Pet Search receives WCCF award
The Washington County Community Foundation has presented its annual Director’s Choice Award to Pet Search.
The award includes a $10,000 unrestricted grant from the foundation’s Acorn Fund.
Originally called People for Animal Welfare when it was created in 1986, Pet Search is an all-volunteer animal rescue and placement service for homeless and unwanted domestic animals in Washington County. Pet Search’s philosophy is that family pets should be in family environments, so animals are placed in foster homes until they are adopted.
During her acceptance speech, Sherry Knight, Pet Search CEO and animal placement coordinator, said, “The grant will be applied toward the purchase of a new van, which will be used virtually seven days a week to transport animals to and from vet appointments, pick up feral cats, as well as transport supplies for our adopt-a-thons and fundraisers.”
To be eligible for the award, charities are required to have an operating budget of less than $250,000, have been in existence for at least three years and provide a program in one of the six areas supported by the Acorn Fund: arts and humanities, education, environment and animal welfare, health and fitness, human needs or religion and faith-based. Applicants are judged on the quality of programming, community impact as gauged by the number of people served, programs offered or other measurable component, and improvement in the organization’s finances over a period of years.
“Over the years, Pet Search has added many new programs, such as educational services for children regarding the care of animals, pet therapy programs for residents in senior and assisted living situations, a spay and neutering program and a Rabies Plus Clinic, which alone draws more than 3,000 pet owners per year,” said Betsie Trew, WCCF president and CEO.
“To provide these additional services, Pet Search essentially doubled its annual revenue in recent years from about $50,000 to $100,000 per year.”
Initiated during the 10th anniversary of the foundation’s director, the Director’s Choice Award is presented in honor of the WCCF’s earliest supporters who were willing to invest in the foundation. The goal of the award is to help a small but improving charity the way the foundation was helped by its earliest supporters.