Tuesday, February 21, 2017
By: Lainee Hooks

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

SPAY-NEUTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM RECEIVES $158,000 FROM PETSMART CHARITIES® TO FUEL SPAY AND NEUTER EFFORTS IN THE GREATER HOUSTON METROPOLITAN AREA

Qualifying residents in six counties will receive services at no cost to prevent the births of unwanted animals

Houston, TX – FEBRUARY 21, 2017 –  Spay-Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP)  today announced it received $158,000 from PetSmart Charities, the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, to help fuel its spay and neuter efforts in the greater Houston metropolitan area.  With the help of this donation, the organization will offer free spay and neuter surgeries and rabies vaccines to 1,200 pets owned by residents with proof of public assistance.

This grant is focused on providing services to pet owners who live in Harris, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller Counties, and who are on one of the following needs-based programs: Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP), Major VA Disability, Food Stamps, Medicaid, Free Lunch Program (Public Schools), Social Security Disability (SSD), Harris County Health System Eligibility Program, Special Supplemental Nutrition Programs for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), HUD, Section 8 Housing, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF- Formerly AFDC).

“Thanks to this generous grant from PetSmart Charities, we will be able to target areas that are in dire need of spay and neuter services,” said SNAP Executive Director Dr. Mary Kate Lawler. “By spaying and neutering as many animals as possible, we can stop the needless suffering of cats and dogs due to animal overpopulation.”

“Together with organizations like Spay-Neuter Assistance Program, PetSmart Charities hopes to make spay and neuter services more accessible and affordable for all pet parents in need,” said David Haworth, DVM, Ph.D, and the president of PetSmart Charities. “Through this organization’s hard work, we can proactively prevent unplanned litters and reduce pet homelessness in Houston.”

Members of the community can find more information about spay and neuter services by visiting www.snapus.org or calling 713-862-3863 ext. 100.

PetSmart Charities aims to proactively prevent pet homelessness through increased spay and neuter efforts.  With the help of animal welfare partners, such as SNAP, PetSmart Charities has funded over 1.4 million spay and neuter surgeries in the U.S. since 2009.

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About Spay-Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP)

SNAP aims to stop the destruction of healthy dogs and cats in animal shelters by reducing animal overpopulation. SNAP accomplishes this mission by performing high-quality, low-cost sterilization procedures for dogs and cats, including free spay/neuter services for animal companions of persons utilizing government assistance as well as low-fee procedures for the general public.  SNAP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with locations in Houston, Pasadena, and San Antonio. Visit www.snapus.org for more information about our services.

About PetSmart Charities®

PetSmart Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that saves the lives of homeless pets.  Each year nearly 500,000 dogs and cats find homes through our adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the U.S. and sponsored adoption events.  Each year millions of PetSmart shoppers contribute to PetSmart Charities to help pets in need by making donations on a pin pad at the register.  PetSmart Charities efficiently uses 90 cents of every dollar to support its mission of finding lifelong, loving homes for all pets.  PetSmart Charities grants more money to directly help pets in need than any other animal welfare group in North America, with a focus on funding adoption and spay/neuter programs that help communities solve pet overpopulation.  PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization, independent from PetSmart, Inc.  PetSmart Charities has received the Four Star Rating for the past 13 years from Charity Navigator, an independent nonprofit that reports on the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of nonprofits, placing it among the top one percent of charities rated by this organization.