NEWS RELEASE
ARK CAT SANCTUARY ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO ADOPT A NEW
BEST FRIEND DURING PETSMART CHARITIES NATIONAL
ADOPTION WEEK March 24 – 30
Ark Cat Sanctuary receives a $25,000 grant to help more adoptable pets find people to love
FLAGSTAFF, AZ – March 21, 2025 – Pets are family, and can bring hope, companionship and
unconditional love to their people. Adopting a pet in need of a home can bring joy to people and also impact communities, alleviating strain on overcrowded shelters. That’s why Ark Cat
Sanctuary will have many adoptable cats and kittens at the Flagstaff PetSmart for PetSmart
Charities® National Adoption Week, taking place March 24th through March 30th, 2025. Ark
Cat Sanctuary aims to find homes for 25 cats during the event.
Ark Cat Sanctuary is dedicated to improving the lives of cats in need, especially those coming
from difficult circumstances. We focus on rescuing and offering a safe haven for cats, across
Northern Arizona, including those found abandoned or living in harsh conditions. With the
support of this grant, Ark Cat Sanctuary will provide comprehensive adoption preparation care
for hundreds of cats (ranging from spay & neuter, to vaccinations, to microchips, and major
medical) and find them loving forever homes at our PetSmart adoption center.
One story that truly highlights the impact of this support is Acorn. She was a tiny 8-week-old kitten when she was
found on the side of the road in Flagstaff at night during a
winter storm. The kind people who found her didn’t know
what to do with her so they called the Ark Cat Sanctuary
after hours for help. After a few weeks in care, she was
up for adoption and found a great home. Today, Acorn is
flourishing in her new home, where she’s settled in with
her new family. Her journey is a testament to the
difference a little care and attention can make for a cat in
need.
Our partnership with both the Flagstaff PetSmart store and PetSmart Charities is essential to
realizing our mission of rescuing cats and kittens and adopting them into homes. We do our
adoptions almost exclusively through the adoption center at the Flagstaff PetSmart store.
PetSmart Charities connects adoption partners such as Ark Cat Sanctuary with local PetSmart
stores to bring adoptable pets in for adoption events and meet and greets. These include pets of all ages, breeds, temperaments, and energy levels. Staff and volunteers are available to help
make ideal matches considering lifestyle and other preferences such as energy levels,
personalities, sizes, etc.
“Support from PetSmart Charities is truly invaluable to us at Ark Cat Sanctuary,” said Susan
Marue, Executive Director at Ark Cat Sanctuary. “We’re the only cat sanctuary in Northern
Arizona and thanks to our partnership with PetSmart Charities, we’ve been able to rescue and
find homes for hundreds of cats and kittens from our community each year. Our work isn’t just
about saving lives—it’s about giving these animals a chance at a better life in a loving home.”
“Our local shelter and rescue partners are overflowing with animals looking for people to love.
Adopting or fostering a pet not only enriches your life but is the best way to support your
community and local partners like Ark Cat Sanctuary in their life saving work,” said Heidi
Marston, director of pet placement at PetSmart Charities. “There is nothing like the
unconditional love of a pet! Please stop by your neighborhood PetSmart store and meet your new best friend.”
To learn more about how we help cats in the community visit our website at
https://www.arkcatsanctuary.org or you can find us on Facebook and Instagram
@arkcatsanctuary
Adoptable cats & kittens will be available at the Flagstaff PetSmart, 1121 S Plaza Way,
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 during National Adoption Week, March 24-30:
Monday – Saturday: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Siblings Thread, Needle, and Stitch are waiting to meet you at the Flagstaff PetSmart during
National Adoption Week!
About Ark Cat Sanctuary
Ark Cat Sanctuary has been part of the animal welfare community in Northern Arizona for 19
years. Our mission is saving at-risk cats and kittens. We take cats and kittens from municipal
shelters and the public in Flagstaff, the Navajo Nation, and Northern Arizona, provide the care
they need to become healthy and adoptable, and then adopt them into permanent homes at the
Flagstaff PetSmart store. Cats with behavioral or health issues who cannot be adopted out have a permanent home at the Sanctuary. The Ark facility is located on 10 acres in the Kaibab National Forest near Parks, AZ.
Our Executive Director lives on the Sanctuary property and provides 24-hour care for medical intakes, small kittens, and the resident cats.
The Ark Cat Sanctuary is unique in that we the only shelter in Northern Arizona that solely accepts cats.
About PetSmart Charities®
Pets are family. For 30 years, PetSmart Charities has remained committed to making the world a
better place for pets and all who love them. Through in-store adoptions at PetSmart® stores,
local shelter partners help hundreds of thousands of pets find loving families each year.
PetSmart Charities also delivers grant funding to support animal and human welfare organizations that advocate and care for the well-being of all pets and their families to improve access to veterinary care, alleviates pet hunger and integrates the needs of pets into disaster response. Each year, millions of generous supporters support the mission by donating at PetSmart® registers in-store or online at Petsmart.com, or directly at PetSmartCharities.org. In turn, PetSmart Charities efficiently uses more than 90 cents of every dollar donated to fulfill its role as the leading funder of animal welfare in North America, granting more than $500 million since its inception in 1994.
Independent from PetSmart LLC, PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization that has
received the Four-Star Rating from Charity Navigator for the past 18 years in a row – placing it
among the top one percent of rated charities. To learn more visit www.petsmartcharities.org
Follow PetSmart Charities on Instagram: @PetSmartCharities
Find PetSmart Charities on Facebook: Facebook.com/PetSmartCharities
See PetSmart Charities on YouTube: YouTube.com/PetSmartCharitiesInc
Ark Cat Media Contact:
Jasmin Nuevo
928-863-4510
info@arkcatsanctuary.org
24-Hour PetSmart Charities Media Line: 623-587-2177
Last modified: March 20, 2025
