Marking the start of National Pet Preparedness Month, the fresh 2.8 million dollar award will broaden pet-friendly disaster aid and tools for households with animals.

To assist additional households and their pets amid crises, PetSmart Charities has extended its backing of the American Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program via a three-year grant of 2.8 million dollars.

Pet-inclusive emergency resources often determine if families reach safe shelter for all members, pets included. Surveys show 90 percent of pet owners would refuse to evacuate without their animals. The grant will enable the Red Cross to assist pet families before, during, and after events of any scale. It expands prior work that wove pet needs into response plans, such as pet-friendly shelter labels in the Red Cross Emergency App.

June serves as National Pet Preparedness Month. Owners should review the PetSmart Charities readiness list and install the Red Cross Emergency App for live alerts plus pet-friendly shelter locations. The app is available by texting GETEMERGENCY to 90999.

"Millions of households view separation from pets as impossible," noted Aimee Gilbreath, president of PetSmart Charities. "Safety choices should never pit people against their animals in crises. Prior efforts kept families united, yielding over 14,000 pet overnight stays in Red Cross shelters and training 14 pet liaisons nationwide who stand ready to aid reunions and recoveries."

Renewed Partnership Focus Areas: The grant targets five priorities to integrate pets into nationwide disaster response:

Disaster sheltering and pet supplies: Resources will stock Red Cross shelters rapidly after events and supply comfort kits with leads, bowls, and enrichment items for evacuees.
Disaster financial services: Support via the RC Care system may cover pet costs during shelter stays, hotel placements, or moves to stable housing.
Pet preparedness education: Outreach will guide the public on emergency planning with pets and locating suitable shelters via the Red Cross app.
Staffing, disaster training and readiness: Funds will weave pet considerations into operations through training, content creation, and cross-team coordination.
Updating disaster platforms: Improvements will add pet shelter tags to Red Cross sites, refine data tracking, and smooth system connections.

"The Red Cross answers a disaster call every 10 minutes on average, and households with pets depend on us more than before," said Brad Kiserman, vice president of disaster operations and logistics for the American Red Cross. "PetSmart Charities help lets families prepare and recover while staying connected."

For details on pet safety in crises and the preparedness checklist, see the PetSmart Charities site.

About PetSmart Charities

PetSmart Charities works to improve life for pets and their people. Its adoption program across PetSmart stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico has placed more than 11 million pets in homes. Grants aid groups focused on pet welfare, connecting animals to families, expanding veterinary access, and offering crisis support. Donations flow through the website, online store purchases, and store registers. Over 90 cents of each dollar supports the mission, with more than 600 million dollars granted since 1994. It holds a Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator for consecutive years since 2003.

About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross provides shelter, meals, and comfort after disasters, supplies roughly 40 percent of U.S. blood, teaches lifesaving skills, delivers global aid, and assists veterans and military families. As a nonprofit, it relies on volunteers and public support.

SOURCE PetSmart Charities, Inc.