ASPCA Reaches Major Milestone, Completes Work in The Carroll Petrie Foundation Dog Rescue Project

NEW YORK--The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced that it has completed its work in The Carroll Petrie Foundation Dog Rescue Project, a $1 million initiative that has funded much-needed treatments and services for 16,600 shelter dogs and puppies at county and municipal animal sheltering organizations over the last year. The milestone was celebrated with a 'Bon Voyage' event as the final transport departed Miami-Dade Animal Services Saturday morning, with more than 30 dogs and puppies bound for Long Island's Precious Pups Rescue in Calverton, N.Y.

The funding from The Carroll Petrie Foundation Dog Rescue Project prepared thousands of dogs for transport from overcrowded shelters to give them the best chance of finding permanent, loving homes. The project was made possible thanks to a generous donation from The Carroll Petrie Foundation.

"Seeing the assistance we've been able to provide to shelters across the country thanks to The Carroll Petrie Foundation Dog Rescue Project has been truly inspiring," said ASPCA President & CEO Matt Bershadker. "Through this generous donation, shelters were able to provide 16,600 dogs with the life-saving services they needed to get that second chance at finding loving homes."

"Over the last year, we've expanded our relationships with shelters and rescue groups nationwide in this effort," said Sandy Monterose, senior director of community initiatives for the ASPCA. "The project has reinforced our belief that collaboration among different groups toward a shared cause is what really makes a difference - we're all working together, and it's paying off in big ways for the animals."

The following animal welfare organizations were participating partners in The Carroll Petrie Foundation Dog Rescue Project over the last year:

• Lee County Humane Society in Auburn, Ala.
• Animal Shelter of Pell City, Inc. in Pell City, Ala.
• City of Huntsville Animal Services in Huntsville, Ala.
• Prattville/Autauga Humane Society in Prattville, Ala.
• Shelby Humane Society in Columbiana, Ala.
• Maricopa County Animal Care & Control in Phoenix, Ariz.
• City of Winslow Animal Control Care Facility in Winslow Ariz.
• City of Los Angeles in Los Angeles, Calif.
• Dept. of Animal Services County of Riverside in Jurupa Valley, Calif.
• Los Angeles County Animal Care & Control in Long Beach, Calif.
• Sacramento City, County, & SPCA in Sacramento, Calif.
• Washington Humane Society in Washington, D.C.
• Miami-Dade County Animal Services in Miami, Fla.
• Tallahassee-Leon Community Animal Service Center in Tallahassee, Fla.
• City of Jacksonville Animal Care in Jacksonville, Fla.
• City of Chicago Commission on Animal Care & Control in Chicago, Ill.
• South Suburban Humane Society in Chicago Heights, Ill.
• Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control in Ft. Wayne, Ind.
• Kentucky River Regional Animal Shelter in Hazard, Ky.
• Knox-Whitley Animal Shelter in Rockholds, Ky.
• Companion Animal Alliance of Baton Rouge in Baton Rouge, La.
• Plaquemines Parish Government in Belle Chasse, La.
• St. Bernard Parish Animal Services in Violet, La.
• Livingston County Humane Society in Chillicothe, Md.
• Pound Buddies in Muskegon, Mich.
• Leech Lake Tribal Police in Cass Lake, Minn.
• Central Missouri Humane Society in Columbia Mo.
• Kansas City Pet Project in Kansas City, Mo.
• Humane Society of South Mississippi in Gulfport, Miss.
• Oxford-Layfayette Humane Society in Oxford, Miss.
• Tupelo Lee Humane Society in Tupelo, Miss.
• Foothills Shelter in Columbus, N.C.
• Onslow County Animal Services in Jacksonville, N.C.
• Asheville Humane Society in Asheville, N.C.
• The Animal Foundation in Las Vegas, Nev.
• Animal Services of the Mesilla Valley in Las Cruces, N.M.
• Valencia County Animal Control in Los Lunas, N.M.
• Oklahoma Humane Society in Oklahoma, Okla.
• Jackson County Animal Care & Control in Phoenix, Ore.
• Beaufort County Animal Shelter in Beaufort, S.C.
• Greenville County Animal Shelter in Greenville, SC
• Spartanburg Humane Society in Spartanburg, SC
• Anderson County PAWS in Anderson, S.C.
• Charleston Animal Society in North Charleston, S.C.
• Blount County Animal Shelter / Smokey Mountain Animal Foundation in Maryville,Tenn.
• Happy Paws Foundation / Checotah Animal Shelter in Nashville, Tenn.
• McKamey Animal Center in Chattanooga, Tenn.
• City of Abilene in Abilene, Texas
• Dallas Animal Services in Dallas, Texas
• El Paso Animal Services in El Paso, Texas
• SCRAPS in Spokane Valley, Wash.

Since The Carroll Petrie Foundation Dog Rescue Project began in July 2012, the ASPCA has helped save 16,600 dogs to-date through a per dog or puppy subsidy for each animal helped. The per dog or puppy subsidy was used to provide needed services such as crates and gasoline purchases for transport vehicles and "make-ready" veterinary services for the dogs (i.e. spay/neuter, health certificates, vaccines) that prepared them to leave the shelter. Participating organizations could also choose to give all or part of the money to the rescue groups or destination shelters that received the dogs, helping to offset their costs. The subsidy only applied to lives saved above and beyond each participating group's previous year's numbers.