The Issue: Lack of Resources for Rescued Cats and Dogs
Of the estimated six to eight million dogs and cats that enter shelters each year in the United States, roughly half are euthanized, according to data from The Humane Society of the United States. Many shelters are overcrowded and lack the resources to provide animals with food and medical care for extended periods of time. Shelters such as The Anti-Cruelty Society, however, help to reduce these deaths by caring for sick and abandoned animals and not euthanizing based on space or time.
The Campaign: Feeding Dogs and Cats at an Animal Shelter
If 58 people donate $10 to this Grassroots campaign, then The Anti-Cruelty Society can feed 100 dogs and 100 cats for one week. Having enough food helps keep companion animals healthy while they await adoption to a permanent home. Each additional $29 raised will purchase food for another five dogs and five cats for one week.
The Anti-Cruelty Society
In the late 1890s, Chicago bubbled with progressive humanitarian reforms spurred on by an economic depression, streets stinking with raw sewage, and rising social unrest. Emboldened by their growing suffrage movement in the 1850s, women were at the forefront of change, and one group of women in particular extended their focus to those that could not defend themselves: the city’s 50,000 workhorses, many of which were old and sick, as well as the homeless dogs and cats filling the alleys and running underfoot. These women brought their concerns to two prominent residents and shortly thereafter founded The Anti-Cruelty Society with Mrs. Theodore Thomas as its first president.
In the 110 years that followed, The Anti-Cruelty Society remained a staple of animal-welfare aid, expanding its means and reach in pursuit of its original mission. It cared for US Army horses during World War I, provided refuge for thousands of abandoned dogs, and fought to prevent cruelty to animals across the city. Today, volunteers find homes for more than 5,400 cats and dogs every year, with an open door for animals in need 365 days a year. They provide medical treatment for injured animals, investigate reports of abuse and cruelty, and help educate the public about the importance of compassion through community and school programs.
See how Groupon helps you discover local causes and lend a helping hand at the Groupon Grassroots blog.