The Michelson Found Animals Foundation Saving Pets Challenge Raises Over $1 Million to Improve Quality of Life for Companion Pets and Their Humans

Here are the top winners of the competition:

1st place: Friends to the Forlorn Pitbull Rescue raised an astonishing $306,514 thanks to 1,386 donors. Friends to the Forlorn Pitbull Rescue, Inc. is a volunteer-based 501(c)3 rescue and community outreach organization. Their mission is to promote responsible pitbull ownership, provide breed education, combat pet overpopulation, fight unfair legislation, find qualified homes for sound pitbull-type dogs and other dogs in need in Georgia, and help people and animals within their community.

2nd place: Animal Friends Alliance raised an incredible $148,886 thanks to 826 donors. Animal Friends Alliance’s mission is to provide comprehensive companion animal resources, services, and education to the community to prevent homelessness and promote the human-animal bond.

3rd place: Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue raised a remarkable $65,750 thanks to 495 donors. Since 2004, Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue has been working to reduce the number of animals euthanized at local shelters in metro Atlanta. They work closely with animal control officers to save adoptable dogs that are often moments away from being put to sleep. Mostly Mutts provides housing, health care, training, and physical and emotional care to them until they can be placed in a new home.

4th place: Rock N’ Rescue raised a remarkable $63,495 thanks to 88 donors. Rock N’ Rescue is a non-profit organization based in South Salem, NY. Their mission is to both rescue and re-home pets in need. Their primary focus is to assist families looking for a pet that is not only happy and healthy, but a pet that can provide a therapeutic solution for emotional and physical ailments. Although they specialize mainly in cats, we also can custom search for dogs, guinea pigs and other pets for approved adopters.

5th place: K-9 Lifesavers raised a spectacular $57,299 thanks to 300 donors. K-9 Lifesavers is an all-volunteer, non-profit rescue group, dedicated to saving the lives of homeless and abandoned dogs from high-kill shelters, and other high-risk situations. They rescue dogs and puppies from high-kill shelters and high-risk situations in Alabama, Georgia, West Virginia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Alabama, Texas, and Kentucky, where dogs are only held anywhere from three to seven days before euthanasia.

These are only five of over 170 organizations that came together to crush the competition and raise funds for all their worthy causes. Each and every one of them is making a huge difference with every dollar raised.

“We are just astounded by the hard work and dedication of these organizations and are so very touched we can help save more lives and keep more pets and people together,” said Brett Yates, CEO of the Michelson Found Animals Foundation. “Since starting the Saving Pets Challenge in 2014, we have now raised over $10 million for rescues across the country, while MFA has provided an additional $1.3 million in grant money to those organizations. We look forward to many more challenges and working together to keep these causes going strong.”

For more information on the 2022 Saving Pets Challenge and a full list of participating organizations and amounts raised, visit savingpetschallenge.org.

This year’s Saving Pets Challenge raised $1,035,770 from 7,254 donors in one month to benefit organizations dedicated to improving the quality of life for companion pets and their humans. The funds were raised by more than 170 participating animal welfare organizations using the fundraising platform Mightycause.

The Saving Pets Challenge is an annual online fundraising campaign hosted by the Michelson Found Animals Foundation (MFA) that has raised more than $10 million over the past eight years. Organizations from around the country raise money and compete for $150,000 in grant prizes to put toward innovative programs that expand lifesaving capacity in their communities.

The additional $150,000 in grants will be provided by MFA. Mightycause and MFA worked together to create this opportunity for human and animal welfare nonprofits from across the United States to learn critical fundraising skills and build a donor base that will help them achieve their lifesaving goals by competing for cash prizes.

“Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue & Adoptions is so proud to have placed third in this National contest,” said Tammy Turley, executive director of Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue & Adoptions, Inc. “We are honored that so many people support our cause. Mostly Mutts will continue to work hard, save lives, and make you proud. We look forward to next year!”