SFPC RECEIVES a $102,000 GRANT FROM PETSMART CHARITIES®

TO INCREASE ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE VETERINARY CARE IN THE GAINESVILLE AREA

February 16^th – Gainesville, Florida – One of the most common reasons pets are surrendered to local shelters is the lack of affordable pet wellness, training and educational programs. Due to cost and other barriers, pets in under-resourced communities often do not have access to basic veterinary care such as spay/neuter services, vaccinations, dental care and other medical and preventative care.

PetSmart Charities` has awarded St. Francis Pet Care a $102,000 grant, which will support people and their pets in need of non-emergency veterinary care and services in Alachua County.  This grant will allow St. Francis to double their clinic hours of operation from one day a week to two for routine veterinary care as well as expand to two additional days per week for which surgeries, such as spay, neuter, and dentals, will be scheduled.

 “2020 was a challenging year for us here at St. Francis. COVID not only caused a large portion of our volunteer staff to leave but also increased the demand for veterinary services from the community. With this grant, we can open to the public allowing people in need – whose pets would normally go without veterinary care – to be seen at a substantially reduced cost,” said Dr. Dale Kaplan-Stein, President of St. Francis Pet Care. “With the amazing support from PetSmart Charities, we can increase the number of clients we serve, expand our hours and open to the public for the first time in our 10-year history, thus allowing people who might have had to surrender or abandon their pets keep them.”

“Increasing access to veterinary care not only helps pets and people in need but often lowers the number of pets needing emergency care by ensuring pets receive critical regular care,” said Aimee Gilbreath, President, PetSmart Charities. “We’re proud to support St. Francis in making affordable veterinary care accessible to Gainesville area communities.”

Over nearly four years, PetSmart Charities has granted $250,000 to St. Francis Pet Care to help build its clinic, to purchase equipment and now to expand services to support growth and future sustainability to meet the increased need for affordable and accessible veterinary care.

Since 1994, through its partnership with nearly 4,000 humane societies, SPCAs and pet rescues across North America, PetSmart Charities has helped more than 9.5 million pets to find loving homes via its in-store adoption program in over 1,650 PetSmart® stores. The leading funder of animal welfare has also donated more than $450 million, to positively impact communities, to connect people and pets, to help preserve families and to improve access to veterinary care through initiatives like this with St Francis Pet Care.