Ian Somerhalder Foundation Announces New Emergency Medical Care Grant for Animals

Featured as one of our “10 Celebrities Actually Doing Great Work for Animals,” Ian Somerhalder proves yet again that he’s worthy of the title! Best known for his work playing the vampire Damon Salvatore on “Vampire Diaries,” Somerhalder has quickly become known as an inspiring and passionate advocate for animals.

Somerhalder created the Ian Somerhalder Foundation (ISF) t0 “empower, educate and collaborate with people and projects to positively impact the planet and its creatures.” It’s a lofty goal, but they are definitely making an impact.

The issues covered by ISF are multi-faceted and include:

• Ending animal cruelty and promoting programs such as: “species specific sterilization drugs,” transferring and re-training of abandoned animals into assistive and therapy guides.
• Supporting and creating sustainable strategies for “no-kill shelters.”

The Ian Somerhalder Foundation Animal Sanctuary is in the works, and now the foundation has announced the ISF Emergency Medical Care Grant for Animals.

The grant “provides financial assistance to animal welfare organizations, agencies, and in some cases individual rescuers, responsible for the care of animals recovering from abuse, neglect or injuries suffered from a traumatic event.”

Many shelters and rescues are strained for financial resources, especially when caring for emergency situations. This grant will enable them to put the focus on the animals when they need it most.

Check out the video below of Ian Somerhalder (and some of his adorable dogs!) to hear more about the grant. You can also see how truly excited he is to be able to help more animals and the people who help them.

You rock, Ian!