DoSomething.org & the ASPCA Honor Amazing Young Animal Welfare Activists

Download release DOSOMETHING.ORG & THE ASPCA HONOR AMAZING YOUNG ANIMAL WELFARE ACTIVISTS Six Outstanding Teens Named DoSomething.org and ASPCA ‘Animal Action’ Grant Winners, Furthering their Efforts to Promote Animal Welfare Nationwide

New York, NY (JUNE 29, 2010) –

DoSomething.org and the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced the winners of their ‘Animal Action’ Grants, which encouraged teens nationwide to submit their project or program focused on promoting animal welfare in their local communities. These grants will help fund the winners’ efforts to decrease animal intake and increase live release rates at local animal shelters. This is the second year that DoSomething.org and the ASPCA have collaborated to fund projects led by young people.

Teens from all over submitted their animal welfare projects between April 1 and May 15. Two grand prize winners were selected to receive $1000 for the projects, with four additional teens being awarded $500 to continue their efforts.

In the month of June, Do Something and the ASPCA are searching for new ideas to return lost pets to safe and happy homes. They will provide $500 grants to power the top 2 ideas submitted by young people! Submit your ideas at www.dosomething.org/lost-and-found.

“Animal Welfare is one of the top causes teens today care about,” said DoSomething.org’s Melanie Stevenson, “We are thrilled to provide the funds they need to take action on their passion!”

“It’s inspiring to see teens and young adults not only concerned about animals, but willing to put their good thinking and valuable time into solving problems. It was difficult to select just six grant winners from so many great projects that are making a difference for animals and for communities!” said Bert Troughton, Vice President of Community Outreach for the ASPCA.

Every year, four to six million animals wind up in shelters as strays or surrendered pets in need of new homes. While communities and shelters are making significant advances, sadly as many as 60 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats are still euthanized in far too many shelters nationwide. Support from community members is crucial in order for shelters to save the lives of dogs and cats in their care.

ASPCA ‘ANIMAL ACTION’ GRANT WINNERS Grand Prize $1,000 Winners Anna McCarthy, 15 – Bradenton, Fla. Bones for Homes Anna created Bones for Homes to raise awareness about the importance of adopting pets and volunteering at local animal shelters. Kids like her can become Bones for Homes Ambassadors and bake dog treats to be sold at community events, fundraisers, and local pet stores. By using social media and volunteer boards, she hopes to expand Bones for Homes across the nation. Anna will use her grant money to provide starter-kits for new Ambassadors. Each kit will include three cookie cutters, pre-printed Bones for Homes Biscuit Bags, and recipe cards. Adin Lykken, 18 - Wheaton, Ill. Woofin & Hoofin When Adin learned that 76% of animal abuse cases are pet-related, he decided to take action against animal cruelty in homes. To raise awareness about the prevalence of the issue, Adin began the Woofin’& Hoofin’ 5K race and Doggie Dash, which consists of a one mile jog for pet owners and their dogs as well as a 5K street race. Woofin’ & Hoofin’ events raise critical funds for local animal shelters that go towards training supplies, subsidizing adoption funds, and providing for critical care. $500 Winners Katherine Stone, 16 - Fort Walton Beach, Fla. To address overcrowding in local shelters, Katherine is working with the Save our Cats and Kittens Shelter to provide a clean, comfortable, and weather-proof homes for felines in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. SOCKS is a free-roaming shelter that annually adopts around 400 cats and maintains a population of about 125 cats. By renovating the shelter, Katherine will be able to provide more space for new cats and increase the likeliness of adoption. Katherine’s grant will go directly to purchasing supplies for renovation. Mackenzie Konves, 14 - Chandler, Ariz. Mackenzie is working to improve the lives of animals at her local shelter. To foster relationships between potential owners and animals in the shelters, Mackenzie created treat bags to spark bonding in hopes of increasing adoption rates. Additionally, she helps improve living conditions by distributing pet beds. With her grant money, Mackenzie will be able to provide over fifty animals with beds and treat bags. Dustin Fletcher, 16 - Camillus, N.Y. Maxman Reptile Rescue Dustin works at his local Reptile Rescue center, where he ensures that the reptiles get enough sun because much of their health is based on sun exposure. By creating and refurbishing outdoors enclosures, the reptiles will get their UVA/UVB rays and fresh air, and electricity consumption of the center will be reduced. Dustin’s grant money will go directly to purchasing supplies for refurbishing and building new structures. Natasha Schlieve, 18 - Eau Claire, Wis. The Pet MicroChip Campaign In 2009, 349 animals were brought into Natasha’s local animal shelter, but only 161 pets were claimed by their owners because of the lack of proper pet identification. This inspired Natasha to create the Pet Microchip Campaign, which works to increase identification for pets with both microchips and traditional tags. Natasha increases awareness of the importance of animal identification by distributing fliers at local veterinary clinics, schools, and community centers. Natasha will use her grant money to produce fliers and provide tags at discounted prices.

Each DoSomething.org and ASPCA ‘Animal Action’ Grant winner will receive both the funds and internal resources from Do Something to help their program grow. For more information about the Do Something Grants, go to www.dosomething.org/grants.

About DoSomething.org DoSomething.org is one of the largest organizations in the US that helps young people rock causes they care about. A driving force in creating a culture of volunteerism, DoSomething.org is on track to activate two million young people in 2011. By leveraging the web, television, mobile, and pop culture, DoSomething.org inspires, empowers and celebrates a generation of doers: teenagers who recognize the need to do something, believe in their ability to get it done, and then take action. Plug in at www.DoSomething.org. About the ASPCA® Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is the first humane organization established in the Americas and serves as the nation’s leading voice for animal welfare. One million supporters strong, the ASPCA’s mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. As a 501 [c] [3] not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA is a national leader in the areas of anti-cruelty, community outreach and animal health services. The ASPCA, which is headquartered in New York City, offers a wide range of programs, including a mobile clinic outreach initiative, its own humane law enforcement team, and a groundbreaking veterinary forensics team and mobile animal CSI unit. For more information, please visit www.aspca.org.