The Henrico Humane Society (HHS) announced today that it had received a grant from the Jessica Beath Foundation. The foundation also agreed to a matching gift program for donations made to Henrico Humane Society through February 2011. The Beath Foundation’s mission is to provide for general charitable purposes, most notably the care and rescue of animals.

“This generous grant from The Beath Foundation will allow us to help animals in desperate need of expensive medical care which we may not have otherwise been able to afford,” said Courtney Morano, Henrico Humane Society president. “We are grateful for their support of our organization, which operates solely on donations, volunteers and fundraising."

As a result of the grant, HHS recently was able to save Beatrice, a puppy rescued from an animal shelter and diagnosed with persistent aortic arch condition, which requires open heart surgery. Dr. Lori Pasternak, with Helping Hands Veterinary Surgical and Dental Care, performed the surgery which saved Beatrice's life. The society intends to provide medical care for many other animals as a result of the new grant.

Jessica Beath started The Beath Foundation in 1991 to honor the memory of her husband Dr. Thomas Beath, her parents Mr. and Mrs. William Thomas and her sisters Annie Thomson and Beatrice Stockdale. She died this year at the age of 106.