WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Wichita Animal Action League announced Tuesday that it received $50,000 from the PetSmart Charities Incubator grant.
The funds will address barriers to accessing veterinary care in the Hilltop community in southeast Wichita.
“Rising costs combined with geographical, cultural and other barriers have left many communities out of the veterinary care system altogether,” a news release from WAAL said. “The Incubator grant program supports innovative and culturally relevant veterinary programs targeted toward historically excluded communities across the U.S.”
Kate Atema, director of community grants and initiatives at PetSmart Charities, said nearly one in three Americans face challenges in accessing even basic preventative care for their pets, such as spay or neuter procedures, vaccinations and annual exams.
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“While this issue affects families in nearly every community, those who have been historically excluded from human social services are most in need of pet services,” Atema said in a news release. “We’re proud to be contributing to care that meets the unique needs identified by those living in the communities themselves.”