The Anti-Cruelty Society (Ill.) Finishes in 2nd Place in Division Four of 2014 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge

NEW YORK—The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced that The Anti-Cruelty Society in Chicago, Ill. has finished in 2^nd place in Division Four of the 2014 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge. They found homes for 1,552 pets during the three-month competition; an increase of 495 lives saved over the same period last year, and was awarded a total of $20,000 in grant funding from the ASPCA and Rachael Ray today.

Fifty animal shelter contestants worked to save more animals during the months of June, July and August 2014 than they did over the same three-month period in 2013.  This year’s competing shelters saved a total of 68,805 cats and dogs during the contest, an increase of 16,789 over the same period in 2013. Over the five years of the $100K Challenge – held annually since 2010 – contestants saved a total of 282,679 cats and dogs, an increase of nearly 60,000 lives.

“The Anti-Cruelty Society realized new records in life-saving this summer with creative campaigns like ‘One for the Purrfect One,’ in which cat adoption fees were $1, and ‘Empty the Shelter’ when they sent 147 animals home in one weekend,” said Bert Troughton, vice president of strategic initiatives for the ASPCA. “On top of winning second place, they’ve also won the hearts of their community members, who donated over 9,000 hours to help save more lives this summer.”

In addition to The Anti-Cruelty Society, contestants in Division Four (those with an annual intake of 7,001-11,000 animals) for the 2014 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge were:

• Foothills Animal Shelter in Golden, Colo., who finished in first place in Division Four
• Pinal County Animal Care in Casa Grande, Ariz.
• Ventura County Animal Services in Camarillo, Calif.
• Houston Humane Society in Houston, Texas
• First State Animal Center – SPCA, Delaware in Camden, Del.
• City of Pasadena (TX) Animal Control and Adoption in Pasadena, Texas
• Osceola County Animal Services in St. Cloud, Fla.
• HALO Animal Rescue in Phoenix, Ariz.
• Anderson County P.A.W.S. in Anderson, S.C.

The ASPCA and Rachael Ray today awarded a $100,000 grand prize to Central California SPCA of Fresno, Calif., the shelter contestant that achieved the greatest increase in lives saved during this three-month period. Kansas City Pet Project in Kansas City, Mo., which did the best job of engaging its community members in helping to save more animals, was awarded $25,000. The organizations that did the best in their divisions were awarded $25,000 in grants. In total, $550,000 in grant funding is awarded to competing shelters in the competition 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 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 information about the 2014 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge, please visit www.aspca.org/100K.