A recent $5,000 grant from Petco Love is helping the Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo and Stratford Perth (HSKWSP) with its veterinary outreach program, including vaccines, flea and tick prevention, microchips, basic exams, and spay and neuter surgeries.
Pet owners who may be homeless or vulnerable are referred to program clinics by social workers or community partner agencies where they receive care from veterinary staff, Ontario Veterinary College students, and volunteers.
Program need has increased significantly, says a news release issued by HSKWSP. Approximately 125 animals were treated in 2022, and the program is projected to treat 100 pets within the first three months of 2023.
“Petco Love’s investment in our outreach program is a huge help considering we are seeing a significant increase in demand in the program,” says HSKWSP director of community engagement and outreach, Calla James, in the news release. “This program plays a vital role in keeping people and pets together and supporting relationships that are so incredibly crucial to the mental health and wellness of both the owners and pets involved.”
“As a registered charity that receives no level of government funding, grants like this are critical to ensuring that we can offer outreach programming to people and pets who need us the most,” says Kathrin Delutis, chief executive officer, HSKWSP. “We are extremely thankful that Petco Love chose us as a grant recipient.”
For more information on the initiatives of The Humane Society of Kitchener Waterloo and Stratford Perth, or if you’d like to donate to the veterinary outreach program, please visit the website.
