Miranda Lambert’s MuttNation Raises Over $80,000 for Shelters After Nashville Tornadoes

Miranda Lambert‘s MuttNation Foundation has helped raise over $80,000 for animal shelters affected by the tornadoes that hit Middle Tennessee in early March, which killed 25 people and caused over $1 billion in damage. “We knew people needed to come first, but MuttNation is here because we have to watch over the animals, too,” Lambert said in a statement, via Nash Country Daily. “My heart is filled with both sadness for everyone who suffered — and with gratitude for everyone who has stepped up.”

Almost 1,000 donations were matched by Tractor Supply Co., Generous and MuttNation to raise over $80,000, which has been allocated to Agape Animal Rescue, Crossroads Campus, Friends of MACC, Nashville Humane Association, the Pet Community Center, Putnam County Humane, the Putnam TN Disaster Animal Relief Team (DART) and the Wilson County DART. MuttNation first shared its fundraising efforts with fans on March 4, inviting fans to donate to relief efforts. “Metro Animal Care & Control is working hard to help animals impacted by the tornado in Nashville,” the organization wrote on Instagram. “MuttNation and [Miranda Lambert] are supporting their efforts and appreciate y’all doing anything you can to help fur babies in need, too!!”

On March 12, MuttNation announced that it had exceeded its fundraising goal with a note from Lambert that read, “Thank you so much for your donation to MuttNation we so appreciate it.” “[Miranda Lambert] always says country music fans are the best…and this is why,” the caption read. “Y’all helped us raise over $80,000 for animal shelters impacted by the tornado in Tennessee. That went above and beyond our goal! Thank you so much for helping us recover and continue to take care of animals in need. And thanks to [Tractor Supply] and [Join Generous] for helping us match funds. #LoveAShelterPet.”

Lambert founded MuttNation in 2009 with her mom, Bev, and the organization aims to promote and facilitate the adoption of shelter pets, encourage spay and neuter for all pets and spread awareness about the importance and beneficial impact of these actions. “We’ve been able to help with natural disasters and help shelters renovate, we kind of have our hand in everything,” Lambert told PopCulture.com last year. “That’s why we wanted to start it, because we wanted control of where the money that we raised could go to. My mom used to be a private investigator, so she vets it pretty hard, wherever we give money to.”