The Guilford County Board of Commissioners often has some very tough choices to make.
However, at the board’s Thursday, Feb. 4 meeting, the commissioners will have at least one very easy item on their agenda. That night, the board must decide whether or not to vote to accept a grant of $50,000 for the Guilford County Animal Services Department and amend the county’s budget accordingly.
The large grant to the department is from Maddie’s Fund – a nationally known animal welfare and advocacy foundation that has helped the county out financially on past projects.
In this case, the grant will be used to boost the county’s community outreach services. While many people are aware that Animal Services runs the animal shelter on Wendover Avenue, shelter staff also go out into the community for things like pop-up adoption events and to hold informational campaigns about the importance of spaying and neutering pets.
Maddie’s Fund is a California-based family foundation established in 1994 by a husband and wife team after the death of their inspirational dog, Maddie.
In its quarter-century of existence, Maddie’s Fund has awarded about $250 million in grants for saving animals’ lives and making those lives better.
Maddie’s Fund also invests resources in programs that help keep pets and people together and that create “a safety net of care for animals in need.”
The shelter has had some other good fortune lately as well. While pandemics aren’t good for humankind, it turns out they are very good for dogkind and catkind. In 2020, with many people stuck at home, many, many people headed down to the shelter to adopt a pet to help battle the boredom.
Finally, a bit of good news. TUVM.
Hear, here!