(PRESS RELEASE) LOS ANGELES – Michelson Found Animals Foundation, a nonprofit social enterprise that champions pets at every point they intersect with our society, is joining 20 national organizations to launch #SpayTogether, a stimulus fund to help animal shelters and veterinary clinics perform 50,000 lifesaving spay/neuter surgeries in underserved areas.
Through the program, Michelson Found Animals, which launched Found.org, the first free microchip registry, will provide free microchips, a critical element in ensuring lost pets are returned home.
“Covid-19 has upended families and changed life patterns, which can lead to pets getting lost,” said Brett Yates, Michelson Found Animals Foundation chief operating officer. “However, this crisis has also demonstrated just how important pets are to us. Helping pets stay with their families is fundamental, and through this program we will provide crucial protection to tens of thousands of pets in the event they get lost.”
The pandemic has forced communities to temporarily suspend non-emergency veterinary services such as spay/neuter surgeries. As states begin to reopen the economy, animal shelters and veterinary clinics in every state have backlogs of unaltered shelter pets, community cats and owned animals. Additionally, more people than ever before have adopted pets during this crisis – at a time with limited access to routine pet care, like microchips. Michelson Found Animal’s donation will help to cover that gap.
The #SpayTogether initiative will provide surgical subsidy support grants to animal shelters and veterinary clinics nationwide. Additionally, the coalition has identified 8 key states of focus that have substantial need due to veterinary shortages and/or large amounts of unaltered animals: Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, California, Texas, Nevada, Oklahoma and Florida. Expert veterinary support teams will provide on-site support, as needed, in these states.
“One in four pets will get lost during their lifetime and having a registered microchip with up-to-date contact information is vital to reunite them with their family,” Yates added.
Pet owners can log on to found.org and register their pet’s microchip for free, so that they can be contacted if their lost pet is found. Additional resources are available for pet professionals here.