Man's Spare Change Adds Up to $21,495 for Animal Rescue

As the old saying goes, every penny counts.

Bradenton’s Rick Snyder proved that recently by taking the spare change he’s collected over the course of a decade and donating it to the Gulf Shore Animal League. Weighing in at a whopping 2,500 pounds, according to The Tampa Tribune, the donation totaled $21,495.

The nonprofit animal league is Manatee County’s Trap Neuter and Release partner in its no-kill effort, according to its website. The shelter also offers pets for adoption to those who can provide good homes.

Snyder told the Bradenton Herald he’s been passionate about animals for years and has dedicated his own time caring for feral cats. He also owns several cats and has helped find homes for dozens of others. That’s why the league’s mission to help felines appealed to him so much.

As an avid walker, Snyder logs about 45 miles a week and keeps his eyes open for spare change along his way.

“I started picking it up and keeping track of it,” he explained to the paper.

He collects an average of $5.60 a day in change during his walks, which begin daily around 4:30 a.m., the Tribune quoted him as saying. He finds the money in vending machines and vacuums. He also picks up recyclables and other items that can be donated for other’s use.

“It astounds me how wasteful people are,” the Tribune quoted him as saying.

Other people’s waste, however, has officially added up to the single largest donation the animal league has received from one donor, both papers report.

For its part, the rescue that adopts out about 250 cats a year while spaying and neutering hundreds of others is simply grateful.

“Thank you again Rick Snyder,” the league’s Facebook page said. “Countless cats in Manatee County will benefit from your unbelievable generosity.”

For more information about the Gulf Shore Animal League, visit its website.

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Photo Credit: Dafnie is just one of the many felines up for adoption at the Gulf Shore Animal League.