Tulsa Animal Welfare, Oklahoma Alliance for Animals to Provide Heartworm Treatment to Heartworm-Positive Dogs

(TULSA, Okla.) Oklahoma Alliance for Animals has established a new partnership with Tulsa Animal Welfare to more easily place heartworm-positive dogs in adoptive homes.

With receipt of a $15,000 grant from Best Friends Animal Society, 60 dogs at Tulsa Animal Welfare will receive heartworm treatment at no additional cost to their new owners.

“We do not want a heartworm diagnosis to be a barrier for our dogs to find caring homes,” said Marshelle Freeman, Interim Manager at Tulsa Animal Welfare. “We are excited to be partnering with our community to provide this necessary treatment for the pets in our care, without having to pass those costs on to potential adopters.”

A heartworm diagnosis is common among dogs in the Tulsa area. Treatment typically involves medication and multiple veterinary visits over the course of several months.

With this medical funding now in place, heartworm-positive dogs will be able to continue full heartworm treatment through Tulsa Animal Welfare. Potential adopters can find out more by visiting www.tulsaanimalwelfare.com or by calling (918) 596-8000.

In April, Tulsa Animal Welfare partnered with Best Friends Animal Society to embed multiple staff members into the shelter to help build lifesaving programming for the shelter. This partnership with Oklahoma Alliance for Animals (OAA) enhances these efforts with further cooperation from area animal welfare partners.

“Collaboration is the cornerstone of Oklahoma Alliance for Animals,” OAA Executive Director Erin Schakelford said. “We are proud to be working with Tulsa Animal Welfare to find lifesaving solutions for heartworm positive dogs in our community.”

About Tulsa Animal Welfare
Tulsa Animal Welfare (TAW) is a division of the City of Tulsa's Working in Neighborhoods Department. Under the scope of the Mayor's Community Development and Education Initiatives, TAW is responsible for the welfare of companion animals in Tulsa. TAW handles more than 11,000 animals per year, including stray, surrendered, abused, and neglected animals. For more information, visit www.tulsaanimalwelfare.com.

About Oklahoma Alliance for Animals
Oklahoma Alliance for Animals is a Tulsa based nonprofit collaborative organization established in 2004. OAA’s primary purpose is to bring together the people and resources needed to overcome pet homelessness, abuse and neglect. Oklahoma Alliance for Animals is dedicated to reducing pet overpopulation, encouraging responsible pet ownership and promoting the humane treatment of animals through community collaboration and education.

About Best Friends Animal Society
Best Friends Animal Society is a leading animal welfare organization working to end the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters by 2025. Founded in 1984, Best Friends is a pioneer in the no-kill movement and has helped reduce the number of animals killed in shelters from an estimated 17 million per year to around 347,000. Best Friends runs lifesaving programs all across the country, as well as the nation’s largest no-kill animal sanctuary. Working collaboratively with a network of more than 3,300 animal welfare and shelter partners, and community members nationwide, Best Friends is working to Save Them All®. For more information, visit www.bestfriends.org.