SickKids Foundation is teaming up with PetSmart to help fund the pet therapy program at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) that will provide thousands of patients with access to canine comfort teams. As the first sponsorship of its kind in Canada, PetSmart Paws for Hope at SickKids kicked off yesterday with a commitment of $500,000 over the next five years. In addition to the pet therapy program, funds will support the Possibilities Fund which helps support the most urgent needs of the hospital as they arise.

“Pets comfort us when we need them the most. Through PetSmart Paws for Hope at SickKids, we have the opportunity to help more patients experience the supportive power of pets,” said John DeFranco, president, PetSmart Canada. “We are proud to partner with SickKids to help fund their pet therapy program and look forward to watching this unique life-changing program grow.”

Each year, more than 100,000 families across Canada rely on the lifesaving care provided at SickKids. The PetSmart Paws for Hope program will create additional pet therapy teams in the hospital and allow for more daily visits from a therapy animal for each patient. Therapeutic dogs play a big part in helping patients by motivating them to perform their physiotherapy and comforting them by reducing stress and anxieties. This funding has also helped to achieve what is believed to be a North American first – a pet reading program currently in development. This is an innovative approach being used at SickKids where patients read to therapy dogs while in hospital.

“We appreciate the immense support that PetSmart is giving to our Pet Therapy program,” said Susan O’Dowd, vice president, Human Resources, SickKids. “We’ve seen first-hand the unique capacity of pets to provide comfort and support and thanks to this sponsorship, this supportive power will have a significant impact on the many patients and families here at SickKids.”

Along with supporting the pet therapy program within the hospital, PetSmart has also brought the power of pets to the SickKids signature family fundraising event, the Canaccord Genuity Great Camp Adventure Walk, which took place on September 27, 2014. This marked the first time ever that four-legged family members were welcome to join the festivities.

About PetSmart Canada®

In Canada, PetSmart, Inc. (NASDAQ: PETM) is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime needs of pets, which employs approximately 3,400 associates and operates over 100 pet stores across Canada, 7 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel® dog and cat boarding facilities and is a leading provider of pet supplies and pet care information (www.petsmart.ca). PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet products; and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day CampSM day care services and pet adoption services. Through its in-store pet adoption partnership with PetSmart Charities® of Canada, PetSmart has helped save the lives of more than 150,000 pets since 1999.

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About SickKids Foundation

Established in 1972, SickKids Foundation raises funds on behalf of The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and is the largest charitable funder of child health research, learning and care in Canada. Philanthropy is a critical source of funding for SickKids – one of the world’s foremost paediatric health-care institutions. Thanks to the generosity of the community, and as a result of a record-breaking year in fundraising and investment returns, SickKids Foundation invested an unprecedented $129.3 million in grants and charitable activities for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014. For more information, please visit www.sickkidsfoundation.com.