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DENVER/April 5, 2021 – Morris Animal Foundation has received more than $850,000 in two gifts from the estate of Ruth Kathleen “Kathy” Elmore, a horse lover from Grammer, Indiana. Combined, it is among the largest planned giving donations the Foundation has ever received.

Elmore passed away in 2016 at the age of 80. For most of her adult life, she worked as a legal secretary at the Cummins Engine Company, in Columbus, Indiana. She loved horses and collected anything that had to do with them, from books and statues to photos and other memorabilia. Elmore was survived by her two beloved horses, Chick and Red, and her cat, Smokey. She asked that proceeds from her estate benefit equine health research at Morris Animal Foundation.

“We are grateful to Ms. Elmore for these generous gifts that will help us address the critical health problems our equine companions face,” said Tiffany Grunert, Morris Animal Foundation President and CEO. “We are living in difficult times right now and this level of support can accomplish so much in our efforts to advance the health and well-being of animals.”

Morris Animal Foundation has been funding equine health research since 1950, leading to breakthroughs in the prevention and treatment of many devastating diseases, such as Potomac horse fever, equine metabolic syndrome, cancer, foal pneumonia, lavender foal syndrome and more.

The Foundation’s planned giving program, the Lamplighter Society, is a way for donors to make a lasting difference for animal health. Planned gifts made through life insurance plans, retirement assets, bequests or trusts often are transformative gifts and help the Foundation plan for the future.

Morris Animal Foundation is one of the few global nonprofit organizations focused on improving the health of animals, including dogs, cats, horses and wildlife. As the cost of conducting groundbreaking scientific research continues to increase, the Foundation remains dedicated to its promise to fund outstanding research and support excellent scientists who hold the keys to a healthier future for all animals.

About Morris Animal Foundation

Morris Animal Foundation’s mission is to bridge science and resources to advance the health of animals. Founded by a veterinarian in 1948, we fund and conduct critical health studies for the benefit of all animals. Learn more at morrisanimalfoundation.org.