Losing a pet is always a heartbreaking experience. It also can be an inspiring one. A number of extraordinary animal–loving people turned their grief into a crusade to help future animals. These donors have set up donor–advised funds through Morris Animal Foundation to raise money for a specific health issue or cause that has affected their lives. Many of the donors raise funds through community events, local businesses, garage sales, Internet forums, etc.

For more information on donor–advised funds, contact Rachel Kulkarni at rkulkarni@MorrisAnimalFoundation.org or call 800.243.2345.

Some of our current funds include:

Meisha's Hope AIHA/IMHA Fund (#338) was created in memory of a mixed–breed dog named Meisha who survived a terrible blood disease for more than 10 years. The fund raises money for new treatments for auto–immune hemolytic anemia in dogs.

Pepper Memorial Cancer Fund (#335) memorializes a prize–winning agility dog named Pepper who died of cancer. The donors raise money for canine cancer research via an annual agility tournament.

Kady's Cure memorializes a Scottish terrier named Kady who died of a horrible infectious bacterial disease called leptosporosis. Kady's family is raising money to fund research to prevent and treat this disease.

Ben Cote Veterinary Student Scholarship Fund was started in memory of Ben Cote, an 8–year–old boy who died of cancer in 2007. More than anything else, Ben wanted to be a veterinarian. His family and friends started the fund to support an MAF Veterinary Student Scholar project each year.