PRESS RELEASE: Animal Welfare League of Alexandria Awarded ‘Better Cities for Pets’ Grant

Media Contact: Regina Hardter
(703) 746-5662
communications@alexandriaanimals.org

Animal Welfare League of Alexandria Awarded ‘Better Cities for Pets’ Grant

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Sept. 1, 2020) — The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA) is pleased to announce that it has received a 2020 Mars Petcare “Better Cities for Pets” grant for $10,000.  Funded by Mars Petcare and administered by the Humane Society of the United States, the “Better Cities for Pets” grant program provides funding to animal care facilities across the country to improve the quality of life for animals in those constituencies.  Funds from this grant will allow the AWLA to assist pet owners in the community to address urgent or chronic veterinary concerns in situations in which funding is limited.

“The AWLA already goes above and beyond to help animals in our facility,” said Director of Community Programs Joanna Fortin, “and we want to be able to extend that same level of care to animals throughout the community.  This generous grant from Mars Petcare will mean we can help even more pets across the community receive the much-needed care they deserve.”

Developed in fall 2019, the AWLA’s Community Programs department was created to provide just this kind of assistance.  As the pandemic affected budgets across the region, Fortin and her team have been able to provide pet food and supplies to pet owners in need through the Pet Pantry, which has donated more than 7,000 pounds of goods across the community since April.  The Pet Pantry complements other AWLA programs aimed at pet wellness, including accessible spay/neuter vouchers for low-income families, Pet Care Fairs and Drive-Up clinics to provide no- and low-cost vaccinations and AniMeals for pets of senior citizens on fixed incomes.

“Every pet deserves to be healthy and safe, and every pet owner deserves the resources needed to care for their pets.  Our Community Programs team strives every day to make that possible for animals across Alexandria,” said Executive Director Stella Hanly.  “As a nonprofit, we don’t always have the funds to help everyone, but this grant will give us the opportunity to help more pet owners in need, and help those pets stay in homes where they are loved.”Recipients of assistance from this grant must meet requirements laid out by Mars Petcare, the Humane Society of the United States and the AWLA.  For more information about financial support for critical veterinary care, email CommunityPrograms@AlexandriaAnimals.org.

^{Left: Director of Community Programs Joanna Fortin sorts through donated pet supplies.  Right: With the ‘Better Cities for Pets’ grant, AWLA staff will be able to provide even more assistance to animals across the community. Photos courtesy of the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.}

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About the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria

The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria is a local 501(c)(3) organization that operates the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter, Alexandria’s only open-access animal shelter. In response to the global pandemic, the AWLA has initiated a virtual adoption process that has seen adoption of hundreds of pets and is operating a Pet Pantry that has provided more than 7,000 pounds of pet food and supplies. They also have launched a virtual event series for children and adults and offer assistance to Alexandrians with questions about wildlife and animals in the community.  More information can be found at AlexandriaAnimals.org.