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Animal Welfare

We focus on the wellbeing of domestic animals and injured wild animals, and ways to increase empathy toward animals among children and adults.

Our funding prioritizes the care of domestic animals and strengthening multigenerational human empathy toward them. We also focus on the care of injured wild animals to improve their odds of returning to the wild or protected areas.

Our Animal Welfare domain supports work in Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

$10,000,000

Total Granted in 2022

Companion Animals

Honey, a terrier mix, receives a health check-up at the Dane County Humane Society performed by Dr. Shak Makhijani (left) and Dr. Uri Donnett (right), both from the Shelter Medicine Program at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on July 9, 2020.

Our grantmaking helps local shelters and animal welfare organizations advance their work in a number of ways including community outreach, spaying/neutering, and sheltering animals in need.

A Partnership to Build Capacity of Animal Welfare Organizations

Keeping pets with their families in Leech Lake

Partnerships paying off in Western Montana

Wildlife Rehabilitation

A small number of rehabilitation sites in our region are permitted to rehabilitate marine animals, such as this seal pup.

We support organizations that help wild animals that are injured, sick, orphaned, or victims of oil spills, with the aim of recovery and release back into their natural habitats.

Empathy and Compassion for Animals

A female staffer at Woodland Park Zoo works with an opposum

Our research has identified educational programs at zoos and aquariums as playing a significant role in fostering strong connections between humans and other animals. This program focuses on helping people of all ages connect with, appreciate, and develop empathy for animals.