PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In collaboration with more than 3,500 animal welfare partners, PetSmart Charities, the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, announced that 2017 was a record-breaking year for pet adoptions. Last year, more than 560,000 pets found forever homes through the in-store adoption program, which facilitates adoptions every day at more than 1,600 PetSmart stores across the U.S. and Canada.
Since opening its doors in the late 1980s, PetSmart’s founders made the decision to never sell dogs and cats in stores. Instead, the leading pet specialty retailer established PetSmart Charities and set aside valuable space in each of its locations to encourage local animal welfare organizations to bring adoptable pets into PetSmart stores. This model allows pets to connect with passionate, pet-loving families and shoppers, greatly increasing their chances of being adopted. To date, PetSmart and PetSmart Charities have helped find homes for 7.8 million pets and counting.
“Being an advocate for pet adoption isn’t just something we do, it’s part of who we are at PetSmart Charities, and is integral to our mission to reduce pet homelessness across the U.S. and Canada,” said David Haworth, DVM, Ph.D., and president of PetSmart Charities. “Last year was a record-breaking year for us. We helped more than half a million shelter pets find the loving homes and families they deserve. To put that in perspective, with the help of thousands of animal welfare organizations, we’ve saved more pets in one year than the number of people living in Atlanta. We couldn’t have done it without the support of our adoption partners, PetSmart store teams and the kindness of pet adopters everywhere.”
Last Chance Animal Rescue in Waldorf, Md., is one of PetSmart Charities’ most active pet adoption partners. Cindy Sharpley, executive director of Last Chance Animal Rescue, works with her team to find homes for thousands of pets each year, including many that were left homeless by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria in late 2017. Through its partnership with PetSmart Charities, Last Chance Animal Rescue has been able to secure homes for 7,900 pets in 2017 alone and nearly 80,000 over the last 13 years.
“We’ve been working with PetSmart Charities for nearly 19 years. Our partnership with PetSmart and PetSmart Charities has allowed us to find homes for pets in need, enriching both their lives and those of their adoptive parents,” said Sharpley. “There’s something very special about bringing shelter pets to a PetSmart store, where families can meet and fall in love with them and make them part of their family. There’s no better feeling than watching pets find their forever homes – a happy ending after sometimes very sad beginnings.”
“With the partnership and determination of trusted animal welfare organizations like Last Chance Animal Rescue, we know that the local pets are getting the support they need and deserve,” said Dr. Haworth. “It’s this same passion and commitment that inspires our team to find new ways to help make an even greater impact in local communities.”
Additional Fun Facts from PetSmart & PetSmart Charities’ In-Store Adoption Efforts in 2017:
- Kittens were the most adopted pet from our stores.
- At adoption events, adult dogs were adopted more often than puppies this year.
- Texas was the leading state for adoptions, with more than 60,000 pets adopted at PetSmart stores across the state.
- Houston was the leading city, with 5,800 pets adopted at PetSmart stores across the metro area.
- In addition to Last Chance Animal Rescue, other top animal welfare partners included: City of Dallas, Texas; City of Fort Worth, Texas; Save a Life Pet Rescue, in central Fla.; as well as Nebraska Humane Society in Omaha, Neb.
- The top adoption partner in Canada was Action Volunteers for Animals in Ontario.
For more information on PetSmart Charities or to find out how to become an adoption partner, please visit PetSmartCharities.org.
About PetSmart Charities®
PetSmart Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit animal welfare organization with a mission to find lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together. In addition to finding homes for almost 500,000 shelter pets each year through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities provides funding to non-profits aligned with its mission through four key areas of grant support: Preventing Pet Homelessness; Helping Shelter Pets Thrive; Supporting the Bond Between People and Pets; and Emergency Relief and Disaster Support. Each year, millions of generous PetSmart shoppers help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities using the pin pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses 90 cents of every dollar donated and has become the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, donating about $300 million to date. PetSmart Charities, a 501(c)(3) organization, has received the Four Star Rating from Charity Navigator, an independent organization that reports on the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of nonprofits, for the past 14 years in a row – placing it among the top one percent of charities rated by this organization. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org
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About PetSmart Charities® of Canada:
PetSmart Charities of Canada is a registered Canadian charity with a mission to find lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together. In addition to finding homes for more than 25,000 shelter pets each year through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart stores, PetSmart Charities of Canada provides funding to registered charities aligned with its mission through four key areas of grant support: Preventing Pet Homelessness; Helping Shelter Pets Thrive; Supporting the Bond Between People and Pets; and Emergency Relief and Disaster Support. Each year, millions of generous PetSmart shoppers help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities of Canada using the pin pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses 89 cents of every dollar donated and has become a leading funder of animal welfare in Canada, donating nearly $12 million to date. PetSmart Charities of Canada is a member of Imagine Canada and is independent from PetSmart, Inc. To learn more, visit www.petsmartcharities.ca
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