January 14, 2021— KEY WEST, FL – One of the most common reasons pets are surrendered to local shelters is the lack of affordable pet wellness, training and education programs. Due to cost and other barriers, pets in under-resourced communities often do not have access to basic veterinary care such as spay/neuter services, vaccinations, dental care and other medical and preventative care.

With a $36,000 grant from PetSmart Charities, the Florida Keys SPCA aims to support pets and pet parents in need of these services by providing discounted vaccines, heartworm treatments, flea medications and the ability to bring these services directly into the community in areas that need it most.  We anticipate that over 1,000 animals in our community will be able to benefit from this program.

“We are looking forward to helping COVID-19 financially affected community pets and pet owners with this grant through discounted services and the ability to bring these services directly to the areas in need,” said Tammy Fox, Executive Director of the Florida Keys SPCA. “We know many people have been impacted by the pandemic, which is why it is so important to the FKSPCA to provide easily accessible, affordable preventative wellness care to the community members in an effort to keep pets healthy.” 

“We are proud to support the FKSPCA in providing affordable veterinary care, especially during the uncertainty of the pandemic,” said Kelly Balthazor, regional relationship manager at PetSmart Charities. “So many families have been hit hard financially, and we are thrilled this funding will not only provide critical care to pets in need, but also help these pets in the arms of the people who love them.”

Since 1994, through its partnership with nearly 4,000 humane societies, SPCAs and pet rescues across North America, PetSmart Charities has helped more than 9.5 million pets to find loving homes via its in-store adoption program in over 1,650 PetSmart® stores. The leading funder of animal welfare has also donated nearly $430 million, to positively impact communities, to connect people and pets, to help preserve families and to improve access to veterinary care through initiatives like this with the Florida Keys SPCA.

To learn more about our services we provide go to https://fkspca.org/what-we-do/clinic-services/ or contact our Clinic Team directly at clinic@fkspca.org.

###

About the Florida Keys SPCA
The Florida Keys SPCA is the largest animal welfare organization in the Florida Keys serving the Lower and Middle Keys from MM0-MM70 with 2 locations in Key West and Marathon. The Florida Keys SPCA is dedicated to promoting the humane treatment of all animals through compassionate care, adoption, education, population control and humane law enforcement.

Florida Keys SPCA: fkspca.org

Social: Facebook.com/fkspca   • Instagram.com/floridakeysspca

About PetSmart Charities®PetSmart Charities, Inc. is committed to finding lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities helps to find forever homes and families for nearly 600,000 shelter pets each year. PetSmart Charities also provides grant funding to nonprofits aligned with its mission. 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 more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, granting nearly $430 million since its inception in 1994. Independent from PetSmart Inc., PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization that has received the Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator, a third-party organization that reports on the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of nonprofits, for the past 17 years in a row – placing it among the top one percent of charities rated by this organization. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org.

Follow PetSmart Charities on Twitter: @PetSmartChariTs
Find PetSmart Charities on Facebook: Facebook.com/PetSmartCharities
See PetSmart Charities on YouTube: YouTube.com/PetSmartCharitiesInc

Media Contact:

Florida Keys SPCA Contact: Tiffany Dunsmore                                                        
305-294-4857
tiffany@fkspca.org

PetSmart Charities 24-Hour Media Line: 623-587-2177