Kittens Share Top Christmas Wish With Santa: A Home Of Their Own – Patch.com

With the help of this grant, the organization will be able to sterilize, vaccinate and microchip dogs and cats to support its efforts to help the homeless pets find homes.

Each year, hundreds of thousands of homeless and stray animals are put to sleep simply because there's no room in shelters to house them and no families willing to adopt them.

The St. Francis Society, named for St. Francis of Assisi, the Catholic saint known for his kindness to animals, finds homes for nearly 2,000 cats and kittens found living outside in often horrific conditions.

"This funding from PetSmart Charities will enable us to make a huge difference in the lives of Tampa homeless pets. With it, we will be able to provide veterinary care, vaccines and microchips so that 1,000 cats and kittens may find their forever homes. We are so proud to partner with PetSmart Charities." said Lisa Knight, president of the St. Francis Society.

"Adopting a pet is a big decision," said Heidi Fulcher, senior adoptions grant manager at PetSmart Charities. "It's ideal for a pet to be given preventative health measures, removing a few less tasks to manage during the transition. We're proud to partner with St. Francis Society to support their noble and compassionate work."

Established in 1997, St. Francis Society Animal Rescue is an all-volunteer, 501-c3 animal rescue organization dedicated to saving the lives of sick, injured and stray domestic animals as well as spaying/neutering and providing medical services for those animals.

Each year, nearly half of the animals the nonprofit rescues are saved from euthanasia. Additionally, each year, St. Francis Society volunteers trap, neuter, vaccinate and return feral cats to their colonies in Tampa.

Humane organizations around the country consider this a humane way of dealing with feral cat populations without euthanasia. Once the cats no longer have the ability to reproduce, eventually the colonies disappear.

St. Francis is just one of the many nonprofits supported by PetSmart Charities.

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Kittens Share Top Christmas Wish With Santa: A Home Of Their Own - Patch.com