Southern Pines Animal Shelter (Miss.) Wins Division Three of 2014 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge

NEW YORK—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced that Southern Pines Animal Shelter in Hattiesburg, Miss. has won Division Three of the 2014 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge. They found homes for 1,255 pets during the three-month competition; an increase of 551 lives saved over the same period last year, and was awarded a total of $50,000 in grant funding from the ASPCA and Rachael Ray today in one of several celebration events throughout the nation.

The 50 contestants worked to save more animals during the months of June, July and August 2014 than they did over the same three-month period in 2013.  This year’s competing shelters saved a total of 68,805 cats and dogs during the contest, an increase of 16,789 over the same period in 2013. Over the five years of the $100K Challenge – held annually since 2010 – contestants saved a total of 282,679  cats and dogs, an increase of nearly 60,000 lives.

“Southern Pines Animal Shelter took what they learned from competing five years ago and have been steadily improving everything they can do for animals and their community,” said Bert Troughton, vice president of strategic initiatives for the ASPCA. “Saving 1,255 lives this summer – a 78 percent increase over last summer – is proof positive of the heart and tenacity of the shelter staff and volunteers.”

In addition to Southern Pines Animal Shelter, contestants in Division Three (those with an annual intake of 4,001-7,000 animals) for the 2014 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge were:

• Alachua County Animal Services in Gainesville, Fla.
• Everett Animal Shelter in Everett, Wash.
• Gwinnett County Animal Welfare & Enforcement in Lawrenceville, Ga.
• Oakland County Animal Control & Pet Adoption Center in Auburn Hills, Mich.
• Shelby Humane Society in Columbiana, Ala.
• Spartanburg Humane Society in Spartanburg, S.C.
• SpokAnimal C.A.R.E. in Spokane, Wash.
• The Humane Society of Washington County, Inc. in Hagerstown, Md.
• Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter in Georgetown, Texas

The ASPCA and Rachael Ray today awarded a $100,000 grand prize to Central California SPCA of Fresno, Calif., the shelter contestant that achieved the greatest increase in lives saved during this three-month period. Kansas City Pet Project in Kansas City, Mo., which did the best job of engaging its community members in helping to save more animals, was awarded $25,000. The organizations that did the best in their divisions were awarded $25,000 in grants. In total, $550,000 in grant funding is awarded to competing shelters in the competition for increases in animal lives saved, as well as a photo contest and general participation.

All her life, Rachael Ray has been an advocate for animals and a supporter of animal welfare groups. Her love for animals and for her pit bull, Isaboo, inspired her to create a pet food called Nutrish® to raise money for animals in need.  Ray donates her proceeds from the sale of Nutrish® to organizations like the ASPCA so they can implement programs like the $100K Challenge and support shelters and animal organizations around the country.

The ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge is a groundbreaking contest that challenges animal shelters across the country to come up with innovative ways to engage their communities and get more homeless cats and dogs into loving homes. For information about the 2014 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge, please visit www.aspca.org/100K.