Humane Society of Charlotte in North Carolina Wins Southeast Region In 2012 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 Charlotte in Charlotte, N.C. has won the Southeast division and $20,000 in the 2012 ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge. In August, September and October, the shelter adopted or reunited 1,101 pets with their owners, an increase of 549 lives saved over the same period last year. The shelter won an additional $5,000 for increasing lives saved by more than 300.

"The shelter that first described itself as 'small but mighty' back in August has shown us how mighty it really is," said Bert Troughton, vice president of community outreach for the ASPCA. "The staff put their caring and creativity to work throughout the contest which clearly worked at getting the public in their doors to adopt."

All $100K Challenge contestants worked to save more cats and dogs during the months of August, September and October 2012 than they did during the same period in 2011, in order to win a piece of the more than $500,000 in prize grants. The ASPCA and Rachael Ray today awarded the $100,000 grand prize to City of San Antonio Animal Care Services for achieving the greatest increase in lives saved during the three-month period (1,384). The contestant that did the best job of engaging its community members in helping to save more animals – Animal Rescue League Shelter and Wildlife Center in Pittsburgh, Pa. –won $25,000. Twenty other agencies will receive grants of $5,000 or more today for their successes at saving more lives.

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 100 percent of the 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, stay tuned to www.aspca.org/100kchallenge for announcements in January 2013.