The Petco Foundation will start using a $10,000 grant, recently awarded by the Alachua County Humane Society, by next week.
Since 2011, the no-kill animal rescue shelter, in partnership with other local rescues, has reduced the number of euthanized animals in the community by 90 percent, said Margot DeConna, the director of development for the shelter.
After applying in May, the non-profit received the grant to help give its dogs and cats proper attention.
The money will be used to pay for food, cleanings and medical expenses such as vaccinations, microchipping and sterilization surgery.
The shelter receives most of its funding from individual donors, but it also continually applies for grants to help fund its programs.
“What’s really great about the funding from Petco is that it is general in nature,” DeConna said. “We are able to use it however we need to get these animals ready to be adopted.”
Due to warmer weather, kitten and puppy season is in full swing, creating more waork for the shelter, as well as other shelters in Gainesville, she said.
DeConna said the shelter currently has about 215 animals between foster pets and shelter residents.
The shelter encourages donations such as Dawn dish soap, bleach and paper towels to help prevent diseases, she said. Alachua County residents can also volunteer at the shelter or foster an animal.
“It really is a helpful and uplifting job, and, again, whenever you are having a bad day you can snuggle with some kittens or dogs,” DeConna said. “It is a really fun and upbeat place to work.”
For the past two semesters, the national community service sorority Omega Phi Alpha has participated in an ongoing project with the shelter, giving members a chance to volunteer.
Iqra Ahmed, a member of the sorority and a volunteer at the shelter, said she was excited to hear about the grant because she knows how committed everyone is.
“You can tell the people who work or volunteer there really care about making these pets happy and getting them to good homes,” said the 21-year-old UF environmental science and marketing senior. “It’s wonderful to hear that they’re getting money to be able to do that a little easier.”
For more information about the Alachua County Humane Society or the Petco Foundation, visit www.alachuahumane.org or www.petcofoundation.org.
Two kittens sit in a cage at the Alachua County Humane Society on September 10, 2013.
