Aberdeen-based PAWS of Grays Harbor, a no-kill animal shelter established in 1973, has been awarded a $10,000 grant from national non-profit Petco Love, the non-profit arm of Petco, a health and wellness company focused on improving the lives of pets, pet parents, and Petco partners.

According to a joint press release, Petco Love is a national nonprofit leading change for pets by harnessing the power of love to make communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier. Since its founding in 1999, Petco Love has invested nearly $410 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts. Petco Love helps find loving homes for pets in partnership with Petco and more than 4,000 organizations across North America, with nearly 7 million pets adopted and counting.

“This life saving investment from Petco Love is important because our animal shelter relies on grants and donations to cover our operating expenses to care for our dogs and cats,” said Stacie Barnum, PAWS of Grays Harbor board president. “We used the investment to help pay for necessary medical needs, surgeries, and direct care of our pets. Grants like these help save pet lives.”

This is the second such grant, known as “life saving investments,” awarded to an animal shelter in Grays Harbor County. Hoquiam-based North Beach PAWS received $5,000 in April.

“Our investment in PAWS of Grays Harbor is part of more than $12 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,” said Susanne Kogut, president of Petco Love. “Our local investments are only part of our strategy to empower animal lovers to drive lifesaving change right alongside us. We launched Petco Love Lost, a free national lost and found database that uses photo-matching technology to simplify the search for lost pets.”

Petco Love awards grants in numerous categories including spay and neuter programs, animal welfare, shelter pet cancer treatment, vaccinations, and disaster relief.