Started with two women and a shelter in crisis.
"We got one dog adopted and three others didn't have to sit in the shelter all day. That's a win."— Connie Gilkerson, Co-Founder
In 2013, the animal shelter was euthanizing thousands of animals a year. Connie Gilkerson and Martha Cummings decided that was not acceptable. They started pulling the sickest, most vulnerable animals — the ones no one else would take — and paying vet bills under their own names.
They had no building, no budget, and no guarantee it would work. What they had was a mission that could not wait. From the beginning, ASAP built on community. PetSmart and Pet Supplies Plus created adoption floors where animals could be seen and chosen. Help for Animals provided low-cost spay and neuter support that made sustainability possible. One by One expanded the network through interstate rescue transport. The HCW Animal Shelter became a true partner — its euthanasia rates dropping year over year as ASAP's capacity grew.
Thirteen years and more than 3,500 rescued animals later, that shelter euthanizes zero animals for space. ASAP has never once taken a salary.
