Finding Grants for Homeless Pets When Money Is Scarce

Finding grants to help homeless pets is a challenge as you’ve no doubt discovered in the last couple of years. Many grantors have posted notices that they’re not taking applications at this time. However, don’t forget to continue checking the larger groups which are still offering grants. They’re still helping homeless pets in both large and small communities.

PetSmart Charities currently lists nine different grants, including free-roaming cat spay/neuter program, targeted spay/neuter program, emergency relief funding, Rescue Waggin, in-store adoption partner, and model volunteering program.

Recently our local shelter here in Santa Fe received a $175,000 targeted spay/neuter grant. This grant targets the southern part of the county. Some 95 percent of the dogs taken in by the shelter from those areas are not spayed or neutered. The shelter canvassed that area with door hangers to let the residents know about this program. The cost for a procedure is a co-pay of $10.

The Rescue Waggin’ from PetSmart operates this program in the East Coast, Midwest, Great Plains, and South Central regions of the U.S. More than 47,000 dogs have been transported to new homes from shelters where they would otherwise be euthanized since the program started in 2004.

The Second Chance Fund from American Humane helps offset the medical costs of treating and rehabilitating an abused animal. The criteria for this grant are very specific, so read carefully how your shelter could qualify. Apparently, new applications are being accepted.

Refresh Everything Grants from Pepsi provide a way for anyone to suggest an idea or need for a grant and win by convincing your own community to vote for you. This page indicates there are currently 594 ideas relating to animals within the “community” category. If your shelter or rescue is active on Facebook and Twitter and has an email list of your donors and volunteers, this type of grant may work for you. Get the details of how it works.

Griffin Pond Animal Shelter in South Abington Twp, PA received a $50,000 grant for a spay / neuter project from Pepsi’s Refresh Everything program. See how the program is working in their community here.