Washoe County Regional Animal Services has received a $200,000 Community Lifesaving Award to support efforts towards the humane care, treatment, adoption or rescue of animals in Regional Animal Services’ care.

The award was accepted with gratitude by the Washoe County Board of County Commissioners during today’s Commission meeting.

“The Maddie’s Fund® award will provide much needed and welcome support for a variety of valuable programs that assist with the health and well-being of animals entrusted to our care,” Washoe County Regional Animal Service Manager Barry Brode said.

"This award also provides important acknowledgement, on a national level, for the hard work, dedication and commitment Regional Animal Services staff have for the welfare of animals in our community,” Brode said.

Maddie's® Community Lifesaving Award acknowledges the outstanding contributions being made by communities that have implemented an adoption guarantee for all healthy shelter pets. Washoe County Regional Animals Services received the award in response to an application submitted to Maddie’s Fund through the Nevada Humane Society.

Maddie’s Fund is a family foundation which is funded by the founder of Workday and PeopleSoft, Dave Duffield and his wife, Cheryl.  Maddie’s Fund is helping to create an environment where all the healthy and treatable shelter dogs and cats are guaranteed a loving home.

To achieve this goal, Maddie’s Fund is investing its resources in building community collaborations where animal welfare organizations come together to develop successful models of lifesaving; in veterinary colleges to help shelter medicine become part of the veterinary curriculum to train veterinarians to save the lives of sick and injured dogs and cats in animal shelters; and in the implementation of a national effort to promote accountability and transparency in animal shelter operations.

Maddie’s Fund is named after the family’s beloved Miniature Schnauzer who passed away in 1997.

Representatives from Maddie’s Fund will be in Reno on Tuesday, August 14, to make a formal presentation of the donation at the shared Washoe County Regional Animal Services/Nevada Humane Society facility on Longley Lane.