NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Release
GOOD CAT NETWORK TO HELP MAUI, HI WITH DISASTER RESPONSE WITH HELP OF $10,000 GRANT FROM PETSMART CHARITIES®
(Grant will help rescue animals displaced by Maui Wildfire disaster)
August, 2023— Makawao, Hawai’i – In the wake of the Maui Wildfires that made a devastating impact on people and their pets, Good Cat Network has mobilized to provide rescue, relief, and recovery efforts. With a $10,000 grant made immediately available by PetSmart Charities, Good Cat Network will aid impacted pets.
Good Cat Network is a Maui-based nonprofit that works with foster partners to reduce the number of community cats on the islands by flying them to shelter partners on the mainland. Founded in 2021, it has helped over 627 adoptable cats and kittens find loving homes since its inception. Since the Maui wildfire disasters, Good Cat Network has flown an additional 87 cats to transfer partners in the continental U.S.
This includes Ringo, a kitten rescued from Lahaina just prior to the disaster, who was flown to Seattle through Good Cat Network’s Operation Aloha Cat program and adopted by Washington State residents Ashley and Sage.
Disaster response grants made by PetSmart Charities promote people and pets staying together during crises, when they need each other most. When people suffer during natural disasters, their pets often suffer too. As important members of the family, pets, too, have urgent needs for shelter, medical care, nutritious food, and social support.
“As a nonprofit whose primary program is often utilized in times of disaster, we felt a responsibility to quickly ramp up our efforts,” said Darlene Rayhill, Executive Director of Good Cat Network. “We are focused on getting as many adoptable animals off island as we can, so that we are available to take in more displaced cats. This would not be possible without support from our donors, partners, and this generous lifesaving investment from Petsmart.”
“When disasters strike, pets are affected, too” said Kate Atema, director of community grant initiatives at PetSmart Charities. “We’re grateful for partners who understand the importance of rescuing and rehabilitating community animals as a crucial part of the community recovery process. We’re thrilled to be able to support the Good Cat Network as they worked tirelessly to rehome cats displaced by the wildfires in Maui.” For more information about Good Cat Network, visit goodcatnetwork.org.
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About Good Cat Network
Good Cat Network is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Our # 1 goal is to greatly decrease the number of Hawai’i-born cats in our landscape through socialization, transport and adoption. Our primary program is Operation Aloha Cat, in which we fly adoptable Hawai’i cats to West Coast USA via our partnership with Aloha Air Cargo and our collaboration with partner non-profits such as Honi Honi Cats Maui.
Follow Good Cat Network on Instagram: @goodcatnetwork Find Good Cat Network on Facebook: facebook.com/goodcatnetwork
About PetSmart Charities®
PetSmart Charities is committed to making the world a better place for pets and all who love them. Through its in-store adoption program in all PetSmart® stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, PetSmart Charities helps up to 600,000 pets connect with loving families each year. PetSmart Charities also provides grant funding to support organizations that advocate and care for the well-being of all pets and their families. Our grants and efforts connect pets with loving homes through adoption, improve access to affordable veterinary care and support families in times of crisis with access to food, shelter and emergency relief. Each year, millions of generous supporters help pets in need by donating to PetSmart Charities directly at PetSmartCharities.org, while shopping at PetSmart.com, and by using the PIN pads at checkout registers inside PetSmart® stores. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, granting more than $500 million since its inception in 1994. Independent from PetSmart LLC, PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization that has received the Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator for the past 18 years in a row – placing it among the top one percent of rated charities. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org.
Follow PetSmart Charities on Instagram: @PetSmartCharities
Follow PetSmart Charities on Twitter: @PetSmartChariTs
Find PetSmart Charities on Facebook: Facebook.com/PetSmartCharities
See PetSmart Charities on YouTube: YouTube.com/PetSmartCharitiesInc
Media Contact: Darlene Rayhill (808)446-6442 darlene@goodcatnetwork.org
24-Hour PetSmart CharitiesMedia Line: 623-587-2177
