Announcing the 2026 community hero for our More Than a Pet campaign

Every family deserves the opportunity to keep and care for companion animals, regardless of how much money they make or where they live. At Humane World for Animals, we believe no one should be denied the joy, comfort, and lifelong benefits of the human-animal bond because they lack access to essential pet resources.  

Our More Than a Pet campaign was created with this very goal in mind. And now, from three extraordinary finalists for the 2026 More Than a Pet Community Hero Award, we have a winner.  

Congratulations to Chantal Wadsworth, 2026 More Than a Pet Community Hero. 

Nominated by Partnership With Native Americans, Chantal Wadsworth has dedicated her life to animal welfare in a community where access to resources is extremely limited. With only two veterinary clinics on the Navajo Nation (encompassing more than 27,000 square miles across Arizona, New Mexico and Utah), and significant barriers related to cost, distance, transportation and language, she has taken on a great challenge.  Chantal, of Shiprock, New Mexico, is dedicated to ensuring that families can get the veterinary care they need for their pets by providing financial support, coordinating appointments and personally transporting animals to appointments.  

Chantal regularly connects residents to clinics, offers her personal phone number to those without internet access and provides guidance in the Navajo language so that elders and families facing financial challenges are not excluded. She also founded the first-ever pet pantry on the Navajo Nation. 

For all this tremendous work, Chantal is the recipient of the 2026 More Than a Pet Community Hero Award. She has made exceptional contributions to advancing equity in access to pet care and resources in a situation where it really counts. This honor also recognizes her community organization, Partnership With Native Americans, with a $10,000 grant to provide essential support services for people and pets. 

More than 20 million pets in the U.S. live with families experiencing poverty or residing in underserved areas. These are areas where access to veterinary care, pet food and pet-friendly housing is limited. The work of our winner and finalists, this year and in previous years, embodies the core mission of Humane World for Animals, creating a more humane world by tackling the systemic challenges that place people and pets at risk. 

More Than a Pet 

Now in its third year, the More Than a Pet campaign honors community heroes making a tangible difference in access to care for pets and the people who love them. Each finalist received $5,000 in recognition of their efforts. The other finalists this year were: 

• Jewell Brown of Nashville, Tennessee, nominated by Pet Community Center 
• Luisa Lopez of Atlanta, Georgia, nominated by LifeLine Animal Project 

Chantal, Jewell and Luisa all demonstrated remarkable compassion and commitment in addressing barriers to pet care in their communities. Through acts of kindness and grassroots leadership, these heroes are helping to address a growing national crisis.  

Voting from the public determined Chantal as this year’s winner. The organizations that nominated the two runners-up each receive an additional $2,500 to continue their essential work.  

The campaign drew attention from celebrities and influencers who shared information about the More Than a Pet Community Hero Award on their social media channels, including Mya, Amir Arison, Candice Kumai, Shelby Susnick & Russell and Jennifer Coffey. 

Thanks to the generosity of More Than a Pet partners such as Cogir Senior Living, Smalls, Ace Cash Express and Hartz, we can continue to help keep people and their beloved pets together. 

A National Crisis Affecting Millions of Pets 

Across the country, families who love their animals are often forced to make impossible choices due to a lack of affordable veterinary services and pet supplies. These gaps in access can lead to preventable illness, surrender or separation between people and their pets. 

For years, we at Humane World for Animals have been working to close this gap through proven initiatives that prioritize keeping families together. Programs like Pets for Life and Rural Area Veterinary Services bring critical support directly into underserved communities, offering affordable veterinary care, preventive services and practical resources where they are needed most. 

These efforts transform lives not only for dogs, cats and other companion animals, but also for the people who depend on them for companionship.  

How You Can be a Hero for People and Their Pets 

What is so inspiring about access to care as a cause is that everyone can help in small ways create a kinder world. Here are some ideas for how you can get involved:  

• Offer support to your neighbors and your community. For example, some people may need a temporary home for their pet while they get back on their feet. Others may benefit from a neighbor offering to go to the pet store to get supplies for them. 
• Support animal rescues and shelters by asking how you can get involved and by donating funds or time to programs that provide veterinary care to pets in your community. 
• Volunteer if you’re a veterinary professional or student; please visit our RAVS resource page for information about how to volunteer or join Humane Veterinary Medical Alliance to engage in our training and advocacy efforts. 
• Support state and local public policy efforts that support people in your community who have companion animals. 
• Celebrate the human-animal bond by participating in our More Than a Pet campaign.  
• Add your name in support of pet equity.