Subject:
Title
Grant application to the Banfield Foundation for the Disaster Relief Grant Program.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval by the Animal Services Director for the electronic submission of a grant application to the Banfield Foundation for the Disaster Relief Grant Program.
• The grant program assists non-profit and/or governmental animal service agencies whose communities suffer the impact of unanticipated natural or other disasters.
• As a partner in emergency sheltering during disaster event, Human Services is collaborating with Animal Services on the development and submission of the grant application.
• The grant funding request is for $10,000 for the purchase of animal supplies needed during pet sheltering and/or reunification following a natural disaster.
• Funding for this grant application is not included in the FY26 Budget for Animal Services Department. There is no match requirement. Should the grant be awarded, a budget amendment will likely be requested to authorize expenditure of the grant funds.
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Strategic Plan:
Ensure Public Health, Safety, and Welfare
2.1 Provide planning, coordination, prevention, and protective services to create and enhance a safe, secure, and healthy community
2.2 Be a facilitator, convener, and purchaser of services for those in need
Summary:
The Banfield Foundation is accepting applications from nonprofit animal welfare organizations and/or government animal service agencies whose communities suffer the impact of unanticipated natural or other disasters. Grants will assist organizations that have been directly affected or are helping other pets or organizations in need. Funding will be prioritized to immediate disaster relief, but Banfield supports and encourages disaster preparedness efforts. Applications have no due date and are accepted on a rolling basis.
Background/Explanation:
Pinellas County Animal Services is the only open-intake, municipal shelter serving Pinellas County residents in Largo, FL with an annual intake of 7,000 dogs, cats, and other species. The county is the second smallest in Florida, but the most densely populated with nearly one million residents. This area is also vulnerable to natural disasters, such as hurricanes, and depends on Animal Services to setup and staff pet-friendly shelters during emergency activation periods.
In 2024, Pinellas County was affected by two major hurricanes, Helene and Milton, within a two-week period. Animal Services’ staff opened three pet-friendly shelters for the community, while also maintaining staff at their main shelter. Since residents with medical needs must shelter in specialty facilities, Animal Control Officers transported their pets to the main shelter for housing for the duration of the sheltering period as well. At pet-friendly shelters, staff are required to shelter in place and are onsite 24 hours per day to ensure pet families have all the resources they need. This includes providing pet food, cat litter, litter pans, blankets, free medical care, and a crate large enough to comfortably contain each pet and their comfort items.
One of our main challenges during this time was acquiring resources in a timely manner to assist Pinellas County pet families during an emergency evacuation. We quickly exhausted our supply of crates in our surplus storage facility due to housing over 1400 pets across three pet-friendly shelters. Other essential supplies that are difficult to acquire after the storm were: rolls of plastic floor covering, oxygen concentrators to administer oxygen to pets affected by stress, heat, or age-related issues, crate mats, and visual barriers to help reduce stress for multiple species being co-housed in common areas.
Another challenge following a disaster is pet reunification which commonly occurs when families are displaced. With damaged or obstructed roadways and other transportation barriers following a disaster, Animal Services leadership proposed installing self-serve microchip scanners at fire stations throughout the county to increase access to residents who find stray animals. A resident can scan the lost pet for a microchip, contact the company to obtain the pet owner’s information and take the pet back home. If no microchip is found, instructions will guide the finder through the process of submitting a found report, posting the pet on social media pages, and keeping the pet safe until the shelter re-opens. While these stations will be especially helpful post-disaster, their presence throughout the county will be beneficial all year round, helping reunify pets with their families quickly, and reducing the burden on our shelter’s capacity. With funding, the goal is to set up a self-serve pet microchip scanning station at 20 fire station locations throughout Pinellas County.
Fiscal Impact:
The grant application request is for $10,000.00 from Banfield Foundation with no required match. This funding is not included in the FY26 adopted budget.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the Department Director to sign this grant application was delegated by the County Administrator per the memo dated March 28, 2016 titled “Delegation of Authority by the County Administrator and Improved Grant Procedures.”
Staff Member Responsible:
Jennifer Renner, Director, Animal Services
Partners:
Banfield Foundation
Attachments:
Delegation Memo
Intent to Apply Approval
Banfield Foundation Grant Solicitation