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AVMF gives $10,000 to Nebraska VMA for flood relief

The American Veterinary Medical Foundation issued a $10,000 grant to the Nebraska VMA to assist veterinarians and others who provided care for animals affected by the historic flooding in March in the Midwest.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a major disaster declaration was issued March 21 for a severe winter storm, straight-line winds, and flooding in Nebraska. About 5,500 applicants in designated counties had applied for individual assistance from FEMA as of May 5, according to the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, with FEMA approving nearly $19 million for housing assistance and more than $2 million for other disaster-related needs. As of May 3, the Small Business Administration had approved low-interest disaster loans totaling $23.7 million for homeowners and renters and $3.2 million for businesses and nonprofits.

The AVMF offers disaster reimbursement grants for veterinary care of up to $5,000 and disaster relief grants for veterinarians and veterinary students of up to $2,000. Applications must be received no more than nine months following a disaster. Details are at the AVMF website.

PetSmart Charities offering grants to improve access to care

PetSmart Charities invites letters of intent between July 1 and Aug. 1 from potential applicants for grants to improve access to veterinary care. For applicants whose letter of intent is accepted, the grant application period is Aug. 7-28.

The grants will support programs that increase health opportunities for under-resourced pets and their people by facilitating the delivery of accessible basic veterinary care. Under-resourced pets are pets with owners whose cultural, demographic, geographic, or economic characteristics impede or prevent access to affordable veterinary services. For the purposes of the grants, basic veterinary care comprises spay and neuter, basic wellness, vaccinations, dental care, heartworm treatment and prevention, flea and tick treatment and prevention, and basic medical procedures.

Potential grant applicants should address one or more of the following aspects of their programs in their letter of intent:

  • Focus—Programs that have a primary focus on providing basic veterinary care.
  • Community—Programs that have elements of community focus and engagement.
  • Scalability—Programs that have scalability within the organization's community or nationally.
  • Sustainability—Programs that have other funding sources and long-term sustainability.
  • Data collection—Programs that are unique and innovative, have strong data collection, and can build an example for other organizations.
  • Partnerships and collaboration—Programs that involve collaborative partnerships with other community or for-profit organizations.

Get information about grants from PetSmart Charities. Potential grant applicants may submit a letter of intent through CyberGrants.

Shelter pets named state pet of Ohio

Ohio has named "shelter pets" as the state pet.

The legislation went into effect March 20. The special designation is part of a larger effort to raise public awareness of animals in shelters and of the many shelters throughout Ohio.

Colorado, California, Georgia, Illinois, and Tennessee have already designated shelter pets as their state pet, and Texas and Oregon are considering similar measures, according to the Humane Society of the United States.

Last year, Ohio passed a law cracking down on puppy mills. It limits the number of litters a female dog can produce in a lifetime to eight, bans stacking dogs in cages and the use of wire flooring, and requires exercise and socialization daily as well as annual veterinary examinations.

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