November 22, 2016
Young-Williams Animal Center was awarded a $500,000 grant from the Petco Foundation based on the shelter’s lifesaving work and positive impact on the animal rescue community. Representatives from Young-Williams Animal Center and the Petco Foundation celebrated the grant during a check presentation on Nov. 21. The organization plans to use the funds to grow its cat enrichment programs.
Representatives from Young-Williams Animal Center accept the $500,000 gift from Petco Foundation.
“We are incredibly grateful for this gift from the Petco Foundation,” said Janet Testerman, CEO of Young-Williams Animal Center. “We are dedicated to finding a home for every pet, and this grant will allow us to continue our work in saving many lives and making an impact on the animal rescue community.
The Petco Foundation investment will provide funds for cat enrichment efforts at Young-Williams Animal Center that will include renovations to the cat room to provide more space and activities for cats awaiting adoption. Tailoring the facility to accommodate more of cats’ natural behaviors also will lower anxiety throughout their stay at the shelter.
“The Petco Foundation values animal welfare organizations working hard to save animal lives,” said Susanne Kogut, Petco Foundation executive director. “We hope this grant will enable this organization to continue its impactful and lifesaving efforts in the community.”
Young-Williams Animal Center is a nonprofit organization and is the official animal shelter for Knox County and the City of Knoxville. In 2015, the organization took in nearly 11,000 animals.
About Young-Williams Animal Center
Young-Williams Animal Center reminds the community to please spay and neuter your pets.
The Young-Williams Animal Center is the official animal shelter for Knox County and the City of Knoxville. The center is a nonprofit organization, community-supported through public and private donations, that turns no animal away and is dedicated to the sheltering and placement of animals, general animal welfare, and public education of companion animal issues.
Young-Williams Animal Center is located off Sutherland Avenue at the entrance to John Tarleton Park at 3201 Division St. Young-Williams Animal Village is located at 6400 Kingston Pike adjacent to Deane Hill Drive. Both locations are open seven days a week from noon-6 p.m.
For more information about Young-Williams Animal Center, including detailed driving directions, call 865-215-6599 or visit www.young-williams.org.
About the Petco Foundation
At the Petco Foundation, we believe that every animal deserves to live its best life. Since 1999, we’ve invested more than $170 million in lifesaving animal welfare work to make that happen. With our more than 4,000 animal welfare partners, we inspire and empower communities to make a difference by investing in adoption and medical care programs, spay and neuter services, pet cancer research, service and therapy animals, and numerous other lifesaving initiatives. Through our Think Adoption First program, we partner with Petco stores and animal welfare organizations across the country to increase pet adoptions. So far, we’ve helped more than 5 million pets find their new loving families, and we’re just getting started. Visit petcofoundation.org to learn more about how you can get involved.
For more information about the Petco Foundation, visit www.petcofoundation.org. Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or by using the hashtag #PetcoFoundation.
