Friday’s Focus: PetFinder.com Foundation

Where is the first place online you go when looking for an adoptable pet?  That’s right…PetFinder.com, but did you know that there is a PetFinder.com Foundation?  I will shamefully admit that I didn’t know, so I went to PetFinder.com and there it was, a button at the top for the PetFinder.com Foundation.  They are my Friday’s Focus this week, so without further ado….

What is the mission of the Petfinder.com Foundation?

The Petfinder.com Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) public charity whose mission is to ensure that no pet is euthanized for lack of a home.

Web Address: www.petfinderfoundation.com

Can you give us a little history on the Petfinder.com Foundation? The Petfinder.com Foundation was founded in 2003 as the charitable arm of Petfinder.com. Petfinder.com is the virtual home of homeless pets from over 13,000+ shelters and rescue groups across North America. Every year since 2003, the Petfinder.com Foundation has been providing grants and support services to Petfinder.com member shelters and rescue groups to help ensure that no adoptable pet is euthanized for lack of a home. In 2004, the Petfinder.com Foundation gave $43,452.35 worth of grants to Petfinder.com members. In 2009, the Foundation awarded or fulfilled $1,800,000 in cash and product grants to our members.

I see you have some partners in saving pets.  Can you tell me more about your partnerships? Merial supports our emergency management and disaster relief efforts.  Since 2005, Merial has donated more than $3 million to the Petfinder.com Foundation and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation through the Paws to Save Pets program. http://us.merial.com/pawstosavepets/

The Animal Rescue Site funds food for shelter and sanctuary animals by donating a portion of all sales of pet supplies, clothes, gifts, home and garden items and other products sold through their online store. The site is part of the family of GreaterGood Network Stores dedicated to funding important charities and causes. Shop at The Animal Rescue Site

A coalition of animal protection groups has been created to aid animals affected by the devastating January 12th earthquake in Haiti. The Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti (ARCH) is jointly led by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) in partnership with over a dozen of the world’s leading animal protection organizations, including the Petfinder.com Foundation.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare and the Petfinder.com Foundation formed a relationship in 2006 in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita resulting the IFAW/Petfinder.com Foundation Animal Rescue trailer. The Animal rescue trailer has been in integral part in IFAW’s ability to effectively respond to disasters in the United States and care for affected animals.

Can you tell us about the Hide, Perch, and Go Boxes and how we can help with that campaign?

Shelter life can be scary for cats. The transition from an original home to shelter life to an adoptive home brings many changes in sights, smells and surroundings, leaving cats fearful in each situation.

The Hide, Perch & Go Box when used at a shelter gives a cat control over her environment, allowing her to relax and become more adoptable. The box then follows the cat to her new home, giving her a familiar environment during the adjustment period.

In 2009, in partnership with the PETCO Foundation and The Animal Rescue Site, the Petfinder.com Foundation distributed more than 80,000 Hide, Perch & Go Boxes and secured the lowest possible pricing for Petfinder.com member shelters. In 2010, we are busy providing $300,000 worth of Hide, Perch and Go boxes to our members.

At just $3.50 per box, a donation of $35 will supply a needy shelter with 10 Hide, Perch & Go Boxes, significantly improving the quality of life for and adoptability of a shelter cat.

The Petfinder.com Foundation offers disaster grants.  How have you been able to help shelters affected by the Gulf Oil Spill?

Petfinder.com Foundation will be providing $100,000 in operating budget grants to shelters located within 30 miles of the coast. Animal shelters have been affected by the economic impact the oil spill has had on the region. Their supportive community, including businesses, are unable to provide enough help with donations to cover general operation costs.

The second type of grant will provide $50,000 in total to the foster based rescue groups who are willing to take animals from these shelters impacted by the oil spill. Each $1,000 grant will provide financial help to these groups who can transport and take some of the homeless animals to decrease the burden on these shelters and help increase adoptions.

What other information would you like my readers to know about the Foundation?

Less than 10% of donations to the Petfinder.com Foundation is spent on administration costs.

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There you go!  So many wonderful things they do and you can help their mission by donating.  It doesn’t matter if you are a cat person or dog person.  We all care about pets and we are all in this together.  Please consider making a donation to the PetFinder.com Foundation today.

I’d like to thank Jane at PetFinder.com and Vicki from the PetFinder.com Foundation for supplying us with this information for our Fridays’ Focus.