PetSmart Charities Accelerator Grant
Thanks to a $1 million Accelerator Grant from PetSmart Charities, we are increasing access to affordable veterinary care in our community.
That means we will be able to DOUBLE the number of spay/neuter surgeries we offer for shelter pets and owned animals in our community! These full changes will go into effect soon, so stay tuned to our website and social media pages.

HUMANE FORT WAYNE RECEIVES $1,000,000 GRANT FROM PETSMART CHARITIES® TO IMPROVE ACCESSIBLE VETERINARY CARE
Thursday, January 9, 2025 (Fort Wayne, IN) – Fifty million pets in the U.S. experience a lack of access to even basic veterinary care. Rising costs and other barriers mean these pets struggle to access services such as spay/neuter procedures, vaccinations and critical medical and preventative care. With as many as 70% of households now including pets, this issue affects families in nearly every community.
PetSmart Charities has committed $100 million over the next five years toward improving access to veterinary care. The “Accelerator” low-cost veterinary care grant program is a key part of this effort. These grants support the expansion of low-cost veterinary care by funding growth and operations for up to four years for nonprofit clinics looking to expand their services, serve their communities better and inspire other veterinary providers by sharing their experiences.
The grant made to Humane Fort Wayne in the amount of one million dollars will support the expansion of their Maycrest Drive clinic operations and will convert the clinic to become a fully public-facing affordable spay/neuter surgical center. The anticipated impact on local pets and families include doubling the number of affordable spays and neuters offered as well as an increase in the types services the nonprofit clinic provides.
“We were honored to receive the first phase of funding ($150,000) from PetSmart Charities in 2023 and have spent the last year learning alongside other grant recipients about best practices in clinic management and ways to improve upon our programs. This additional funding in phase two of the grant will support us as we now grow those services and work to further strengthen the bond between pets and their people,” said Humane Fort Wayne’s executive director, Jessica Henry-Johnson.
Overwhelmingly, people consider their pets important members of the family. Pets make a significant impact in the health and wellness of the people they love. This grant will enable more families to get the preventative and standard care that ensures their pets thrive at home and stay out of shelters.
“Our veterinary system is in crisis,” said Kate Atema, director of community grants and initiatives at PetSmart Charities. “Rising costs are putting standard veterinary care out of reach for as much as 50% of pet-owning families. We need innovative solutions that make veterinary care affordable for the families in every community who want the best for their four-legged companions but struggle to meet the cost of vet care. We’re inspired by the incredible work Humane Fort Wayne is doing to create solutions that will build strong families and a healthy community.”
“As always, Humane Fort Wayne is working to respond to the greatest needs in our community. On January 6, 2025, we moved our basic wellness clinic operations from their current home at 1333 Maycrest Drive to our new, state-of-the-art facility at 901 Leesburg Road. Furthermore, by the second quarter of 2025, all surgeries performed at our Maycrest Drive location will be earmarked exclusively for owned cats and dogs, while all shelter sterilizations will now take place on Leesburg Road.
This means that we’ll be able to help twice as many family pets and twice as many shelter pets too,” said Henry-Johnson. She continued, “Humane Fort Wayne offers the only affordable high volume spay/neuter/wellness veterinary services in northeast Indiana, and thanks to this tremendous support from PetSmart Charities, we’ll be able to help countless more animals live healthier, happier lives!”
Anyone interested in accessing affordable veterinary care can learn more and schedule services at www.humanefw.org
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About Humane Fort Wayne
When pets have safe, forever homes, they thrive. And with their loving companionship, so do we. Our mission is to prevent the incidence of euthanasia and to promote the happiness, safety, and well-being of pets and the people who love them. From our staff to our members and to our volunteers, we are Humane Fort Wayne. You can learn more about our story by visiting www.humanefw.org or following us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/HumaneFW) and Instagram, or watching us on YouTube.
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About PetSmart Charities®
PetSmart Charities is committed to making the world a better place for pets and all who love them. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities helps up to 600,000 pets connect with loving families each year. PetSmart Charities also provides grant funding to support organizations that advocate and care for the well-being of all pets and their families. Our grants and efforts connect pets with loving homes through adoption, improve access to affordable veterinary care and support families in times of crisis with access to food, shelter and emergency relief. Each year, millions of generous supporters help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities directly at PetSmartCharities.org, while shopping at PetSmart.com, and by using the PIN pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart® stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, granting more than $500 million since its inception in 1994. Independent from PetSmart LLC, PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization that has received the Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator for the past 18 years in a row – placing it among the top one percent of rated charities. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org.
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