Dog Rescue and Shelters: $750,000 Awarded in Pedigree Foundation Grants

Congratulations to the Dog Rescue and Animal Shelter groups who will receive a total of $750,000 from the Pedigree Foundation!  Seven Innovation and 691 Operational grants have been awarded thanks to donations from dog lovers.

These one-time grants help fund creative programs and basic operating costs aimed at increasing dog adoptions and helping the more than four million homeless dogs find loving homes.  In 2010, Pedigree Foundation helped shelter and rescue groups give more than 80,000 dogs comfort until they found their forever homes.

This year the 691 shelter and rescue groups receiving Operational grants will each receive $868.  For the second year, the Foundation is awarding $150,000 in Innovation grants.  These grants recognize shelters and rescues that are pioneering the industry with new ideas and efforts to help find dogs forever homes.  

Seven selected shelters will receive between $10,000 and $25,000 in grant money to fund their unique programs aimed at helping increase dog adoptions.  They were chosen out of almost 200 grant applications.

2011 Pedigree Foundation Innovation Grant Winners:

• Paw Prints Humane Society of Sedona, Ind of Sedona, AZ was awareded $10,000 to help fund the Mobile Adoption Vehicle to help increase adoptions, increase community education and awareness and serve as an emergency evacuation vehicle for at-risk animals in the Northern Arizona area.
• Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Eatontown, NJ was awared $25,000 to help fund a Dog Behavioral Department which uses positive reinforcement training and enrichment to increase the adoptability of shelter dogs.  The program focuses especially on those who come into the shelter with behavioral issues or who deveolp behaviors as a result of an extended stay in the shelter system.
• Humane Society of Rochester and Monroe County PCA of Fairport, NY, was awared $10,000 to help fund the Behavior Modification and Enrichment Program to help dogs change behavior and ultimately find an adoptive family and forever home.
• Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) of Philadelphia, PA, was awarded $25,000 to help fund "Adopt a South Philly Dog" program which increases dog adoptions in this densely populated area with few walk-in adoption facilities.
• Nashville Humane Associating of Nashville, TN, was awarded $14,000 for a research program that will evaluate staff training and adoption policies of collaborative organizations that use visual and staff-based experience to identify dog breeds and mixes of those breeds.  This program is aimed ato increase dog adoption and retention.
• Oklahoma Humane Society of Oklahoma City, OK, was awarded $25,000 to help fund the Homeward Bound Transport Program to safely and efficiently transport 80 dogs at a time from high-risk situations to safe outcomes.
• SPCA for Monterey County of Monterey, CA, was awarded $25,000 for its "Take the Lead" program which pairs dogs with at-risk youth.  During each five week course, the youth are tasked with teaching their dogs basic skills and providing one-on-one interaction.  The dogs learn new skills which make them more adoptable and the children learn important life, leadership and communication skills as they work to teach un-socialized dogs who to be great canine citizens through positive reinforcement.

 
For a complete list of 2011 Operation and Innovation Grant recipients, to make a donation or gather more information on Pedigree Foundation, visit www.PedigreeFoundation.org