Local animal shelter receives $500,000 gift

Canyon Lake’s animal shelter, Animal Friends of the Valleys (AFV), is receiving a $500,000 grant from national nonprofit Petco Love to help with the construction costs of the shelter’s new low-cost spay/neuter clinic being built at the Wildomar shelter.

The shelter is under contract to provide shelter services for several area cities, including Canyon Lake.

“This generous grant from Petco Love towards our new low-cost spay/neuter clinic will allow AFV to continue our mission of saving lives by reducing pet overpopulation,” Mo Middleton, Executive Director of AFV, said. “AFV has broken ground on the new clinic which will serve shelter and community pets.”

Petco Love is a national nonprofit organization that is leading change for pets by harnessing the power of love to make communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier, Susanne Kogut, president of Petco Love, said.

“Our investment in Animal Friends of the Valleys is part of more than $15 million in investments recently announced by Petco Love to power local organizations across the country as part of our commitment to create a future in which no pet is unnecessarily euthanized,” Susanne said.

“Our local investments are only part of our strategy to empower animal lovers to drive lifesaving change right alongside us.”

Animal Friends of the Valleys is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting humane care of animals through education and proactive animal service programs.

In addition to Canyon Lake, it serves the cities of Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Menifee, Murrieta, and Temecula and surrounding rural county areas.