San Marcos Animal Shelter Receives $20,000 From ASPCA

The San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter (SMRAS) has been awarded a $20,000 grant from the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) as part of its national ASPCA Relief and Recovery Initiative.

The initiative includes providing a minimum of $2 million in critical funding for animal welfare organizations whose programs, operations, or fundraising capabilities have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

The grant will help SMRAS fund efforts to safely keep pets with owners who may be experiencing financial difficulty due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“No one should have to give up their best friend because of hard times.,” said Jeanne Saadi, Animal Services Manager. “We want to get the word out that we are here to help people worried about losing their pets due to evictions and work instability. If you feel like you have to make a choice between caring for your pet and caring for yourself, we want to hear from you. No one should have to make that choice.”

The grant will go toward a new initiative called “Fur-Get-Me-Not Outreach” which can provide a variety of pet supplies, veterinary care, and boarding assistance to Hays County pet owners who are able to document economic hardship.

Acceptable documentation includes, but is not limited to, evidence of non-profit agency or governmental assistance, unemployment, housing transition, or anything else deemed acceptable by the Animal Services Manager.

Applications for assistance will be accepted through December 2020 or when the funding pool is spent, depending on which occurs first. Limitations apply.

“In addition to the unprecedented challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has created for people, it is also putting animals at risk by straining essential owner and shelter resources,” said ASPCA President and CEO Matt Bershadker. “Considering the vital role pets play in our lives – especially in times of crisis and stress – it’s extremely important to safeguard their welfare as much as we can, and we are grateful to the animal welfare community for stepping up, thinking creatively and courageously, and forging new paths to meet this need. Through the ASPCA Relief & Recovery Initiative, we are helping animals stay healthy and safe as we weather this crisis together.”

For more information, to apply for services or to donate to the Fur-Get-Me-Not program, contact animalservicesinfo@sanmarcostx.gov.