Humane Society of Pinellas (Fla.) Tops Division One after First Month of 2013 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge

NEW YORK—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced that Humane Society of Pinellas in Clearwater, Fla. is at the top of the leaderboard in Division One of the 2013 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge, for finding homes for 325 pets during the first 30 days of the three-month competition, an increase of 153 lives saved over the same month last year. Through August, 49 animal shelters from across the country will work to increase adoptions in order to win a piece of the more than $600,000 in ASPCA prize grants, including a grand prize of $100,000.

“Humane Society of Pinellas set out with a big goal in mind: adopt 999 animals in just 90 days, and they are well on their way after month one, with 325 pets in loving homes thanks to their hard work,” said Bert Troughton, vice president of community outreach for the ASPCA. “It wasn’t easy either. Despite being forced to close their doors for a day and a half due to Tropical Storm Andrea, they bounced back and their June 13 adoptions total matched the number of adoptions in all of June of last year.”

In addition to Humane Society of Pinellas, contestants in Division One (those with an annual intake of 1,500-2,500 animals) for the 2013 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge are:

• Almost Home Humane Society in Lafayette, Ind.
• Butte Humane Society in Chico, Calif.
• Eleventh Hour Rescue in Randolph, N.J.
• Humane Society of Midland County in Midland, Mich.
• Macon County Animal Control & Care Center in Decatur, Ill.
• Providence Animal Rescue League in Providence, R.I.
• Suncoast Humane Society in Englewood, Fla.
• Unicoi County Animal Shelter in Erwin, Tenn.
• Washington Animal Rescue League in Washington, D.C.

The 49 contestants are working to save more animals – during the months of June, July and August 2013 – than they did over the same three-month period in 2012. Last year's competing shelters saved more than 56,000 cats and dogs during the contest, an increase of 14,376 over the same period in 2011.

The ASPCA and Rachael Ray will award a $100,000 grand prize to the shelter contestant that achieves the greatest increase in lives saved during this three-month period. The contestant that does the best job of engaging its community members in helping to save more animals will win $25,000. Those organizations that do the best in their divisions will be eligible for between $10,000 and $25,000 in additional grants. In total, $600,000 in grant funding will be awarded for increases in animal lives saved, as well as a photo contest and general participation.

All her life, Rachael Ray has been an advocate for animals and a supporter of animal welfare groups. Her love for animals and for her pit bull, Isaboo, inspired her to create a pet food called Nutrish® to raise money for animals in need.  Ray donates a portion of her proceeds from the sale of Nutrish® to organizations like the ASPCA so they can implement programs like the $100K Challenge and support shelters and animal organizations around the country.

The ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge is a groundbreaking contest that challenges animal shelters across the country to come up with innovative ways to engage their communities and get more homeless cats and dogs into loving homes. For more information about the 2013 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge, please visit www.aspca.org/100K.