Animal Welfare League of Kosciusko County recently received a $75,000 grant from the Kosciusko Community Foundation.
The grant has two purposes. Forty thousand dollars of the grant money will help with the shelter's operating expenses, and the remaining funds will be used to aid in the prevention of animal cruelty, specifically in relation to the operation of "puppy mills."According to the Humane Society of the United States, puppy mills are defined as breeding facilities that produce purebred puppies in large numbers. Puppy mills are of concern to those interested in the welfare of animals due to a myriad of potential problems, including overbreeding, inbreeding, minimal veterinary care, poor quality of food and shelter, lack of human socialization, overcrowded cages and the killing of unwanted animals.
The foundation donor who established the advised fund from which this grant was made wants to make a positive impact in the lives and well-being of animals in Kosciusko County, and has a special interest in the elimination of puppy mills.
AWL will allocate the operating portion of the grant for animal care, including equipment, medicine, spay and neuter programs, staff education, improvement of rescue-by-breed efforts and community education.
The funding allocated toward the elimination of puppy mills will be used by AWL to research local breeding facilities, review puppy mill legislation and propose action needed to inspect area breeding facilities to ensure animal safety while preventing cruelty. In addition, the grant will be used to fund countywide education about the condition of animals that are bred, bought or sold through puppy mill; and the issues surrounding impact on taxpayers.
"This funding from the Kosciusko County Community Foundation was given by a most generous donor," said AWL Manager Trish Brown. "We are grateful as this gift enables the Animal Welfare League of Kosciusko County to address animal cruelty. The funding also allows us to provide countywide education about the importance of spaying and neutering animals. Making spaying and neutering readily available to all is the only way we can eliminate animal overpopulation on a local level."
