PetSmart Charities of Canada Celebrates 150 Years of Canada's Confederation With $150,000 for New Canada 150 Commemorative Grants

BURLINGTON, ON--(Marketwired - April 10, 2017) - In celebration of Canada's 150^th anniversary of Confederation, PetSmart Charities of Canada is inviting registered charities and animal welfare groups from coast to coast to apply for $150,000 in new funding support. The Canada 150 Commemorative Grants from the leading animal welfare funder were announced yesterday at the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies' Annual Animal Welfare Conference, taking place April 8 - 11, 2017 in the nation's capital.

"There was no better place for us to announce this new grant opportunity than at the CFHS conference where hundreds of Canada's leading animal welfare organizations are gathered. And there is no better way for us to celebrate Canada's 150^th anniversary than by granting even more funds to ensure that, together, we'll be saving the lives of pets and enhancing the bond between people and pets for another 150 years to come," said Dr. David Haworth, DVM, Ph.D., and president of PetSmart Charities of Canada.

PetSmart Charities of Canada has a long history of helping pets in need across the country. Since 1999, the organization has granted nearly $12 million to: fund adoption events that help to end pet homelessness; subsidize spay and neuter procedures to prevent unplanned litters and help control pet over-population; provide emergency relief for pets and pet parents during natural disasters like the Fort McMurray wildfires; support animal-assisted therapy programs at local hospitals and so much more.

About the Canada 150 Commemorative Grants, John DeFranco, President of PetSmart Canada and Chair of the Board at PetSmart Charities of Canada says, "We're thrilled to be making ten grants of $15,000 each, one for each province across Canada, for a total of $150,000 to help pets from coast to coast." The grants are available to registered charities and animal welfare organizations for any project aligned with PetSmart Charities' newly expanded mission: to find lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together.

The application window is open from April 9 - May 9, 2017 and grantees will be notified in mid-June, in advance of Canada Day. PetSmart Charities of Canada aims to disperse these grants evenly across the 10 provinces. The Canada 150 Commemorative Grants from PetSmart Charities of Canada are part of the estimated $2 million the organization will grant in 2017. To apply online for the Canada 150 Commemorative Grants from PetSmart Charities of Canada, please visit www.petsmartcharities.ca/pro/canada-150-commemorative-grants.

About PetSmart Charities of Canada:
PetSmart Charities of Canada is a registered Canadian charity with a mission to find lifelong, loving homes for all pets by supporting programs and thought leadership that bring people and pets together. In addition to finding homes for more than 25,000 shelter pets each year through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart stores, PetSmart Charities of Canada provides funding to registered charities aligned with its mission through four key areas of grant support: Preventing Pet Homelessness; Helping Shelter Pets Thrive; Supporting the Bond Between People and Pets; and Emergency Relief and Disaster Support. Each year, millions of generous PetSmart shoppers help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities of Canada using the pin pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses 89 cents of every dollar donated and has become a leading funder of animal welfare in Canada, donating nearly $12 million to date. PetSmart Charities of Canada is a member of Imagine Canada, and a registered Canadian charity independent from PetSmart, Inc. To learn more, visit www.petsmartcharities.ca.

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