Montclair, NJ, Oct. 30, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shelter Animals Count (SAC), a national, independent 501c3 organization established in 2012, named Sara Kent as its first Chief Executive Officer (CEO). SAC has created a first-of-its-kind database dedicated to the collection and reporting of animal data for shelter and rescue organizations across the country.
In this new role, Kent will be at the forefront of a pioneering initiative in animal welfare, building on the solid infrastructure put in place through the commitment of the 16-member Board to deliver life-saving tools to every single organization in the country that impacts homeless dogs and cats.
“We believe Sara’s passion, experience and leadership make her the perfect fit as our first CEO for Shelter Animals Count,” said Jodi Buckman, SAC Board Chair. “We look forward to having her lead us in our mission to enable data-driven decisions to promote saving companion animals’ lives and preventing homelessness."
Kent brings over 17 years of collaboration and technology development with her from Petfinder. Together with her team, she managed relationships with over 14,000 animal adoption organizations. Kent also led the creation of Petfinder Pro, the professional portal for Petfinder, dedicated to providing tools and resources to animal shelters and rescue organizations.
Kent stated, “It is an honor to be chosen as the first Chief Executive Officer of Shelter Animals Count. I am excited to have the opportunity to combine my passion for technology, innovation, and collaboration to help further the efforts of this national database project. I look forward to helping animal welfare organizations and the pets they serve across our nation.”
In addition to her experience with Petfinder, Sara serves as a board member for the Animal Welfare Federation of New Jersey; a statewide collection of professional animal welfare advocates working together to improve the lives of animals. She is also the founder of FIVER Cats, an online resource dedicated to community cats and FIV+ cats.
As SAC membership continues to increase beyond its current 4700 shelter and rescue base, the database will be able to measure progress across the animal welfare space on a national level, inspire life-saving collaboration and increased public engagement, and have a positive impact on pet homelessness in the future.
About Shelter Animals Count
Shelter Animals Count is an independent 501(c)(3) with broad collaboration from the animal welfare community. Shelter Animals Count exists to create, steward and share a national database of sheltered animal statistics, providing facts and enabling insights that will increase lifesaving opportunities.
Board membership of Shelter Animals Count includes key representation from the following organizations: Animal Humane Society, MN; the ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals); Association of Shelter Veterinarians; Best Friends Animal Society; Humane Society of the Pike’s Peak Region; The Humane Society of the United States; Maddie’s Fund; National Animal Care & Control Association; National Council on Pet Population; Petco Foundation; PetSmart Charities; Society of Animal Welfare Administrators; University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine; University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine; and Wisconsin Humane Society.
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