Lost Our Home Pets Foundation has helped almost 9,000 pets since 2008
Scottsdale, Ariz. (April 26, 2011) – United Animal Nations (UAN), a national animal protection organization, today issued its annual Animals’ Choice Award to mortgage professional Jodi Polanski, who founded the nonprofit Lost Our Home Pet Foundation in 2008 to help pets being abandoned by owners who lost their homes to foreclosure.
  UAN Animals’ Choice Award recipient Jodi Polanski and Little Mr., a cat rescued through the nonprofit she founded to help animal victims of foreclosure.  |
UAN presents the Animals’ Choice Award annually to an individual who advocates for animals beyond the scope of his or her profession. Polanski started Lost Our Home after learning that real estate agents were finding abandoned pets while showing vacant homes to potential buyers.
“Originally I started the organization to be a resource for realtors who came upon abandoned pets, so they could call us and we could make sure the animal was cared for,” Polanski said. “But as the group got bigger and bigger, we became a resource for the whole community and started programs to prevent animals from being abandoned in the first place.”
In addition to rescuing and rehoming abandoned pets, Lost Our Home provides temporary foster homes to pet owners who are forced to move due to evictions, foreclosures or other financial hardships, and offers free food and supplies to people in financial crisis so they can afford to keep their pets.
“UAN’s mission is to bring animal from crisis to care and preserve the bond between people and pets, and Jodi lives that mission every day,” said President and CEO Nicole Forsyth. “She is our clear choice for this year’s Animals’ Choice Award.”
“It is an honor to be recognized by a national animal protection organization for the work we are doing in Phoenix,” Polanski said. “Our volunteers contribute countless hours to caring for animals in need, and this award is a testament to their compassion.”
Since its inception, Lost Our Home Pet Foundation has fed 7,500 pets through its food bank program and rescued, rehomed or reunited 1,332 pets. The $500 grant that accompanies UAN’s Animals’ Choice Award will help Lost Our Home rescue, vaccinate, vet, spay or neuter, and adopt out six rescued animals.
MEDIA CONTACT: Alexis Raymond, United Animal Nations, (916) 429-2457, ext 314
Founded in 1987, United Animal Nations focuses on bringing animals out of crisis and strengthening the bond between people and animals through a variety of programs, including emergency sheltering, disaster relief services, financial assistance and education.
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