282,000 Lives Saved in ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge!

The results are in from this year’s ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge, and they couldn’t be more amazing: participating shelters saved more than 68,000 lives in just 3 months! Even more exciting is the total impact of the five years of the Challenge: more than 282,000 cats and dogs went home!

Each year, 50 shelters compete to win grants ranging from $5,000 to $100,000 by saving more lives. Those grants are then applied to continue the life saving by funding things like medical care and foster supplies.

But the ASPCA Rachael Ray $100K Challenge isn’t just about the grants or even the three months that it runs. Participating shelters have made lasting, meaningful changes to improve their adoption rates moving forward. What’s more, their creative ideas and successful programs have been shared with other shelters across the country so that even more animals are helped.

According to the ASPCA, “In this competition, the critical objective was not momentary accomplishment, but measurable improvement – that any shelter, from the most fortunate to the most challenged, can realistically aim higher, do better and place more wonderful animals in loving homes.”

Check out this video from the APSCA with all of the results (and some adorable cats and dogs!):

While the Challenge is over, don’t forget that there’s never a bad time to adopt a pet and give an animal a chance at a better life. With millions of dogs and cats alone in shelters each year, you always have the opportunity to save a life!