many are euthanized as a result of accidental litters from pets that are not spayed or neutered.

In fact, 11,000 pets in this country are euthanized daily – that’s half of the 8 million pets that land in shelters each year, according to a PetSmart Charities study.

Not all of these pets start out homeless.

Half of U.S. pet owners who’ve had a pregnant dog or cat say the pregnancy happened “by accident.”

Spaying/neutering at an early age is the best way to prevent unplanned litters and also has health benefits for pets. Many people don’t realize that operations as early as 8 to 10 weeks is safe for most pets – and waiting longer puts you at risk for an unplanned litter.

So I’m helping PetSmart Charities spread the word about early spay/neutering because it’s one the best ways (in the top three) to save homeless pets and curb the pet overpopulation problem in the US.

PetSmart Charities, the nation’s largest funder of spay/neuter initiatives, recently announced a NEW $1 million national grant program to fund high-quality, affordable spay/neuter operations to save the lives of pets that are at the highest risk for euthanasia: cats and pit bull terriers-these guys have that high risk due to overcrowding in shelters, which is due to overpopulation, etc.

Do you see how the circle works? If I were a graphic artist I would make an infographic but I’m not so I can’t. I did find one that’s to the right though from Pawesome.net.

The new PetSmart Charities grant program builds on the group’s efforts to:

- improve spay/neuter rates

- reduce shelter overcrowding

-increase pet adoption

Since 2007, PetSmart Charities has provided $26.3 million in grants that have subsidized almost 1 million spay/neuter surgeries in the United States.

Today, this year, the new grant program will help 65 nationwide non-profit spay/neuter clinics provide high-quality, affordable spay/neuter surgeries for more than 23,000 cats and pit bull terriers, ultimately reducing the homeless pet population by tens of thousands of at-risk cats and dogs that would otherwise wind up in shelters because of unplanned litters, according to Susana Della Maddalena, executive director of PetSmart Charities, Inc.

Four million adoptable pets are euthanized every year in the United States because they aren’t adopted.

“Approximately 34 percent of dogs and cats in U.S. households are not spayed or neutered yet the procedure is one of the most effective ways to reduce the homeless pet overpopulation,” said Della Maddalena. “With our new national grant program and our ongoing efforts to make affordable spay/neuter available to the public, PetSmart Charities is addressing the root cause of pet homelessness and this will have a national impact on reducing shelter intake and, ultimately, the euthanasia of adoptable pets.”

Lori Redmon, president/CEO of the Kentucky Humane Society in Louisville agrees.

“Shelters do their best to find forever homes for all of their cats and dogs that are loving pets, but unplanned litters quickly lead to overcrowding, and tragically, too many wonderful pets are at risk for euthanasia. With the grant from PetSmart Charities, we will be able to perform 200 more spay/neuter surgeries and give some much-needed help to cats and pit bull terriers that are especially at risk.”

“Beat the Heat” and “Primp Your Pit”

PetSmart Charities’ new grant program will support two spay/neuter campaigns:

·         “Beat the Heat” was held in February 2012 to spay female cats before they go into heat, and prevented 17,000 unplanned litters during the “kitten season” spring months.

·         “Primp Your Pit” will be held in August 2012, giving clinics resources to spay or neuter pit bull terriers. This breed, in particular, ends up in shelters in large numbers due to the myths and negative media and public perceptions that are associated with pit bulls. Search BSL or pit bulls on ThoughtsFurPaws.com for more information on that (don’t get me started about myths on these sweet, gorgeous, loving dogs…)

Through these special campaigns, spay/neuter clinics receive:

1. grant funds to help lower the cost of spay/neuter for the public
2. professionally-developed marketing materials to educate the public
3. funding and support to advertise and promote the campaigns in local communities

To find high-quality, low-cost spay/neuter services locally, the public can go online here to access a free searchable database made possible through a partnership between PetSmart Charities and the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®).

How to Donate to Save Pets’ Lives

Donations allow PetSmart Charities to offer these types of grant programs and resources that support local clinics and shelters across the nation. Members of the public can join the fight to end pet homelessness by making a tax-deductible donation online, by email at gifts@petsmartcharities.org or via phone at 623-587-2826.

Stay up to date on the lives that are being saved through PetSmart Charities’ Facebook page at www.facebook.com/savehomelesspets.

About PetSmart Charities®

Established in 1994, PetSmart Charities, Inc. is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that creates and supports programs that save the lives of homeless pets, raise awareness of companion animal welfare issues and promote healthy relationships between people and pets. The largest funder of animal-welfare efforts in North America, PetSmart Charities has provided more than $134 million in grants and programs benefiting animal-welfare organizations and has helped save the lives of nearly 5 million pets through its in-store adoption program. To learn more about how PetSmart Charities is working toward its vision of a lifelong, loving home for every pet, visit petsmartcharities.org or call 1-800-423-PETS (7387).

Did you know that 97% of animal welfare organizations rely on volunteers to help keep administrative costs down year-round?

I didn’t know that either… PetSmart Charities told me.

They polled 750 local animal welfare organizations in 2011, and nearly all (97 percent) said they depend on volunteers to help keep administrative costs down.

The survey also showed where the groups have the greatest need for volunteers:

• 40 % said their greatest need was foster care for pets
• 28 % said they needed assistance with general pet care, including brushing, bathing and walking pets.

*** And now – the person who tells me his or her bestest (yes I know this is not a word), most inspiring volunteer story (that can be backed up by an Admin at the rescue/shelter) is winning a prize worth near $100 from ThoughtsFurPaws.com. ***

Why?

To honor PetSmart Charities and their Volunteer Action Day.

**Here are the details on Volunteer Action Day, first, then we’ll talk contest…

PetSmart Charities has announced that People Saving Pets™ Volunteer Action Day will be Wednesday, April 18.

This day is designated to educate the public about the need for volunteers as well as inspire year-long involvement in the movement to save homeless pets.

Volunteer Action Day falls during PetSmart Charities® National Volunteer Week (April 15-21), which focuses on helping homeless pets – and aims to educate the public about the need for volunteers and mobilize pet lovers to lend a hand at their local animal welfare organizations.

“Volunteers make a huge difference in helping local animal shelters and rescue agencies stretch their limited resources further to care for and adopt more pets,” said Susana Della Maddalena, executive director of PetSmart Charities, Inc.  “Volunteer Action Day is meant to spark year-long involvement in the movement to save homeless pets. Volunteering for just a few hours a month can make a significant difference on the well-being of adoptable pets.”

Anyone can get involved by joining the People Saving Pets Volunteer Network. Simply by entering your ZIP code, you can easily find volunteer opportunities in your area.(It’s really cool; I tried it and like 12 things popped up that sound like so much fun!)

PetSmart Charities would love to hear from you about how you’re sparking action in your local areas!

I’m encouraging you to join the conversation online and share your fave volunteer stories by posting on their social networking pages and by “tagging” PetSmart Charities.

-          People Saving Pets on Facebook

-          PetSmart Charities on Facebook

-          People Saving Pets on Twitter

-          PetSmart Charities on Twitter

You can make a difference in a homeless pet’s life by taking part in the People Saving Pets™ Volunteer Action Day on Wednesday, April 18.

Volunteers free up funds to care for adoptable pets, such as providing low-cost, high-quality spay/neuter surgeries, vaccinations, food and shelter.

How to Get Involved

Anyone can get involved in Volunteer Action Day – whether you’re ready to foster a pet or simply want to spend some play time with cats and dogs in your local shelter.

1. Visit www.PeopleSavingPets.org and click on the Volunteer Network page

2. Enter your ZIP code to find volunteer opportunities near you

3. Register to sign up for an opportunity

4. Spread the word! Tell your friends and followers on Facebook and Twitter about Volunteer Action Day and how they, too, can help save the lives of homeless pets by volunteering

5. Take part in the ThoughtsFurPaws.com contest. Leave me a comment or email me at thoughtsfurpaws@gmail.com and tell me your most inspiring, most blood, sweat and tears, in-the-trenches type of volunteer dedication story. You can win a prize worth $100. The prize is both dog- and cat-themed, but if you have a preference I can swing it so it’s 75% one way…

6. Talk about your own experiences volunteering on your own blog and be sure to link to People Saving Pets and PetSmart Charities Volunteer Action Day on FB and Twitter!

Don’t forget to download the free Volunteer Action Day Infographics online and post them on your blogs, Facebook pages and on Twitter to help spread the word about the benefits of volunteering for local animal rescues, shelters and other welfare organizations.

THOUGHTSFURPAWS.COM CONTEST WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED ONLINE on APRIL 25th around 6 pm EST (or after).

You can share your volunteer stories in the comments and stay up-to-date on the latest Volunteer Action Day news by visiting the People Saving Pets Facebook and Twitter pages.

Why?

Well we can’t tell you til tomorrow (NO April Fool’s here!) but it’s pretty dang awesome!

There will be a big launch tomorrow with Harrison Ford and Amy Smart and just four other bloggers. We are called the:

PET PROTECTION POSSE.

That’s all I can say…

What’s your guess as to what the deal is?

PS-We are here for the ASPCA – they are headquartered here in New York…

NOTE:  If you have questions about the ASPCA shelter here, write them in the comments and Ill ask. You can also Tweet me at @ThoughtsFurPaws or find the Facebook page here. Leave me a status update or Like me. You DO know that every month, a new “Like” gets a $50 PetSmart gift card, right??

On we go to ASPCA….

… but for what???

… Stay tuned:)

The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced that it has been awarded more than $1.4 million in funding from Subaru of America, Inc. as a result of its participation in the Subaru “Share the Love” event.

Sixty-two percent of the donation the ASPCA received has already been earmarked for the ASPCA’s “Share the Love” Grant Program for shelters in all 50 states.

To-date, approximately $884,000 has been distributed to local shelters.

“Year after year, we’re honored and overwhelmed by just how much Subaru customers care about their pets,” said Elysia Howard, vice president of marketing & licensing for the ASPCA. “In 2011, the ASPCA was able to distribute more than $15 million in the form of 1,300 grants to 740 animal welfare organizations in all 50 states. The funding from the “Share the Love” event will enable us to save more animals through our national programs and give even more to shelters and rescue groups across the country in the coming year.”

* Note that Subaru has been heavily involved with animal charity and animal welfare here in Ohio — they had an event a while back, remember? Read it here

During the “Share the Love” event, which ran from November 19, 2011 to January 3, 2012, Subaru pledged to donate $250 for every new Subaru vehicle sold or leased to the customer’s choice of one of the following five charities: the ASPCA, American Forests, Make-A-Wish Foundation®, Meals On Wheels Association of America and Special Olympics.

Subaru Dogs! Photo Courtesy Facebook/ASPCA.com

“Our new car owners helped us give more than $5 million to charities in just six short weeks of Share the Love,” said Dean Evans, senior vice president and CMO, Subaru of America, Inc.

“We’re proud to have donated more than $20 million to worthy charities over the last four years, helping them carry out the vital work they do every day.”

ASPCA Rescue Dog: Photo Courtesy ASPCA.org

As part of “Share the Love,” the ASPCA also worked closely with Subaru dealerships across the country to help them partner with local animal shelters and host a range of events including pet adoption, food donation drives, holiday pet picture-taking, pet ID-tagging and micro-chipping.  As a result, approximately 100 events took place, more than 1,000 dogs and cats – and even two horses – were adopted, and $121,000 was raised for local shelters. (See above link…)

The ASPCA also held a shelter incentive contest during “Share the Love,” and the following winners were selected to receive a total of $35,000 in grants from the ASPCA, awarded as follows:

• 1st prize (winners of a $20,000 grant): Protection of Animals in Wakefield Society (PAWS) – in partnership with Subaru of Wakefield in Wakefield, Mass.

• 2nd prize (winners of a $5,000 grant): Friends of Sangamon County – in partnership with Green Family Subaru in Springfield, Ill.

• 3rd prize (each winner of $2,000 grants):

-          Spokanimal – in partnership with Appleway Subaru in Spokane, Wash.

-          Irvine Animal Care Center – in partnership with Irvine Subaru in Irvine, Calif.

-          Charlotte Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control – in partnership with Subaru South Blvd in Charlotte, N.C.

-          Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region – in partnership with Heuberger Subaru in Colorado Springs, Colo.

-          Kent County SPCA – in partnership with Dover Subaru in Camden, Del.

In addition to supporting the ASPCA through its annual “Share the Love” event, Subaru supports other key ASPCA initiatives including Team ASPCA, the upcoming ASPCA Mega Match-a-thon event and the National Spay/Neuter project.

*** In addition to this wonderful ‘partnership’ that’s blossomed, the ASPCA recently announced that it will provide more than $340,000 to 15 local municipal shelters, animal control agencies and non-profits throughout the state of New York to create and expand low-cost spay/neuter programs!

ASPCA Kitty: Photo Courtesy ASPCA.org

“By providing grants that specifically fund low-cost spay/neuter projects, the ASPCA hopes to directly impact the number of homeless animals in New York, as well as help pet owners who are most in need of assistance,” said Michael Barrett, vice president of grants management for the ASPCA. “We encourage local animal shelters to apply for these grants, which will not only help expand their spay/neuter efforts, but could greatly impact their work to eradicate animal homelessness in their communities.”

Increased spay/neuter programs can help to prevent litters of homeless kittens and puppies from entering the sheltering system, in addition to reducing the number of free-roaming cats in communities when Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is practiced. Spaying and neutering not only helps reduce animal homelessness but has numerous behavioral and health benefits for dogs and cats as well.

About the ASPCA®

Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is the first humane organization established in the Americas and serves as the nation’s leading voice for animal welfare. One million supporters strong, the ASPCA’s mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA is a national leader in the areas of anti-cruelty, community outreach and animal health services. The ASPCA, which is headquartered in New York City, offers a wide range of programs, including a mobile clinic outreach initiative, its own humane law enforcement team, and a groundbreaking veterinary forensics team and mobile animal CSI unit. For more information, please visit www.aspca.org. To become a fan of the ASPCA on Facebook, go to www.facebook.com/aspca. To follow the ASPCA on Twitter, go to www.twitter.com/aspca.

About Subaru of America, Inc.

Subaru of America, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. of Japan. Headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company markets and distributes Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive vehicles, parts and accessories through a network of approximately 600 dealers across the United States.  Subaru boasts the most fuel efficient line-up of all-wheel drive products sold in the market today based on Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fuel economy standards.  All Subaru products are manufactured in zero- landfill production plants and Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production plant to be designated a backyard wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. For additional information, please visit www.subaru.com.