BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
PAINTSVILLE — A $500 grant from national nonprofit Petco Love will help Animal Alliance of East Kentucky expand access to affordable veterinary care for pets in Martin, Johnson, Floyd and Magoffin counties.
The investment will support the volunteer-driven organization’s spay and neuter efforts, which primarily serve low-income residents who otherwise might not be able to afford the surgeries.
For Animal Alliance of East Kentucky Vice President Cassie Picklesimer, each procedure has an impact beyond controlling the pet population.
“Every spay and neuter surgery represents a healthier pet and one more family receiving the support they need to care for their pet,” Picklesimer said. “Petco Love’s investment is more than financial assistance — it is an investment in the well-being of our communities across Eastern Kentucky.”
Animal Alliance has provided spay and neuter services in the four-county area since 2017. The organization reports that it has helped more than 2,500 pets, averaging about 270 animals per year.
Its work focuses on reducing pet overpopulation while helping families keep their animals healthy and at home.
Picklesimer said the Petco Love partnership will help the organization “expand access to affordable veterinary care, reduce pet overpopulation, and improve the lives of both pets and the people who love them.”
“We are deeply grateful for Petco Love’s commitment to helping us create lasting change where it is needed most,” she said.
The $500 award is part of more than $1.2 million Petco Love recently announced for nearly 200 spay-neuter clinics and other low-cost veterinary care providers across the country. The grants are intended to increase access to veterinary services and help prevent pets from being surrendered to shelters or euthanized because their families cannot afford needed treatment.
“Petco Love knows pets are family, and we strive to take care of them the best we can, though the reality is not everyone has equal access to veterinary care as many pet parents face difficult financial times,” Petco Love President Chelsea Staley said. “That’s why we are proud to support our partner animal welfare organizations in providing helpful services in their communities so that we can keep pets and their families together.”
Petco Love, founded in 1999, reports investing nearly $441 million in adoption and other animal welfare efforts and working with more than 4,000 animal welfare organizations across North America. The nonprofit says those partnerships have helped more than 7.1 million pets find homes.
The organization also operates its Vaccinated and Loved campaign, which reached four million free vaccines for family pets in February. Launched in 2021, the program works with animal welfare partners to hold free vaccine clinics.
Animal Alliance of East Kentucky also promotes humane treatment and responsible pet ownership, working with rescue partners throughout the region. The nonprofit raises additional money through its annual Woofstock music event, which draws more than 125 attendees and features local musicians, dinner, an auction and raffles to support its work.
Learn more at aaeky.org and petcolove.org.