BANFIELD FOUNDATION RELEASES 2023 IMPACT REPORT CELEBRATING $3.3 MILLION TO HELP REMOVE BARRIERS TO CARE AND MOBILIZE VETERINARY TEAMS

Report Highlights 1.4M Vulnerable Pets Helped and 544 Grants Awarded to Expand Access to Veterinary Care, Resources and Medical Equipment to Reach Underserved and Diverse Communities  

VANCOUVER, Wash., March 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Banfield Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the charitable arm of Banfield Pet Hospital^®, today released its 2023 annual Impact Report detailing how $3.3 million in grants helped mobilize veterinary care, deploy veterinary teams and enable disaster relief.

The 2023 report outlines how the Banfield Foundation meaningfully delivered on its mission of making preventive care possible for the pets that need it most. In 2023, the Foundation focused on deploying resources, teams, and dollars to enable free preventive care, including spay and neuter surgeries, in under-resourced communities across the country?from inner cities to Native Nations?where access to care and transportation is a limiting factor. Some of this care was delivered through the donation of six mobile veterinary units to nonprofit partners, totaling more than $750,000 in support. In addition to the vehicles, the Foundation also funded vaccines and medical supplies in support of community-based clinics utilizing the new mobile units across Atlanta, Baltimore, Detroit, Chicago, Maui and Navajo Nation.

In addition to its grant programs, the Foundation leveraged its relationship with Banfield Pet Hospital and Associates throughout the Mars Veterinary Health and Mars Petcare ecosystem to deploy teams of veterinarians and credentialed veterinary technicians to underserved and diverse areas across the United States and around the world through the Mars Ambassador Program (MAP) and the Foundation's own Care Knows No Boundaries travel grant program. In 2023 alone, nearly 65 veterinarians and veterinary technicians volunteered 3,450 hours with the Banfield Foundation caring for vulnerable dogs and cats.

"In partnership with skilled veterinary teams and nonprofit partners, we increased the number of helping hands providing care in remote locations, working in tents, out of vans, in community centers or in school gymnasiums?all with a focus on bringing more care to more pets in more places," said Kim Van Syoc, Executive Director, Banfield Foundation. "Our work is only possible because of the incredible teams of veterinary professionals that help deliver on that care. We are so grateful for every volunteer, every partner, every dollar, and every donor that fuels this life-changing and life-saving work."

Highlights from the Foundation's 2023 Impact Report include:

Mobilizing Veterinary Care

On a mission to bring more care to more pes in more places, in 2023, the Banfield Foundation donated six mobile veterinary units totaling $750,000 in support to nonprofit partners across the country: LifeLine Animal Project (Atlanta), Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS), PAWS Chicago, Michigan Humane Society (Detroit), Maui Humane Society and The Parker Project (Navajo Nation).

Creating and Hosting two Mars Ambassador Program (MAP) Assignments

In 2023, the Banfield Foundation was the creator and co-host of two MAP assignments focused on bringing veterinary care to vulnerable populations of pets alongside three nonprofit partners?Maui Humane Society, Molokai Humane Society and Arizona Humane Society. Over the course of 12 days, 14 Ambassadors from Mars Veterinary Health and/or Mars Petcare helped care for more than 1,000+ pets by spaying/neutering, vaccinating, microchipping and/or treating for illness and injury.

Providing Room to Roam

In addition to regular preventive care and spay/neuter clinics, Banfield Foundation funded a winter readiness unchaining project in partnership with The Parker Project on the Navajo Nation in LeChee, Arizona. Grant funding provided new dog igloos, insulated cat enclosures, hay for insulation, extended tie-outs, toys, food and more to expand access to shelter, enrichment and improve the human-animal bond.

Expanding Preventive Care Across the Country

More than 121,000 pets received comprehensive preventive care including wellness checks, flea, tick and heartworm preventives, vaccines and more through free or low-cost clinics held in partnership with nonprofit organizations. In 2023 alone, more than $1.8 million in the form of cash or in-kind donations was provided to increase access to and affordability of preventive care across 23 states including Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands.

"Preventive care is at the heart of our mission. Finding innovative ways to break financial and geographical barriers to care allows us to serve as many vulnerable pets as possible," said Jam Stewart, president and chairman of the board for the Banfield Foundation and head of Corporate Affairs for Banfield Pet Hospital. "Banfield Foundation grants fund free and low-cost clinics that provide the necessary tools to help families care for their pet and keep them healthy? and when we can keep pets and families together, we all win."

Banfield Foundation 2023 Impact by the Numbers: 

• 544 grants awarded to partner organizations, institutions or through HOPE Funds
• 121,426 pets received preventive care: wellness checks, flea, tick and heartworm preventives, vaccines, and more across 23 states including Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands
• $78,580 in disaster response grants supported efforts across 11 states
• 3,450 Associate volunteer hours through Care Knows No Boundaries grant program 
• 1,452,459 pets helped across the United States and Puerto Rico
• $3,304,483 awarded in support of our purpose work: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS

To read the Banfield Foundation's 2023 Impact Report, learn about volunteer opportunities or to make a donation, visit BanfieldFoundation.org. 

About the Banfield Foundation^®
Since 2015, Banfield Foundation has been making preventive care possible for the pets that need it most. Through grants and partnerships, we provide medical supplies and resources to nonprofit partners in need; support pets, people and communities in crisis; and enable veterinary professionals to deliver compassionate and inclusive preventive veterinary care in underserved and diverse areas across the United States and around the world. We also leverage the expertise and passion of Banfield Pet Hospital, part of Mars Veterinary Health, and its Associates to care for pets in need. At the Banfield Foundation, we are committed to living our collective purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS. For more information, visit BanfieldFoundation.org.

SOURCE Banfield Foundation