For nearly 40 years, the folks at Pets Alive Animal Shelter have done everything they can to save the lives of countless animals. But they’re looking to even more now, seeking $5 million to build a new dog kennel and $20,000 for much-needed medical equipment.

So when the shelter received a $2,500 grant from Petco’s national non-profit Petco Love, they were grateful because even if it covers a fraction of costs, every cent counts. 

“It’s a huge deal, it’s a really big deal," said Pets Alive Community Outreach Coordinator Sophie Samul. "Not only is it super generous, but even if it was smaller, every single dollar helps us do more and more every day, and get better and better.”

Mary Ann Bopp, the shelter’s development director, said these funds are sorely needed. The shelter’s original kennel building, built in the 1970s, is literally falling apart. And the medical equipment they keep inside, like the grooming tub, is old and rusty or some, like the lift table used for medical procedures, is just not working.

Getting more than 10% of the cost of new equipment covered with one grant helps a great deal. And with $1 million raised for the new kennel, the shelter will start a capital campaign to raise the rest of the $5 million they need, while looking to get more grant help along the way.

“We did get a $500,000 grant from the state of New York," Bopp said. "This year, it’s $8 million that they’ll give out to shelters across New York state in order to improve their facilities. So that was one grant that we got, in addition to several private donations.”

Having a new, bigger space, with heated floors for the dogs inside will go a long way for the health and happiness of both the staff and these pooches.

Recent grants from the state’s companion animal fund have gone to shelters like the Central New York SPCA, to fund a roof replacement, and at Eric County’s Town of Lancaster, which funded a new building with kennels. The Erie County SPCA, Humane Society of Rochester, and Rochester Animal Services have also received grants from Petco Love.