Alley Cat Advocates (ACA) has received a grant of $86,000 from PetSmart Charities®, the leading funder of animal welfare in North America. The funds will help ACA reduce the number of cats euthanized in local shelters by providing spay/neuter surgeries, vaccinations, and veterinary care for more than 2,100 unowned community cats in southwest Louisville.
Working through the ACA Neighborhoods Program, cat caretakers who live in the Jefferson County zip codes 40208, 40209, 40213, 40214, 40215, 40216, 40217, 40219, 40258 and 40272 are eligible for spay/neuter services for unowned community cats at no cost.
These zip codes will be targeted because Louisville Metro Animal Services – the city’s municipal shelter – sees the highest intake of community cats from these zip codes due to cat overpopulation and breeding.
“We are excited to increase the total number of spay/neuter surgeries at our organization and look forward to an exciting year as we work to reduce euthanasia of healthy cats in our community,” said Karen Little, executive director and co-founder of Alley Cat Advocates. “Our Alley Cat Neighborhoods program has become a model for other organizations across the country and the continued funding from PetSmart Charities will generate even more enthusiasm for the success our work generates.”
PetSmart Charities has been a partner of Alley Cat Advocates since 2010. The ACA Neighborhoods Program, supported by PetSmart Charities, has achieved remarkable success in reducing the stray cat population in Metro Louisville. Targeting the zip codes from which Metro Animal Services has the highest intake of animals, Alley Cat Advocates has helped reduce the number of cats that end up in our municipal shelter by over 63% since 2009. Alley Cat Advocates expects to continue this trend as efforts continue to be focused in these zip codes.
PetSmart Charities aims to proactively prevent pet homelessness and assist pets in need through many efforts including facilitating adoption and increasing spay and neuter initiatives. With the help of animal welfare partners, including Alley Cat Advocates, PetSmart Charities has funded more than 1.4 million spay and neuter surgeries in the U.S. since 2009.