Since 2016, the Gregory J. Reiter Memorial Fund has partnered with PETA to present an annual animal rescue award of $1,000 to an organization or individual doing exceptional work for horses, dogs, cats, and other animals.  Awardees to date have been:

2019: Paulette Dean -  for 27 years as Danville Area Humane Society Executive Director, and accomplishments including passing one of Virginia's strictest anti-tethering ordinances.

2018: Stacey Norris - Houses of Wood & Straw for building over 1,000 doghouses for backyard dogs in Central Virginia.

2017: Virginia Beach SPCA for offering shelter and care for over 4,000 companion animals each year.

2016: Katie McCotter of Suffok, Virginia for fostering horses, pigs, chickens and other homeless animals.

(5/13/19)

Since 2016, the Fund has supported PETA’s Campaign to End Racehorse Cruelty. 

In 2019 to date, the Campaign has successfully advocated for a series of urgent responses after the death of 23 horses at Santa Anita Park -- including a phased ban on whips and race-day medications at Stronach Group California racetracks, and an investigation by the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

In 2018, the Campaign led the New York State Gaming Commission to implement new anti-doping regulations.

In 2017, the Campaign introduced a new technology that allows bettors to donate for racehorse aftercare, to prevent these horses being sent to slaughter in Canada or Mexico.

In 2016, the Greg Fund worked with PETA's Campaign to rescue racehorse Charlie’s Quest when he was at imminent risk of breaking down on the track, and then provided two months of rehabilitative care, before Greg's surviving family adopted him.

During the full year of his life in 2014, Greg and his wife Alysoun adopted two PETA rescue horses--Henry, who had raced as Root Beer Float, and another horse named Caroline.
 
 
 

(Photo of Charlie (l) and Henry courtesy of Irene Abdou)

(4/6/19)

The Gregory J. Reiter Memorial Fund has made major grants annually since 2016 to support the many programs of PETA’s Cruelty Investigations Department / Community Animal Project.

The Project's work in low-income communities of Virginia and North Carolina includes: 

• Sterilizing over 10,000 companion animals per year.  Many of the surgeries are performed free of charge.
• Educating dog owners about proper care, and encouraging them to bring dogs inside - with approaches ranging from one-on-one conversations, to billboards along major highways, to televised public service announcements.
• Delivering sturdy dog houses, straw insulation, and donated food for backyard dogs.
• Securing the release of backyard dogs when owners are unable to meet legal requirements.
• Partnering with a network of local shelters and rescue groups to re-home former backyard dogs, and hosting an annual Poochella adopt-a-thon.
• Working with local jurisdictions to draft regulations to ban or restrict backyard dog chaining and penning.

The Project has provided testimony and public education since 2017 in support of Virginia statewide legislation to protect backyard dogs. In spring 2019, the first piece of legislation was passed, mandating improved shelter and space for outdoor dogs.

The Project has also conducted hurricane relief work in its home region, and in Texas and Puerto Rico.

In 2013, Greg adopted Itchy, a senior dog who was rescued by PETA after at least seven years penned outdoors. In 2018, Greg's surviving family adopted Christopher, who had been penned outdoors for at least two years before PETA rescued him and partnered with the Virginia Beach SPCA to rehire him.

(4/6/19)

In 2019, the Gregory J. Reiter Memorial Fund was part of a coalition that helped White Coat Waste Project (WCW) end 37 years of U.S. Department of Agriculture toxoplasmosis studies that killed over 3,000 kittens. The coalition,  including a bipartisan group of over 50 U.S. Congresspeople, also secured a USDA commitment to adopt out the surviving 14 cats. The story was covered in depth by NBC News and NPR, among others.

In 2018, the Fund was part of a coalition that helped White Coat Waste Project (WCW) end a deadly U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) nicotine addiction experiment on squirrel monkeys.  The coalition, including Dr. Jane Goodall and a bipartisan group of U.S. Congresspeople, then ensured that a monkey named Gregory, along with 25 surviving members of his group, moved to freedom at Florida Jungle Friends Primate Sanctuary. The story was covered by CNN and the New York Times, among others.

Additionally, the Fund partnered with Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary to rescue lab hens who had been part of a fertility research study, allowing them to live out their days at sanctuary rather than being killed when the experiments were complete.

Also in 2018, the Fund made a grant to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), which co-sponsored the California Cruelty-Free Cosmetics Act, signed into law in September, that bans the sale of cosmetics tested on animals after January 1, 2020.

(4/4/19)

Since 2016, the Gregory J. Reiter Memorial Fund has partnered with Animal Place's Food for Thought program to establish and expand its Wildlife and Environmental arm.

The program offers cash grants and other resources to qualifying organizations that adopt earth- and animal-friendly menu policies.

In 2019, we raised the maximum Policy Grant to $1,000 for each organization that formally approves a vegan menu policy. Organizations that adopt vegetarian policies qualify for $250 grants.

Additionally, through collaboration with another private donor in 2018, Food for Thought began offering Event Grants to animal and environmental organizations for piloting all-vegan events.

Wildlife & Environmental organizations that have received Food for Thought Policy Grants or Event Grants include:

Animal Help Now (Boulder, CO)

Citizen Coalition for Wildlife and Environment (Grand Island, NY)

Climate First! (Takoma Park, MD)

Climate Tracker (International)

Colorado Native Bird Care and Conservation (Lyons, CO)

Fauna Foundation (Carignan, Québec)

Friends of Washoe (Ellensburg, WA)

Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (Phoenix, AZ)

North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance (San Francisco, CA)

SanDiego350 (San Diego, CA)

Second Chance Wildlife Center (Gaithersburg, MD)

Second Chance Wildlife Rehabilitation (Pueblo, CO)

Wildcare (San Rafael, CA)

Wildlife Rescue League (Falls Church, VA)

(4/6/19)