Texas Border Business
Edinburg, TX (Aug. 21, 2020) ─ Palm Valley Animal Society (PVAS) has been awarded the Transformational Change Lifesaving Award from Best Friends Animal Society, a national animal welfare organization dedicated to ending the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters.
PVAS is an active partner in the Best Friends Network which is comprised of 501(c)(3) public charity rescue groups, spay/neuter organizations and shelters actively working with Best Friends to save lives and reduce shelter deaths locally.
Best Friends has set the goal of no-kill 2025 which means that across the nation we are saving every dog and cat in every shelter who can be saved. It means healing the animals who can be healed, treating behaviors that can be treated, and prioritizing safety and a high quality of life for both pets and people in our communities. A no-kill community is a city or town in which every brick-and-mortar shelter serving or located within that community has reached a 90% save rate or higher and adheres to the no-kill philosophy of saving every animal who can be saved.
“It’s incredible to see so many shelters around the nation taking dramatic steps to increase lifesaving,” said Brent Toellner, senior director, national programs for Best Friends Animal Society. “Whether it be through new programming, progressive leadership or better collaborative partnerships, these groups are showing that lifesaving success is possible regardless of a shelter’s size or location.”
PVAS underwent extensive changes in the past three years, and in 2018 of the Laurie P. Andrews Center and Trenton Center merged with a new no-kill mission and new name of Palm Valley Animal Society.
“The staff who dedicated their lives to helping these animals are deeply moved by this award,” said Donna Casamento, Executive Director of Palm Valley Animal Society. “PVAS needed the support from outside organizations, but the change would not have happened without the staff and community stepping up to help us reach no-kill status.”
Toellner added: ” It’s going to take embracing all models of lifesaving, as well as maximizing collaboration with and support of each other to reach our goal of ending the killing of pets in shelters by 2025. But with so much progress being made, getting our nation to a point where it has finally put a stop to the unnecessary deaths of shelter animals not only seems possible, but inevitable.”
About the Palm Valley Animal Society
Our mission: Palm Valley Animal Society will provide lifesaving care, comfort, and compassion to animals in need by engaging the hearts, hands, and minds of our community. PVAS’ goal is to save every animal that can be saved through progressive adoption, foster care, and rescue transfer programs. PVAS offers a number of additional programs designed to help pets in the shelter, in the community, and in your home, including volunteer, fee-reduction, and veterinary services programs. Stay connected: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @PVASTX
About Best Friends Animal Society
Best Friends Animal Society is a leading national animal welfare organization dedicated to ending the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters. In addition to running lifesaving programs in partnership with more than 3,100 animal welfare groups across the country, Best Friends has lifesaving centers in New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Salt Lake City, and operates the nation’s largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals. Founded in 1984, Best Friends is a pioneer in the no-kill movement and has helped reduce the number of animals killed in shelters nationwide from an estimated 17 million per year to around 625,000. That means there are still more than 1,700 dogs and cats killed every day in shelters, just because they don’t have safe places to call home. We are determined to bring the country to no-kill by the year 2025. Working collaboratively with shelters, rescue groups, other organizations and you, we will end the killing and Save Them All. To check out our pet lifesaving dashboard and for more information, visit bestfriends.org Join the conversation on Facebook.com/bestfriendsanimalsociety Twitter (@BestFriends) and Instagram (@BestFriendsAnimalSociety).
