Women’s Animal Center, 3839 Richlieu Road, Bensalem, has been named the recipient of The Kennel Club of Philadelphia’s Dogs’ Best Friend Award for 2023. The 154-year-old nonprofit dedicates itself to providing animals with excellent care and improving the overall wellbeing of them and their owners.
The award and a $5,000 donation from the KCP will be presented on Saturday, Nov. 18, during The National Dog Show ceremonies at The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks.
Founded in Philadelphia on April 14, 1869 by a group of 30 trailblazing women led by Caroline Earle White, Women’s Animal Center is America’s first animal shelter. It is a nonprofit organization dedicated to rehoming surrendered and abandoned dogs, cats and small pets. It has found forever homes for more than 10,000 animals over the past decade. It’s also the only open-admission animal shelter in Bucks County. Women’s Animal Center’s mission is to “save the lives of animals and improve the health of pets through sheltering and adoptions, veterinary services, community programs, educational resources and advocacy.”
The organization works to prevent pet surrenders to animal shelters by providing high-quality veterinary services through its AAHA-accredited veterinary hospital at low and affordable fees for owners. It maintains a community pet food pantry for pet owners in need, and helps pet owners financially to keep animals out of shelters and in their homes.
“It is a highlight for The Kennel Club of Philadelphia each year to recognize deserving public servants focused on animal welfare during our National Dog Show weekend in November,” said Wayne Ferguson, president of the KCP. “Women’s Animal Center has been doing this great work for over a century. We are privileged to honor them and to support their mission.”
“Women’s Animal Center assists thousands of animals and people in need throughout Bucks County and the Greater Philadelphia region each and every year, but receives no federal, state or local funding to do so,” said Cathy Malkemes, chief executive officer of the center. “We rely upon the generosity of our community to support our work, so to have the wonderful recognition and financial support of The Kennel Club of Philadelphia is truly invaluable to us, and to our animals.”
Women’s Animal Center is also a participant in Clear the Shelters, NBC10’s annual campaign promoting pet adoption and animal welfare in the region. Clear the Shelters is a national program in which NBCUniversal affiliates partner with animal shelters and rescues each August to help raise funds and save animals by finding them permanent homes. Last year, the initiative raised over $540,000 and facilitated more than 161,000 adoptions.
The Kennel Club of Philadelphia created the Dogs’ Best Friend Award to inspire and motivate others to contribute to animal welfare in their community and protect our region’s dogs whose service and companionship are a critical and enriching part of American life.
