Yancey County Humane Society received a $12,000 grant investment from national nonprofit Petco Love on Thursday, June 23.
Petco Love presented the check to Yancey County Humane Society at Petco, located at 962 Merrimon Avenue in Asheville, on Thursday to support the shelter's lifesaving work for animals in Yancey County. The grant will help cover veterinary costs for pets of Yancey County residents living on low incomes.
Roughly one in five Yancey County residents lives below the federal poverty line, according to the most recent U.S. Census. The county's humane society regularly receives urgent requests from residents whose animals need immediate care for serious injuries or illnesses -- the cost of which those residents cannot cover on their own.
A lot of times those injuries and illnesses include broken bones, open wounds, mange, parvovirus and other life-threatening conditions, along with routine procedures like vaccines and spay/neuter surgeries.
Now, through this Petco Love grant, YHS will be able to alleviate the suffering of many of these animals and ensure that residents are able to retain their pets in their homes. Yancey County Humane Society will make this program available to those on government assistance and will consider other requests based on demonstrated financial need.
By assisting economically disadvantaged residents with necessary veterinary care and spay/neuter surgeries for their pets, a YHS spokesperson said they hope to:
- Make an impact on the quality of life of some of Yancey County’s most vulnerable residents and their pets
- Reduce the incidence of unwanted litters of puppies and kittens being born
- Prevent the grief and isolation that would result from residents having to relinquish ownership of their beloved animal companions
Petco Love's investment in Yancey Humane is part of more than $15 million in investments the organization recently announced to support animal shelters and humane societies across the country "to create a future in which no pet is unnecessarily euthanized," said Susanne Kogut, president of Petco Love.
Petco Love is a national nonprofit leading change for pets by harnessing the power of love to make communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier. Since its founding in 1999, Petco Love has invested $330 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts. And Petco Love helps find loving homes for pets in partnership with Petco and more than 4,000 organizations — like Yancey Humane Society — across North America, with 6.5 million pets adopted and counting.
“This generous grant from Petco Love will help some of our county’s most vulnerable residents care for their beloved pets and provide them with live-saving veterinary treatments,” said Renee Tomberlin, executive director for Yancey County Humane Society.
Yancey Humane Society (YHS), also known as Yancey County Humane Society, was founded in 1984 and cares for some 2,000 animals a year in rural Yancey County.
For more information about Petco Love, click HERE.