Author: Karen

As we wrap up the joy-filled chapter of our Angel Tree Drive, we’re thrilled to share the incredible results and extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who made it a resounding success! 🌟🐾

Generosity Overflowing: $2365 and Counting!

Thanks to your overwhelming generosity, both online and in person, we raised an astounding $2365 in cash donations, gift cards, and online contributions! These funds are a lifeline for our Special Needs Fund, supporting crucial medicines, dental care, and spay/neuter surgeries for pet families in need. Your kindness is truly the gift that keeps on giving! ❤️

Gifts Galore: A Bounty of Love for Furry Friends!

The outpouring of love didn’t stop at financial support—our Angel Tree Drive received an abundance of heartwarming donations. From pet food, treats, and dental sticks to an array of toys, clothing, harnesses, collars, leads, muzzles, blankets, towels, dog beds, crates, flea medicines, and more, your contributions filled our hearts with gratitude. 🎁🐾

Distributing Joy: Making a Real Impact!

Our mission is to get these donations into the paws of those who need it most. We’re thrilled to share that much of the donated food has already found its way to homeless pet owners, ensuring both pets and their companions receive the nourishment and care they deserve. Your gifts are a beacon of hope for many families this holiday season! 🏡🐶

A Heartfelt Thank You to You—Our Incredible Supporters!

To each and every one of you who donated, shared, or supported our Angel Tree Drive in any way, you are the true heroes of this story. Your generosity has created a ripple effect of joy and warmth, reaching homes and hearts throughout our community. 🌟❤️

🎄🐾 And a Symphony of Thanks to Our Host Vet Clinics! 🎁✨

Our sincerest thanks to the vet clinics who opened their hearts and doors to host our Angel Trees. Your support will make a profound impact on the lives of pets and their families. 🌈❤️

*Country Animal Hospital

*Springhurst Animal Hospital

*St. Matthews Animal Clinic

*Seneca Animal Hospital

*Animal Hospital of the Highlands

*Doerr Animal Clinic

*Shelbyville Road Veterinary Clinic

*East Pointe Animal Hospital

*Jefferson Animal Hospital

As we bid farewell to 2023, let’s carry the spirit of giving into the new year, knowing that together, we’ve made a real difference in helping people keep thier Pets4life! 🐾🌈

With heartfelt thanks and warm wishes,

🐾🌟

In 2023, Pets4Life experienced an astounding surge in growth, serving a significantly larger number of pets compared to the prior year. The number of animals assisted more than doubled, skyrocketing by an impressive 113%! This exceptional expansion was made possible through innovative community initiatives like Community Pet Days and our Mission Partner Program, forging impactful new partnerships and extending our reach within the community.

We want to thank the following organizations for partnering with Pets4Life Louisville and supporting our mission: The Table, Olmsted Parks Conservancy, Louisville Metro Animal Shelter (LMAS), Louisville Parks & Recreation, My Dog Eats First (MDEF), Central High School’s Vet Science Program, Pet Wants – J-Town, 3rd Turn Brewing- J-town, Louisville Bats, Club K9 – J-Town, Feeder Supply, No Kill Louisville, KHS/SNIP Clinic, Alley Cats, PBSF (Pitbulls of St. Francis), Merck Animal Health, EM Dash Photography.

Also thank you to all of these 2023 vet clinic partners through our Angel Tree Program and our Mission Partner Program:

Country Animal Hospital

Hillside Animal Clinic

Animal Dermatology Hospital

*Springhurst Animal Hospital

*St. Matthews Animal Clinic

*Seneca Animal Hospital

*Animal Hospital of the Highlands

*Doerr Animal Clinic

*Shelbyville Road Veterinary Clinic

*East Pointe Animal Hospital

*Jefferson Animal Hospital

In addition, we are very grateful to the following groups for contributing to our mission through grants and financial support: VV Cooke Foundation, Heather Falmen & Keith Zirbel Fund, and Swope Family Foundation, Best Friends, plus many incredible individual donors which we will not name for privacy reasons.

2023 Highlights:

PET WELLNESS CLINICS: Once more, we collaborated with ‘The Table’ in the Portland area to host our comprehensive pet wellness clinics, surpassing mere basic vaccinations. These clinics extend a helping hand to the community by offering highly affordable veterinary examinations and services. Alongside essential preventative care like vaccines, dewormers, and flea medicines, we administered microchips and addressed prevalent health issues such as ear, skin, and eye infections. Moreover, each pet received several months’ worth of flea prevention, ensuring their continued well-being.

COMMUNITY VACCINE CLINICS: Teaming up with the Olmsted Parks Conservancy, we continuted our expansion into Chickasaw Park, aiming to connect with a broader spectrum of pet owners residing within our specified zip codes. These new clinics are not just about convenience—they’re a lifeline for our community. Offering vital services such as vaccines, dewormers, and microchipping, we’re ensuring accessibility to essential pet care at an incredibly low entrance fee, prioritizing the well-being of beloved pets in our target audience.

NEW! COMMUNITY PET DAYS: In 2023, we collaborated with Louisville Parks & Recreation to offer Community Pet Days across three vibrant centers in Louisville: Sun Valley, Beechmont, and Southwick. These Community Pet days served as hubs for essential pet care, delivering vaccines, dewormers, and microchipping at an incredibly accessible entrance fee. But it doesn’t stop there. These events were holistic gatherings where diverse pet organizations converged to offer a wealth of information and invaluable resources to enrich the lives of pet families in attendance.

LMAS SPAY/NEUTER VOUCHER PROGRAM: We sustained our collaboration with LMAS (Louisville Metro Animal Services) to support individuals seeking Spay/Neuter services. This essential program, fueled by a generous grant from Best Friends, plays a pivotal role in aiding pet owners within our designated zip codes. Through our Spay/Neuter Voucher program, we aim to curb unwanted births and significantly reduce the number of homeless pets within our community, contributing to a more compassionate and responsible pet ownership landscape.

Pet Treatment Services 2023 Summary:

Number of Pets Treated: 704 (592 dogs & 112 cats). Note: 113% increase over 2022

Rabies Vaccines: 573

Other Vaccines: 632 (106 FVRCP and 526 DAPP)

Microchips: 408

Dewormer: 613

Flea Treatments (multi-month):  237

Nail Trims: 198

Spay/Neuter Vouchers Distributed: 111

In 2023, Pets4Life achieved significant milestones through strategic partnerships and community-focused programs, providing vital pet services across Louisville. From comprehensive wellness clinics to Spay/Neuter initiatives, we prioritized accessible care, thanks to collaborations with local entities and support from grants. Our commitment remains unwavering as we look forward to an exciting 2024, where we plan to unveil new initiatives aimed at further assisting pet families. We’re dedicated to expanding our impact and continuing to enhance the lives of pets and their owners within our community!

On Saturday, December 16th, Pet Wants – J-town transformed into a hub of holiday cheer during our delightful ‘Photos with Ms. Claus’ event. This heartwarming occasion not only brought together furry friends and their humans for memorable snapshots but also served as a beacon of generosity and support for our community’s pets in need.

At the heart of this event was Rich, the compassionate owner of Pet Wants, whose unwavering commitment to animal welfare has been nothing short of inspiring. Through pet food drives, donating raffle items and hosting events, Rich has been a great supporter to Pets4Life Louisville and other animal welfare groups in our community.

Partnering with Rich, our Pets4Life Committee Member, Karen G., brought the magic of Ms. Claus to life, spreading joy and warmth throughout the event. Her dedication and embodiment of the festive spirit added an extra layer of enchantment to ‘Photos with Ms. Claus,’ making the day even more special for attendees.

Throughout the day, the store buzzed with joy, laughter, and wagging tails as pets posed for pictures with the ever-charming Ms. Claus, portrayed by our wonderful Karen G. Families and their furry companions reveled in the festive atmosphere, creating cherished memories that will be treasured for years to come.

Here are some photos from the event:

Thank you to everyone who participated, supported, and helped make ‘Photos with Ms. Claus’ at Pet Wants – J-town an unforgettable celebration of joy, compassion, and community spirit. Your support means the world to us and to the animals we aim to help.

Stay tuned for more heartwarming initiatives and events, and let’s continue spreading love and support for our furry companions! If you’re an organization or business who would like to partner with us to help the most needy pets in our community, please see our ‘Pets4Life Mission Partner’ page.

#PhotosWithMsClaus #PetWantsJtown #Pets4LifeLouisville #CommunitySupport #AnimalWelfare #GivingBack

As we embrace the spirit of giving this holiday season, Pets4Life Louisville is excited to announce the kickoff of our Angel Drive on this year’s Giving Tuesday! Our Angel Tree gift drive is set to make a heartwarming impact toward helping the most needy pets in our community. Through this program, we aim to provide essential gifts to support the pets of families in need, thanks to the generous contributions from our vibrant community of donor/supporters.

Your donations play a crucial role in caring for pets through our Pets4Life clinics, assisting those facing the most significant challenges by providing items like flea medicines, gift cards for clinic supplies, dog slip leads, sweaters, dog beds, harnesses, cat & dog treats and other essentials.

This season, we invite you to be a part of this heartwarming initiative, supporting the most vulnerable pets in our community. The Angel Trees are adorned with tags that highlight urgent needs to aid these beloved animals. Here are some of the critical items on our Angel Tree wishlist for this year:

• Walmart Gift Cards
• Amazon Gift Cards
• Flea & Tick Preventatives for dogs – need all sizes between 11-88 lbs
• Flea & Tick Prevention for cats – need all sizes between 2-13 lbs
• Dog & Cat Treats
• Dog & Cat Toys
• Dog Sweaters
• Dog Slip Leads & Muzzles

If you’re eager to participate and make a difference, kindly bring your unwrapped donation to one of our Angel Tree host locations (listed below). Additionally, monetary donations are welcomed and will be used effectively towards our cause. Notably, Pets4Life Louisville operates solely with volunteers, ensuring that 100% of your contributions directly benefit pets in need.

🎄🐾 How to contribute through the Angel Tree Drive: 🎁✨

1. Angel Drive Duration: The Angel Tree Gift Drive will run throughout December, with the trees collected in early January.
2. Select Your Donation Tag: Choose an item tag from the Angel Tree that resonates with your giving spirit.
3. Place Your Unwrapped Gift: Drop off your donation under the Angel Tree. For gift cards or cash donations, use the designated cut-out in the large box.
4. Online Donations: Conveniently contribute online via our website pets4lifelou.org or scan the provided QR code.
5. Recycling Tags: Help us sustain our efforts by returning used tags to the large box for reuse next year.

🎄🐾 Monetary Donations: Making a Difference Beyond Basic Wellness! 🎁✨

Any cash or online donations collected on Giving Tuesday and throughout December for the Angel Tree drive will be directed toward our Special Needs Fund. This fund goes beyond basic wellness and is utilized for various pet health-related purposes, including:

• Medications for pet illnesses
• Difficult grooming cases for severe matting
• Small surgeries such as dental cleanings and extractions
• Providing funding for spays/neuters

Your contribution will play a vital role in assisting pets requiring extra care and support.

🎄🐾 A Heartfelt thank you to our Angel Tree Hosts! 🎁✨

We’re honored to partner with 9 vet clinics, each serving as an Angel Tree host for Pets4Life this year. We extend our sincere appreciation to these veterinary clinics for wholeheartedly supporting Pets4Life Louisville’s mission:

*Country Animal Hospital

*Springhurst Animal Hospital

*St. Matthews Animal Clinic

*Seneca Animal Hospital

*Animal Hospital of the Highlands

*Doerr Animal Clinic

*Shelbyville Road Veterinary Clinic

*East Pointe Animal Hospital

*Jefferson Animal Hospital

Your generosity will bring joy and comfort to countless pets and their families in our community. Together, let’s make this holiday season brighter for our furry friends! 🐾🌟

New for 2023 we are introducing our new Mission Partner Program. Pets4Life has a great track record of working closely with other organizations and now we have a plan to develop more win/win partnerships!

A Mission Partner is any business or group that we are partnering with to fulfill our mission of bringing pet wellness services to the underserved pet owners of the Louisville community. Here are just some of the ways we can partner with other organizations to help the most needy pets (and their owners) in our community!

• Vet Clinics/Hospitals: Select a clinic date and provide volunteer vets & techs to work at one of our vaccine or wellness clinics. The whole team can work together to help pets who do not have access to vet care. What an amazing way to give back!
• Animal or other nonprofits: Partner with Pets4Life by participating in our clinics/events. Opportunities include providing pet food & supplies, offering your pet/people services to the underserved pet owners, and providing education on a variety of pet and other topics.
• Corporate Sponsors: Larger businesses can support underserved pet owners by sponsoring a clinic and providing volunteers. Employees love supporting animal organizations and because we are a small, all-volunteer organization, 100% of all donations go directly to helping animals.
• Pet Services/Businesses: Small pet retailers, dog park bars, or dog service businesses can host microchip clinics or hold fundraising events to raise awareness and help people keep their Pets4Life!
• Small Local Businesses: We would love to partner with local businesses such as restaurants, bars & retailers. These businesses can host fundraising nights/events with proceeds to Pets4Life Louisville. Other ideas include hosting a pet food drive, hosting an Angel Tree or holding a Holiday Photo Event (ex. Pictures with Santa)
• Schools/Scouts: Young people working on service hours or scout projects (such as Gold Awards or Eagle Scouts) can volunteer at a Pets4Life clinic, or conduct a food drive or pet supplies drive.

If interested in being one of our ‘Mission Partners of the Month’, please complete this form:

The Angel Tree gift drive resulted in wonderful gifts and donations that will help us to help the most needy pets in our community. Items donated will be used to provide care in Pets4life clinics and some items (such as sweaters, dog beds & harnesses) will be given to pet owners with the greatest needs.

The holiday season is a great time to remember the most vulnerable pets in our community. And the people of Louisville was generous with their support: Here is a summary of gifts collected through the Angel Tree program:

• $2543.00 in donations (for cat & dog well check-ups)
• $100 in Gift Cards
• Large quantities of Flea & Tick Preventative (dogs and cats)
• Dog & Cat Treats
• Dog & Cat Toys
• Dog Beds

Our Amazing Angel Tree Hosts

We are sincerely grateful to the following vet clinics for their support of Pets4lIfe Louisville’s mission by hosting a Pets4Life Angel Tree:

Springhurst Animal Hospital

St. Matthews Animal Clinic

Animal Doctors

Stoneybrook Animal Hospital

Seneca Animal Hospital

Animal Hospital of the Highlands

Gailor Animal Hospital

Doerr Animal Clinic

Shelbyville Road Veterinary Clinic

East Pointe Animal Hospital

Central High School

In 2022, as the COVID pandemic slowed and the community gradually returned to normal, Pets4Life Louisville was able to increase the number of events and community services back to pre-pandemic levels! While many small nonprofits didn’t survive the pandemic, Pets4life persevered during hard times through the dedicated work of the board members, vets, vet techs and volunteers. In 2022, we were able to grow the number of pets helped by 20% over the numbers from 2021.

We want to thank the following organizations for partnering with Pets4Life Louisville and supporting our mission: The Table, Olmsted Parks Conservancy, Louisville Metro Animal Shelter (LMAS), My Dog Eats First (MDEF) and Central High School’s Vet Science Program.

We are very grateful to the following groups for contributing to our mission through grants and financial support: Banfield Foundation, Frazier Joy Family Foundation, Crutcher Family Foundation, Jarboe’s Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, Best Friends, The Kron family, and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).

2022 Highlights:

PET WELLNESS CLINICS: Partnering with ‘The Table’ in the Portland area, we held six pet wellness clinics to offer very low cost vet exams and services to the community. In addition to providing preventative care such as vaccines, dewormer and flea medicines, we provided microchips and treated common ailments such as ear, skin and eye infections. In addition, we provided each pet with several months of flea preventative.

COMMUNITY VACCINE CLINICS: In partnership with the Olmsted Parks Conservancy, we expanded to a new location in Chickasaw Park to reach more pet owners in our target zip codes. Due to generous grants, we were able to host two community vaccine clinics offering vaccines, dewormer, microchips and flea medicine to our targeted audience for free or very low cost.

MICROCHIP CLINICS: In partnership with Central High School, Pets4Life worked with students from the school’s Magnet Vet Sciences Program to hold a ‘Home for the Holidays’ Microchip event in December. This was the 1st of many events that we hope to do in partnership with Central High School. This event was funded with a memorial gift from the Kron Family.

LMAS SPAY/NEUTER VOUCHER PROGRAM: We continued our partnership with LMAS (Louisville Metro Animal Services) which was made possible by a Best Friends grant. This program helps pet owners in our target zip codes with Spay/Neuter services to help prevent unwanted births and decrease homeless pets in our community.

DENTAL/SURGERY PROGRAM: Pets4Life Louisville continued providing dental surgeries and other minor surgeries to pets from our clinics with the most pressing needs. This work was initially funded by a grant from the AVMA (The American Veterinary Medical Association). After the AVMA grant funds were depleted, we continued this program using funds raised during last year’s Giving Tuesday campaign for special needs pets.

Pet Treatment Services Summary:

Number of Pets Treated: 330 (269 dogs & 61 cats). Note: this is a 20% increase over 2021

Rabies Vaccines: 229

Other Vaccines: 242 (FVRCP and DAPP)

Microchips: 130

Dewormer: 245

Flea Treatments (multi-month): 310

Nail Trims: 133

Spay/Neuter Vouchers Distributed: 126

Surgeries (ex. Dentals, Hernias, Mass Removal): 22

Demographic Analysis:

 Pets4Life has identified certain target zip codes for services: 40201, 40202, 40203, 40208, 40209, 40210, 40211, 40212, 40213, 40214, 40215, 40216, 40217, 40218, 40219 40258 and 40272. These zip codes are those within the ‘resource desert’ with little to no vet resources available in the community or they are in areas with high shelter intakes. Our analysis shows the break-down of pets treated in 2022 based on zip codes:

Within Target Zip Codes	Other Jefferson Co Zip Codes	Outside Jefferson Co
87%	9%	4%

In addition, our goal is to help people living in underserved communities who cannot afford veterinary care for their pets. A large percentage of our vet services were provide to households living below Federal poverty guidelines:

89% of services went to households with incomes less than $25,000 per year

9% of services went to households with incomes between $25,000 – $50,000 per year

Just 1% of services went to households with incomes over $50,000 per year

This December we are kicking-off our Angel Tree gift drive in multiple locations in Louisville. This program provides gifts to help the pets of needy families through the support of donors throughout our entire community! Items donated will be used to provide care in Pets4life clinics and some items (such as sweaters, dog beds & harnesses) will be given to pet owners with the greatest needs.

This holiday season please consider giving a gift to help the most vulnerable pets in our community. The Angel Trees are decorated with laminated tags with some of our most urgent needs to help these pets. Here are some of our most urgent Angel Tree needs:

• Walmart Gift Cards
• Amazon Gift Cards
• Flea & Tick Preventative (dogs and cats)
• Dog & Cat Treats
• Dog slip leads & muzzles
• Donations for cat & dog well check-ups

If you would like to participate by donating an angel tree item, please bring it (unwrapped) to one of our Angel Tree host locations (see list below). In addition to gifts, monetary donations will also be accepted and put to great use! Note: Because Pets4Life Louisville is an ALL-VOLUNTEER organization, 100% of donations go directly to helping pets.

Angel Tree Instructions:

1. The Angel Tree Gift Drive will take place during the month of December (the trees will be picked up up in early January)

2. Select a tag from the Angel Tree of any item you would like to donate

3. Once you’ve obtained the item, place it unwrapped under the Angel Tree. Gift cards and cash gifts can be placed in the cut-out in large box.

4. Online donations can be made using the QR code or online at our website pets4lifelou.org

5. Please place the used tag in the large box so we can use it again next year.

Thank you to our Angel Tree Hosts

This year, we are thrilled to have eleven vet clinics hosting a Pets4Life Angel Tree! We are sincerely grateful to the following vet clinics for their support of Pets4lIfe Louisville’s mission:

Springhurst Animal Hospital

St. Matthews Animal Clinic

Animal Doctors

Stoneybrook Animal Hospital

Seneca Animal Hospital

Animal Hospital of the Highlands

Gailor Animal Hospital

Doerr Animal Clinic

Shelbyville Road Veterinary Clinic

East Pointe Animal Hospital

Central High School

Partnering with MDEF to help the pets of the homeless community

Did you know that there are over 100,000 dogs and cats living in our community that don’t have access to veterinary care? And many of these pets belong to people in our homeless communities. This year, Pets4Life is partnering with My Dog Eats First (MDEF) to raise money to help these pets with basic supplies and vet care.

We will be partnering with MDEF and working with other nonprofits to go to Louisville’s homeless communities to help with pet food, warm pet clothing, flea medicines, vaccines and more! Although these pets are owned and loved, they are often suffering terribly due to hunger, cold and easily treatable conditions medical conditions such as fleas and worms.

Because we are a 100% ALL VOLUNTEER organization, 100% of the funds raised will go directly to helping these homeless pets. Funds will be used for pet food, pet clothing, vaccines, dewormer, microchips, S/N vouchers, flea medicines and more.

Make a Donation: Pets4Life & MDEF Giving Tuesday Goal: $3000

On Giving Tuesday, November 29^th, we would like to ask if you can make a donation (small or large) to help us with vet care in Louisville’s homeless community. Our goal is to raise $2000 so that we can help the most vulnerable dogs and cats in our community who are suffering and are in pain. Scan/Photograph this image to make a donation:

Would you be able to make a donation to help reduce animal suffering and help people keep their Pets4Life? Please give to Pets4Life Louisville today or on November 30, Giving Tuesday.

Other ways to help Pets4Life & MDEF with Giving Tuesday

Set-up a Facebook Fundraiser:

1. Set your Fundraising Goal
2. Set your end date
3. Feel free to personalize the title/description of your fundraiser
4. Press ‘Create’ and get started on your challenge

Follow this link to create a Facebook Fundraiser for Pets4Life Louisville

Buy From Amazon Wishlist:

Amazon: Who doesn’t love a little on-line shopping?  Are you planning to do some Black Friday shopping? How about some Cyber Monday shopping? If you’re looking for a tangible way to make a difference in the lives needy pets, then look no further! Check out the Pets4Life Louisville’s Amazon Wish List. 

Be sure to mail it to the Pets4Life Louisville Mailing address:

Pets4Life Louisville

291 N. Hubbards Ln.
Suite 172, Box 105
Louisville, KY 40207

Use Amazon Smile:

Shopping online at Amazon on Black Friday or Cyber Monday?  Did you know that every time you shop at Amazon, you can help needy pets? Through the Amazon Smile program, all your purchases can help Pets4Life at NO ADDITIONAL COST to you!

To participate, simply navigate to smile.amazon.com and look in the upper left corner. Search and select ‘Pets4Life Louisville‘. Each time you make a purchase, navigate to ‘smile.amazon.com’ before checkout (all your account information will remain the same). For each purchase, Amazon will make a small donation to Pets4Life Louisville.

Share on Social Media:

Follow and participate on our main Facebook Page, Pets4Life Louisville . To help us during Giving Tuesday, please consider sharing the content and posts on your newsfeed, or sharing in Facebook Messenger with your friends who love animals. These acts will help us expand our reach to more people who need our services, as well as people who may want to support our mission to help needy pets in Metro Louisville.

Pets4Life Louisville is a 501(C)3 nonprofit. We have received the GuideStar Bronze Seal of Transparency. And because we are an all-volunteer organization, 100% of your donation goes toward helping animals!

Pets4Life was thrilled to partner with 3rd Turn Brewing and Titos at their Pet Costume Contest just in time for Halloween! Although it was a rainy October afternoon, the vibe was warm and cozy inside 3rd Turn Brewing. Thank you to Jason for inviting Pets4Life to be a part of it! And thank you to everyone that made a donation in support of our mission!

Here are some photos from the event:

Thank you to all the volunteers that helped at our table! Thanks to Melissa Kron, Dr. Keehner and Karen Mujica. And especially thank you to the 3rd Turn Brewing and Titos!