Cincinnati Animal CARE Partnership with Bissell Pet Foundation Expands to Assist Hurricane Relief Efforts
Cincy CARE receiving 80+ Cats/Kittens through BPF transport, launches BPF Empty the Shelters National Adoption Event, announces the 1000th BPF sterilization procedure
Cincinnati, OH, Friday, October 4, 2024— Cincinnati Animal CARE, Hamilton County’s only open-intake shelter, in partnership with BISSELL Pet Foundation, have stepped up in response to a national call for lifesaving solutions to assist in the relief efforts for Hurricane Helene’s hardest hit areas by providing space for 83 cats and kittens to be transported from Tift County Animal Control, in Tift County, Georgia, scheduled to arrive at the Hamilton County shelter and resource center Saturday morning.
“Some of these areas still do not have working electricity or running water, and the influx of hundreds of animals at Tift County Animal Control has overwhelmed the existing system, prompting this important call to action from Bissell Pet Foundation,” said Meaghan Colville, Cincy CARE Shelter Director. “All hands are on deck for this effort, and our dedicated team stepped up and sprung into action to create a plan to receive the animals this weekend. With our community here in Hamilton County, we will work to find fosters and adopters.”
The felines are arriving from Tift County to Cincy CARE on Saturday morning, and will remain onsite in isolated housing at our Dane Avenue facility until medically assessed by our staff veterinarian on Monday morning. They will be issued certificates of health, have medical records assessed, and be provided necessary medical care. Though Cincy CARE has worked to prepare temporary housing for the cats and kittens, they have also requested support from additional rescues and shelters in the area to provide care solutions. Cincy CARE encourages those interested in becoming a foster to apply online. Donations of dry cat food, wet kitten food, cat litter, small cat toys, and training pads are greatly needed. Donations can be dropped off at the shelter between 1-6pm any day of the week, or be made online via their Amazon Wishlist at amzn.to/3XQfUQp.
In addition to this transport effort, on October 1st, Cincy CARE launched another edition of Empty the Shelters, the largest funded adoption event in the country, in partnership with Bissell Pet Foundation. Through October 15th, all animals over the age of six months are $15, with the standard adoption fees supplemented by BPF. More than 283,000 pets have found loving homes since its inception by BPF in 2016. Empty the Shelters partners with 742 animal welfare organizations in 49 states and Canada to reduce adoption fees.
The partnership with BPF further exceeds both the Empty the Shelters program and transport effort, as the organization also works with the foundation to host High Volume Surgery days in conjunction with Cincy CARE’s medical team and a provided veterinarian. This coming Tuesday, after her twentieth patient, Dr. Darsha Arnold will have completed her 1000th sterilization procedure at Cincy CARE this year. This effort has been an immensely important partnership with the organization for the local community, promoting a healthy and sustainable population of dogs and community cats.
BISSELL Pet Foundation and Cincy CARE urge members of the community to support and get involved in fostering, adopting, and donating to support animal welfare.. For more information on adopting or donating to Empty the Shelters, visit www.
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About BISSELL Pet Foundation:
BISSELL Pet Foundation is a charitable 501©(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to help reduce the number of animals in shelters through pet adoption, spay/neuter programs, vaccinations, microchipping, and emergency support. Founded in 2011 by Cathy Bissell, BPF is an extension of her long-standing love for animals and commitment to their welfare. BPF has since partnered with more than 6,000 shelters and rescues across the U.S. and Canada to help pets find loving homes. The foundation is supported by generous donors and BISSELL Inc. where every purchase saves pets. To learn more, visit www.bissellpetfoundation.org.
About Cincinnati Animal CARE
Cincinnati Animal CARE is Hamilton County’s ONLY open-intake animal shelter and a young, rapidly growing entity focused on expanding our lifesaving mission as a “shelter of the future” in our community. Through our dedicated, individualized care for the thousands of animals that come through the shelter annually, CARE works to maintain operations as a no-kill shelter, with a live release rate of more than 90%.
With our robust foster program and volunteer force, dedicated care from our experienced teams, community outreach, education initiatives, and partnerships with national organizations composed of other like-minded, industry professionals, we can further the mission of bettering the lives of companion animals and the system as a whole.
We do things differently because we CARE.
To learn more about Cincinnati Animal CARE visit Cincinnatianimalcare.org.
Media Contacts:
Brittany Schlacter | Marketing & PR Specialist at BISSELL Pet Foundation| brittany.schlacter@bissell.com | 616.600.9470
Lisa Colina | Senior Communications Manager | L.colina@cincycare.org 513.541.7387
