Sandoval County Animal Shelter Receives $5,000 PetSmart Charities Grant for Medical Fund

Sandoval County Animal Care Services secured a $5,000 grant from PetSmart Charities on March 16 to bolster the shelter's existing medical fund, covering procedures that make animals eligible for adoption, including spay/neuter surgeries, microchipping, and vaccinations.

The grant supplements a medical fund that pays for necessary care before animals are placed in homes, according to a county release. Animals receive microchip and spay/neuter procedures prior to placement, the release states.

Community Services Director Jayme Espinoza noted that Animal Care Services already participates in PetSmart In-store Adoption events, deepening a relationship between the county and the retailer's charitable arm. "This partnership between PetSmart local stores and the County's Animal Care Services creates the opportunity to showcase pets in need of their furever homes and also highlights how the County cares for abandoned pets and helps pet owners," the release reads.

Kimberly Jaramillo, assistant director of Animal Services, said the in-store adoption events "have positive outcomes and are also a good socializing environment for the animals in the county's care."

The grant comes from an organization with a substantial footprint in animal welfare funding. PetSmart Charities describes itself as the leading funder of animal welfare in communities across North America for more than 30 years, having granted over $600 million to animal welfare organizations since 1994.

For Sandoval County's shelter in Bernalillo, the $5,000 adds a direct financial cushion for the medical work that moves animals from intake to adoption floor.