The Alex and Elisabeth Lewyt Charitable Trust Donates $1.5 Million to the ASPCA Community Veterinary Center in Brooklyn

NEW YORK –The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) today announced a leadership donation from the Alex and Elisabeth Lewyt Charitable Trust to enable the launch of its new ASPCA Community Veterinary Center, located in East New York, Brooklyn. The ASPCA Community Veterinary Center, named for the late Alex and Elisabeth Lewyt, aims to create better access to affordable veterinary services for underserved pet owners and improve the health and welfare of dogs and cats in Brooklyn.

The Trust has contributed $1,500,000 toward building the center’s infrastructure as well as supporting the initial operating expenses. The Alex and Elisabeth Lewyt Charitable Trust’s gift will directly and meaningfully impact the pets of East New York and their owners. 

“We are proud to support the ASPCA in expanding veterinary services for owned and homeless pets through the opening of the new Community Veterinary Center in Brooklyn,” said Wendy McColgan, co-trustee of the Alex and Elisabeth Lewyt Charitable Trust. “The donation, in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Lewyt, will ensure that families can access the care they need for their pets and continue the Lewyts’ life mission to protect and help vulnerable animals.”

The Trust’s founders, the late Alex Lewyt and Elisabeth Lewyt, championed organizations that helped save stray and abandoned pets, and were instrumental in saving countless animals from euthanasia, both through philanthropy and hands-on work. Mrs. Lewyt was also known for personally driving her van across Long Island to visit shelters and rescue as many dogs and cats as she could. The Trust seeks to support organizations and programs that are consistent with its mission through grants and other initiatives.

“This generous contribution from The Alex & Elisabeth Lewyt Charitable Trust will strongly support our efforts to help Brooklyn pet owners access affordable veterinary care for the animals they love,” said ASPCA president and CEO Matt Bershadker. “We are grateful for their support and look forward to seeing the lifesaving impact it will have in the community.”

This is the second of three Community Veterinary Centers the ASPCA is building across New York City in communities with limited existing resources for veterinary care. The centers offer partially and fully subsidized basic and preventive care to dogs and cats, including vaccinations, treatment for infections and other minor issues, in addition to spay/neuter surgeries. The ASPCA Community Veterinary Center will also provide high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter surgeries and vaccinations to homeless dogs and cats being cared for by animal rescue organizations, including Animal Care Centers of New York City, expanding the ASPCA’s services to the animal rescue community.

The ASPCA strives to share learnings from its Community Veterinary Centers with the animal welfare community and veterinary professionals across the country, helping to make veterinary care more affordable and accessible nationwide.

For more information about the ASPCA’s efforts to improve access to affordable veterinary care for underserved pet owners, please visit www.aspca.org.