ASPCA Grants Nearly $30,000 to Further Advance Anti-Cruelty Initiatives

NEW YORK--The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced it will provide three animal welfare and law enforcement agencies with nearly $30,000 in grant funding to further advance their anti-cruelty initiative programs and enhance the quality of animal cruelty investigations in their communities.

The following grant recipients received funding for the related items:

• Tulsa SPCA in Tulsa, Okla.: $10,000 to fund its animal cruelty investigator position and allow for additional training on cruelty investigations and response;
• Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control in Fort Wayne, Ind.: $8,000 to purchase forensic crime scene equipment and supplies that will enhance the quality of its animal cruelty investigations;
• Union County Humane Society in Marysville, Ohio: $5,000 to help fund its anti-cruelty response services and costs associated with sheltering animals seized from cruelty cases;
• Madison County Sheriff's Office in Wampsville, N.Y.: $4,400 to provide training for its newly created humane investigator position and purchase equipment to effectively conduct animal cruelty investigations; and
• Dane County Humane Society in Madison, Wis.: $2,000 to acquire safety equipment to humanely handle seized animals housed at its main shelter and the Four Lakes Wildlife Center.

"Through these grants, the ASPCA is able to empower agencies to investigate and bring justice for animal cruelty victims in their communities," said Allison Cardona, grants officer for the ASPCA's Field Investigations and Response team. "It's encouraging to see that more groups are recognizing the importance of addressing animal cruelty and allocating resources to further advance their capabilities in responding to incidents on a local level."

The funding will enable agencies to support their existing initiatives that tackle animal cruelty issues, as well as develop a partnership with the ASPCA Field Investigations and Response team to expand its anti-cruelty work across the country.

The ASPCA Field Investigations and Response team responds to natural disasters, including major events like the EF5 tornado in Joplin, Mo., and is commonly called upon by state and municipal governments and other animal welfare agencies to lend expertise during large-scale animal rescue operations. In addition to grant funding, the Field Investigations and Response team provides training, resources, and assistance to animal welfare and law enforcement professionals to increase capacity to respond to animal issues.