Sit & Stay is a new email newsletter specifically for animal welfare professionals and volunteers. We plan on sending this monthly to start, and see how it goes. We’re excited to welcome you as one of our very first readers. Our sole purpose is to provide useful information, resources, and a bit of fun.

If you don’t want to receive this newsletter, simply unsubscribe here:

What you’ll see:

• Fundraising resources

• Trends analysis

• Legislative updates

• A treat at the end to brighten your day

• What other content would you like to see? Reply to this email and share your thoughts.

Fundraising resource

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Trends analysis

Shelters are grappling with budget pressures from multiple fronts. Inflation in the broader economy has driven up the cost of pet food, veterinary care, and shelter operations, while donations and public funding have not always kept pace. Key financial trends include:

Rising Costs, Stretched Budgets: Double-digit increases in pet care costs (food, vet services, supplies) are pricing out many pet owners and also inflating shelter expenses. Many municipal shelters report being “last in line” for local government support, leaving them under-resourced for the growing needs . Shelter leaders and advocates are increasingly urging elected officials to fund animal services adequately as an essential public service.

Economic Surrender of Pets: Financial hardship among pet owners has a direct impact on shelter finances. With rising rents, lack of pet-friendly housing, and expensive vet bills, more owners are surrendering pets or even resorting to “economic euthanasia” because they cannot afford care. This influx adds to shelter costs (food, medical care, longer stays) without equivalent increases in revenue.

Philanthropy and Grants: On a positive note, major animal welfare organizations and foundations have stepped up grantmaking to support shelters. For example, the ASPCA and other national groups have expanded grant programs for adoption promotions, return-to-owner initiatives, and capacity-building at shelters. The PEDIGREE Foundation (Mars Petcare) awarded over $1.2 million in grants to 96 shelters in 2024 and has earmarked up to $1 million in 2025 for programs focusing on foster care, animal transport, and behavioral support – critical areas to improve outcomes. Such funding is helping, but financial needs remain high, and shelters are encouraged to pursue diverse funding streams (municipal funding, grants, and community donations) to fill the gaps.

Spay/Neuter and Preventive Funding: A significant portion of new funding is targeting preventative measures. Low-cost and free spay/neuter programs are being bolstered by grants and donor campaigns (e.g. BISSELL Pet Foundation’s “Fix the Future” spay/neuter fund ) to curb pet overpopulation at its source. Investing in prevention is a cost-effective strategy: every spay/neuter or pet retention service today can mean fewer intakes (and expenses) tomorrow.

Takeaway: We need to continue advocating for increased public funding and leverage grants that focus on high-impact programs (spay/neuter, fostering, transport, behavior training). Aligning budgets with these strategic priorities can help shelters do more with limited resources and reduce long-term strain.

Sources:

ASPCA. (2024). U.S. Shelter Statistics and Analysis 2024. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Best Friends Animal Society. (2024). 2024 Annual Report: Lifesaving Progress & National Shelter Data. Best Friends Animal Society.

BISSELL Pet Foundation. (2025). The Crisis in Our Nation’s Animal Shelters. BISSELL Pet Foundation.

Economic Hardship Reporting Project & The Guardian. (2024). America’s Shelters Are Overwhelmed. The Guardian.

Hill’s Pet Nutrition & Charlottesville–Albemarle SPCA. (2024). State of Shelter Adoption Report 2024. Hill’s & Charlottesville–Albemarle SPCA.

Mars Petcare / PEDIGREE Foundation. (2025). PEDIGREE Foundation 2025 Grantmaking Announcement. PEDIGREE Foundation.

NBC News. (2025). Shelter Capacity Crisis: Economic Strain and Rising Pet Surrenders. NBC News.

Shelter Animals Count. (2025). 2025 Mid-Year Report: National Shelter Data Trends. Shelter Animals Count.

Legislative and policy updates

As US federal shutdown ends, here’s what the funding package means for animals (Humane World for Animals)

New Analysis: Animal Welfare Act Enforcement Deteriorates Following SCOTUS Ruling (Animal Welfare Institute)

Some House Republicans Break With Party on State Animal Welfare Laws (Civil Eats)

Thank you for reading. We’d love to hear your suggestions. What content would be most useful to you as an animal welfare professional?