Young-Williams Animal Center received a $500,000 check from the Petco Foundation during a presentation Monday at the Bearden Petco location.
Dr. Lisa Chassy, the director of public spay-neuter programs at Young-Williams, said that the money would be used for a variety of efforts.
"It’s half a million dollars over two years," Chassy said. "Our focus is going to be mostly to reduce some of the shelter intake through some initiatives in the community and also to improve some of the enrichments that we can offer the animals at the shelter."
A portion of the grant will go towards renovations to their cat room where cats awaiting adoption stay, according to Young-Williams.
The animal center applied for the grant from the Petco Foundation, Petco's charitable branch that donates to shelters nationwide.
"When they ask you to give some money at the end of your transaction, this is where the money goes--directly to grants like this in our community," Chassy said.
Chassy said that receiving the grant was a testimony to Young-Williams' work in the community.
"It’s a great moral booster to know that the Foundation puts that much trust in our organization to know that we’re going to really do some great things," she said.
For more information about Young-Williams Animal Center or the Petco Foundation, visit www.youngwilliams.org or www.petcofoundation.org.