NEWPORT NEWS — On Tuesday, the Petco Foundation gave a $100,000 grant to the Peninsula Regional Animal Shelter for its foster care program.
“We’re just expanding it,” said Kim Lee, spokeswoman for the city. “We don’t have enough fosters in our foster care program.”
The program currently has 90 fosters and they need 1,000, Lee. The city does not have to match the grant.
The Peninsula Regional Animal Shelter is based in Newport News and also serves Hampton, Poquoson and York County.
Lee noted the shelter is considered “open admission” which means it takes all animals in. But sometimes this can cause space issues, which is where fosters or volunteers come in.
The fosters or volunteers provide one-on-one care for animals such as those with medical needs and “bottle babies” like young kittens.
How does the grant support lifesaving efforts?
“Sometimes animals have to be euthanized because of age, illness, aggressiveness and space issues,” Lee said. “This will help with space…reducing the frequency of resorting to [being euthanized].”
The grant will be used to hire a full-time person to run the foster care program. It’s unclear how much of the grant will be allocated to the person’s salary and indirect program related to the foster program such as training.
“We’re working through all of that now,” Lee said.
In April, the regional shelter received a $50,000 grant from the Petco Foundation and used the funds for an adoption bus to take the animals to community events.
RELATED STORY: Regional animal shelter gets $50K from Petco
For more information or to become a foster parents, visit the Peninsula Regional Animal Shelter’s website or call 757-933-8900. You can also follow the shelter’s Facebook page.
