DoSomething.org and the ASPCA want to support you and your efforts to promote animal welfare. Meet our outstanding Animal Action Grant Winners!

$1,000 Winners

Anna McCarthy, 15

Bones for Homes
There are many young people all across the country who love animals and want to volunteer at shelters, but what can you do when you’re not yet sixteen years old? Anna has created a solution for young people who love animals just like her! Anna created Bones for Homes to raise awareness of the importance of adopting pets and volunteering at local animal shelters. Kids like her apply to become Bones for Homes Ambassadors and bake dog treats which they sell at community events, fundraisers, and local pet stores. By using social media and volunteer boards throughout to spread her reach across the country, she hopes to expand the Bones for Homes Ambassadors across the US. Anna will use her grant money to provide starter-kits for new Ambassadors. Each Kit will include: 3 cookie cutters; pre-printed Bones for Homes Biscuit Bags; and recipe cards.

Adin Lykken, 18

Woofin' & Hoofin' 5K Race and Doggie Dash
When Adin learned that 76% of animal abuse cases are pet-related he decided to take action and prevent animal cruelty in homes and raise awareness to the prevalence of the issue. To raise awareness, Adin began Woofin’& Hoofin’ 5K race and Doggie Dash, consisting of a one mile jog for pet owners in and their dogs along with a classic 5K street race. Woofin’ & Hoofin’ events are effective because they not only raise critical funds for local animal shelters that go towards subsidizing adoption funds, and providing for critical care, as well as training supplies; the events also are effective methods to raise awareness for the community of the importance of animal welfare.

$500 Winners

Katherine Stone, 16

Project SOCKS
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 home for these cuddly animals in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. SOCKS is a free-roaming cat shelter that annually adopts around 400 cats and kittens and maintains a population of about 125 cats. By renovating the shelter Katherine and her team of volunteers will be able to provide more space for new cats, and by creating a healthy environment for the cats it will increase the likeliness that they are adopted. Katherine’s grant will go directly to purchasing supplies for this remodeling.

Mackenzie Konves, 14

Comfy Cushions for Cats and Canines
Mackenzie is deeply committed to the well-being of animals and she is working to improve the lives of shelter animals at her local shelter in Arizona. To foster relationships between potential owners and animals in the animal shelters Mackenzie created treat bags to help them spark bonding, in hopes to help adoption rates. Additionally to help improve the lives of the animals while they are in the shelter she distributes pet beds to help the animals become more comfortable and stress-free throughout their stay at the shelter. With her grant money, Mackenzie will be able to provide over fifty animals with beds and treat bags.

Dustin Fletcher, 16

Reptile Rescue Center
Dustin is working at his local Reptile Rescue center where he is working to make sure that the reptiles have enough sun, because so much of their health is based on sun exposure. By refurbishing and creating new outdoors enclosures, the reptiles will not only get their UVA and UVB rays and fresh air, but the enclosure will also reduce the electricity consumption of the center, creating a healthier environment for the entire community. Dustin’s grant money will go directly to purchasing the supplies for refurbishing and building new structures.

Natasha Schlieve, 18

Pet Microchip and Tagging Campaign
In 2009, there were 349 animals brought into Natasha’s local animal shelter, and only 161 pets were claimed by owners. Proper pet identification is one of the best ways to decrease the time an animal spends in a given shelter, this inspired Natasha to create the Pet Microchip Campaign, working to increase the number of pets which have proper identification, both through microchips as well as traditional tags and collars. Natasha will increase the awareness of the importance of identification for animals by providing fliers at local veterinary clinics, at schools, and in community centers. Natasha will use her grant money for awareness materials, and also to provide tags and microchips at discounted prices at her local shelter.

Want to help animals like our grant winners? Check out our Lost and Found Campaign and submit your ideas to help lost animals get back home.