Two Central California Shelters Take 1st and 2nd Place in 2014 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge

NEW YORK—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced that two shelters in Central California have finished in first and second place in the nation in the 2014 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge. Central California SPCA in Fresno, Calif. has won the $100,000 grand prize, as they found homes for 2,640 pets during the three-month competition; an increase of 1,612 lives saved over the same period last year. City of Stockton Animal Services in Stockton, Calif. finished second in the nation overall, winning $30,000 for finding homes for 2,516 pets during the three-month competition, an increase of 1,533 lives saved over the same period last year. The ASPCA and Rachael Ray today awarded $550,000 in grant prizes overall and held several celebration events throughout the nation.

The 50 animal shelter contestants in the 2014 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge 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 lives, an increase of nearly 60,000.

“We couldn’t be more encouraged to see the hard work of these two agencies, along with that of the San Francisco SPCA who partners with City of Stockton, resulting in such a huge turn-around in life-saving for animals in the Central Valley,” said Bert Troughton, vice president of strategic initiatives for the ASPCA. “Thanks to their staff and volunteers – as well as those at the other four California shelters who competed this year – nearly ten thousand cats and dogs in California alone found new families this summer.”

In addition to awarding the more than $150,000 to California shelter contestants, the ASPCA and Rachael Ray today awarded the $25,000 Community Engagement Award to Kansas City Pet Project in Kansas City, Mo. and $25,000 grants to four organizations that increased lives saved by the most in their Divisions. In total, $550,000 in grant funding was 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.