Our Story
WHO WE ARE
For pets. For people. For good.
It’s more than a tagline, it’s our purpose. PetSmart Charities of Canada® believes pets contribute to a healthier, happier and more connected society – uniting us through the power of unconditional love.
From our start in 1999 our mission has grown to mirror the needs of the communities we serve, with pets at the heart of everything we do. Today, we are proud to be the leading funder of animal welfare in Canada.
OUR MISSION
We make the world a better place for pets by investing in community partners that advocate and care for the well-being of pets and all who love them.
Our Vision
A world where communities unite in support of pets together with their families.
Our Programs
OUR INVESTMENT IN STRATEGIC GRANTS AND PARTNERSHIPS CREATE POSITIVE CHANGE IN THE LIVES OF PETS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES.
CONNECTING PETS & PEOPLE
Everyone deserves the love of a pet. That’s why we partner with 100+ animal welfare organizations through grants that support pet adoption. Through our adoption centres & events at PetSmart stores, we’re dedicated to helping pets find loving families.
SUPPORTING PETS & PEOPLE
We support pets and their families by encouraging initiatives that keep them together. Our grants focus on partnerships with organizations that make veterinary care more affordable and accessible, prevent pet hunger, and provide disaster relief in times of crisis.
Dreams came true thanks to you
YOUR GIFTS IN 2023 TRANSFORMED LIVES.
19,043 FAMILIES CREATED
Provided more than $900,000 in funding for adoptions in PetSmart stores.
$187,000 IN RELIEF
Granted to 13 organizations to help pets and their families impacted by natural disasters.
OVER 8,400 PETS TRANSPORTED
To and throughout Canada to give them a better chance at finding a loving home.
OVER $2 MILLION
Granted to 22 organizations across Canada to help improve access to veterinary care for pets in need.
Across the Country YOUR IMPACT
Veterinarians
Without Borders Responds to Wildfires
Northwest Territories
When wildfires threatened the remote Northern community of Behchokó, Northwest Territories in the summer of 2023, Veterinarians Without Borders sprang into action. When many had to evacuate the community, VWB provided emergency services to pets and their families, including pet food, temporary shelters, and veterinary care, with the support of a $15,000 Disaster Response grant.
RAPS Veterinary Hospital Expansion
Richmond, British Columbia
Since opening six years ago, RAPS Animal Hospital in Richmond, BC has experienced exponential demand. The largest nonprofit animal hospital in Canada is about to get even bigger, thanks to a $575,000 grant from PetSmart Charities of Canada. The organization will be able to deliver twice as much care to pets in need in their community – aiming to help 20,000 pets per year.
Bogie Travels
North
For Adoption
Ancaster, Ontario
During July National Adoption Week, Veronica, a PetSmart Canada employee, connected with Texas Chihuahua Rescue Canada – an adoption partner that helps transport pets from Texas shelters for adoption in Southern Ontario. Soon after, Bogie made the trip up North and was adopted by Veronica and her husband at the Ancaster, Ontario PetSmart store. He is now a regular visitor at PetSmart’s Canadian Head Office!
Georgian Triangle Humane Society Saves Fluffy
Collingwood, Ontario
Fluffy’s family brought her into Georgian Triangle Humane Society for a spay surgery, as part of their partnership with Saugeen Shores First Nation community. When Fluffy was examined by their Veterinarian, they discovered she had a severely infected uterus and was very sick. Fluffy received the spay surgery she needed, saving her life.
Connecting Pets & People
INTRODUCING RESCUE WRITER ™
In 2023, our adoption efforts reached new heights with an impressive 19,043 pets finding their forever homes. This incredible number of adoptions brings us one more step toward creating a better life for homeless pets. With an estimated 100 thousand pets entering shelters each year, our work is far from over.
That’s why we introduced Rescue Writer™, a groundbreaking AI tool tailored for shelters, rescues, fosters, and volunteers. It’s the first of its kind, designed to craft compelling pet bios that showcase their distinct characteristics and captivate potential pet parents. Unfortunately, the workload on shelter staff, volunteers, rescues, and fosters is overwhelming, leaving them with little time to create unique bios for each pet.
This free, award-winning tool generates compelling, quirky, and heartwarming pet bios in seconds using only a few key terms. This means that pet caregivers can now devote more time to the animals, as the AI tool takes over the task of narrating each pet’s story!
Supporting Pets & People
PROVIDING ACCESS TO VET CARE
When Cinderella’s family noticed a lump on her belly, they didn’t expect it to be serious. After visiting their local vet, they were devastated to learn that she needed surgery to have it removed.
On top of the shock of the diagnosis came the news of what the surgery would cost. It was out of their reach, but Cinderella’s family knew they had to do what they could to help her. That’s when they turned to the Nova Scotia SPCA Veterinary Hospital, where Cinderella could get the care she needed at a cost they could afford thanks to grant funding provided by PetSmart Charities of Canada.
“Cinderella has now fully recovered, and we appreciate her every single day, recognizing each day that without the SPCA Veterinary Hospital and PetSmart Charities of Canada, we may not have had her this long,” says her family.
Supporting Pets & People
PARTNERING WITH UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS
Access to veterinary services in some parts of Canada is nearly impossible, due to geographic and cultural barriers. That’s why multi-year partnerships with universities like University of Calgary are pivotal in addressing pet healthcare disparities, particularly in remote Indigenous communities. In 2023, the team at University of Calgary continued their comprehensive animal health program with the Stoney Nakoda Nation, providing two preventative vet clinic events. At one clinic alone, they provided care to over three hundred pets, delivering accessible veterinary services that were previously out of reach for the community.
Supporting Pets & People
FEED HOPE, END PET HUNGER
When people experience food insecurity, often times their pets do too. That’s why in 2023, we recognized the inaugural Pet Hunger Awareness Day™ on Tuesday, September 26. Millions of pets across Canada face hunger yearly. Pet Hunger Awareness Day aimed to address the disastrous consequences families in need face, including making the impossible choice to surrender beloved pets when they can’t make ends meet. In honour of Pet Hunger Awareness Day, PetSmart Charities of Canada announced a $500,000 commitment to help end pet hunger.
Supporting Pets & People
RESPONDING TO WIDESPREAD WILDFIRES
The unprecedented 2023 wildfire season had a disastrous impact in many communities across Canada, but most notably in British Columbia, Alberta, Northwest Territories and Nova Scotia. When wildfires tore through communities in Nova Scotia in May, 2023, the team at PetSmart Charities of Canada and the Nova Scotia
SPCA sprang into action to help pets in need. With the support of a $25,000 Disaster Response grant, the team at Nova Scotia
SPCA helped rescue and care for pets displaced by the fires, so evacuated families could find shelter for themselves knowing their pets were safe. When the fires subsided, pets were joyfully reunited with their grateful pet parents.
A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS
OUR 2023 FINANCIALS
OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH
Each year, PetSmart helps provide critical support needed for PetSmart Charities of Canada to be able to advance our mission. From hosting pet adoptions at over 160 PetSmart stores to giving us space to collect donations at the register checkout, our friends at PetSmart stand by their motto: Anything for Pets. In addition to providing this ongoing support, PetSmart drives seasonal promotions to help further our work in local communities, including donating a portion of sales from the Chance & Friends collection of plush toys; allowing customers to convert Treats Rewards to donations, and extending their support through PetSmart’s network of vendor partners.
OUR SUPPORT FROM
PetSmart Charities of Canada partners with corporations that share our vision of a world where communities unite in support of pets together with their families. We aim to be there for pets and families through the entire journey, beginning with pet adoption and through all of life’s moments. Thank you to our corporate partners that are eager to help – whether they’re inspiring customers to give, engaging employees or supporting our work and driving our shared vision.
OUR LEADERSHIP
board of directors
Thank you to our Board of Directors for their tireless commitment to care for pets and the families who love them.
OFFICERS & DIRECTORS
Jim Persinger
Aimee Gilbreath
Janet Henry
Malcom Khan
Barbara Cartwright
Nils Kravis
Delmar Kyllo
Ways to Give
Advancing the mission of PetSmart Charities of Canada only happens because of the generosity of our donors. You have options when making a gift. Choose to give by mail, phone, or make your gift online now at:
As a Champion for Good, your monthly gift support plays a vital role in connecting families through pet adoption, creating access to affordable veterinary care, and assisting families in crisis through natural disasters. Join us and make a monthly contribution for those in need.
Remembering PetSmart Charities of Canada in your final wishes is a lasting way to change the lives of pets and people who love them. Whether through an outright gift in your will/bequest or by designating us as the beneficiary of your life insurance or retirement account, you will help make the world a better place for pets and their families for generations to come.
As a corporate partner, your contributions lead the change for good. Your support not only helps homeless pets find loving families it also ensures that families stay together with their pets even during life’s toughest moments. Contact gifts@petsmartcharities.org to learn how your company can get involved.
To learn more about opportunities to support PetSmart Charities of Canada, please visit PetSmartCharities.ca/Take-Action/Other-Ways-To-Give
FOR PETS. FOR PEOPLE. for good.
Dear Friend,
I hope 2023 was a healthy and happy year for you. As I reflect on what we did together to make life better for pets and the people they love, I’m encouraged and inspired.
We’re grateful for the support of our generous donors and corporate partners. In 2023, $3.4 million in grants were made to pet (and people) serving organizations, and every single dollar made a difference!
I’d like to share just a few highlights. The 2023 wildfire season was unprecedented, and PetSmart Charities of Canada distributed $187,000 in immediate funding to support the rescue, rehabilitation and reunification of displaced pets.
We also recognized our first annual Pet Hunger Awareness Day™ to shine a light on the fact that when families face food insecurity, so do their pets. To help support this important cause, we announced our $500,000 commitment to helping end pet hunger in Canada.
As animal shelters continued to experience overcrowding, our in-store adoption program helped more than 19,000 pets find loving homes. It’s such a source of pride for our team, knowing so many lost and lonely pets found people to love and adore.
We continued to fulfill our commitment to investing $18 million in building access to veterinary care for the millions of pets in need across Canada. To that end, we launched two new grant cohorts: one to reach Indigenous communities who have been historically excluded from the veterinary care system, and another to expand services for more low-cost clinics. These significant investments promise to carve systematic change across the entire ecosystem.
On behalf of our team, we are thankful to you, our donors, partners and friends at PetSmart for your heart and passion. Because of you, more pets are living their best lives giving love and companionship to people – and that makes for healthy families and communities.
With gratitude,
Aimee Gilbreath, MBA President PetSmart Charities of Canada
