P.A.W.S. Awarded $10,000 in Grant Funding

Anderson County PAWS is pleased to announce that is has received more than $10,000 in grant funding from the ASPCA through its participation in two programs.  PAWS received $5,600 from its participation in the ASPCA’s Carroll Petrie Foundation Dog Rescue Project and an additional $5,000 for its participation in the 2013 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge.

PAWS was one of 51 shelters across the nation selected to participate in the Carroll Petrie Foundation Dog Rescue Project.   Funded by a $1 million donation from the Carroll Petrie Foundation, the project offered financial subsidies to participating shelters based on increases in the number of dogs and puppies saved by transfer to rescue groups and other alternative live placement methods.  From January through May of 2013, PAWS transferred 112 more dogs and puppies than over the same period in 2012, and the shelters participating across the nation combined to save a total of 18,781 dogs during the project period.

PAWS received $50 from ASPCA for each of the additional 112 dogs and puppies saved through alternative placements during the project period for a total grant of $5,600.  

PAWS was also one of 49 contestants in the 2013 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge. Over a three month period from June through August, contestants worked to increase the number of lives saved over the same three month period in 2012 through adoptions, transfers to adopt and returns to owner.  PAWS was a top-ten contender through the first two months of the Challenge, but numbers declined in August as PAWS shifted resources to the rescue and care of 153 dogs taken in from a suspected puppy mill in August.  The needs of the puppy mill dogs halted dog adoptions for several days in August, and the medical care required by these dogs precluded make-ready spay/neuter surgeries.  These factors slowed adoptions in August tremendously; nevertheless, PAWS saved a total of 878 dogs and cats during the three month contest—an increase of 141 over the same period in 2012.  The 141 lives-saved increase was good enough for PAWS to place 29^th in the final standings for the Challenge.  For their efforts, PAWS received a $5,000 incentive from ASPCA for meeting certain targeted adoption goals. 

PAWS Director Jessica Cwynar said, “Obviously, we can’t thank ASPCA enough for their support.  We’d like to think that our participation in these programs indicates that ASPCA has confidence in our shelter and our community.  The incentives we received from both the Carroll Petrie Foundation Dog Rescue Project and the 2013 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge will be put towards securing an improved mobile adoption trailer and other items we need to push our rescue numbers even higher!  This is an exciting time for all of us here.”