The Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center of Ventura County today announced that ithas been awarded a $30,000 grant from the Petco Foundation to support its “Teach theChildren” program.

S.P.A.R.C. is a nonprofit organization andthe first and only no-kill animalshelter serving Ventura County. Since 2012, S.P.A.R.C. has saved animals likethe cat with the broken pelvis or the dog with a broken leg. Severe illnesses like cancer are a sure deathsentence in most shelters, but at S.P.A.R.C., we do everything in our power to give each animal a secondchance and a forever home. S.P.A.R.C. has an incredible99.5 percent save rate, which is the highest in Ventura County.

The Petco Foundation investment will help to expand our community outreach through specific trainingand education, which will allow S.P.A.R.C. to significantly increase the number of animals who find their “forever homes;” decrease the number of abused, injured and abandoned animals; help identify and find solutions
to keeping a companion animal in its home; and continue to build a community- based infrastructure whichwill translate to any community and help to end the unnecessary deaths of nearly four million animals each year.

The Petco Foundation has served as a voice for companion animals across the country since 1999.Today, with more than 8,000 local animals welfare partners across the country, the Petco Foundationdonates approximately $15 million a year to make a difference in the lives of millions of animals. Theorganization is funded through donations raised during fundraisers conducted in Petco’s more than 1,300 stores across the country, as well as from Petco associates, vendors and corporate contributions. Moneyraised helps fund animal welfare organization, spay and neuter efforts, animal-assisted therapy programs, and humane education. The majority of the funds raised remain in the communities where they wereraised, as well as animal welfare efforts nationwide.

For more information about Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center or the Petco Foundation, visitwww.santapaulaarc.org or www.petcofoundation.org. Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter andInstagram or by using the hashtag #PetcoFoundation.

S.P.A.R.C. is a private, non-profit organization and is the first and only no-kill animal shelter in Ventura County. SPARC is a place where homeless animals are brought for humane care without risk of being killed due to lack of space, illness or injury. S.P.A.R.C. relies solely on private donations.

About the Petco Foundation
At the Petco Foundation,we believe that every animal deserves to live its best life. Since1999, the Petco Foundation has invested more than $125 million in life saving animal welfare work to make that happen. With our more than 8,000 animal welfare partners, we inspire and empower communities to make a difference by investing in adoption and medical care programs, spay/neuter services, pet cancer research, service and therapy animals, and numerous other life saving initiatives. Through our “Think Adoption First” program, we partner with Petco stores and animal welfare organizations across the country to increase pet adoptions. Visit petcofoundation.org to learn more about how you can get involved.