Animal-lover Hilary Swank will be honored May 3 for her work in animal rescue and her commitment to animal advocacy at the the Sixth Annual Petco Foundation’s Hope Gala in San Diego.

The Academy Award-winnng actress will receive the Petco Foundation’s Hope Award which celebrates “the spirit of hope through a life dedicated to promoting the human-animal bond.”

“It’s an honor to be recognized as an advocate for animals by such a respected organization as the Petco Foundation,” said Swank. “They work tirelessly every single day on behalf of animals and have such a far-reaching impact through their extraordinary efforts. This Hope Award is a reminder that we all need to individually come together in order to collectively bring hope and make a difference for animals, animal welfare and animal rights. For even one person’s vision and efforts today can have a lasting impact that will make a difference in the lives of these souls for many tomorrows.”

The Hilaroo Foundation – Swank‘s animal-welfare organization uniting neglected youth and abandoned animals in the hopes of a healing bond – will receive a portion of the proceeds generated at the event.

Crazy Idea: Let's make L.A. a no-kill city for animals! Please RT this video http://t.co/GwenjE27 and get involved at http://t.co/bxOzBODt

— Hilary Swank (@HilarySwank) June 19, 2012

U all know how I love my animals and many have been adopted. If u r looking for a new family member, check out http://bit.ly/97fU9WL

— Hilary Swank (@HilarySwank) November 7, 2010

“It’s always a joy to celebrate the great work being done in animal-welfare by our friends and partners all over the country, particularly our Hope Award recipients,” said Susanne Kogut, Executive Director of the Petco Foundation. “We’re big fans of Hilary’s, not only for her incredible acting talent, but we’re also inspired and impressed by her passion for animal rescue and her determination to make a real difference.”

Here’s Swank with her own rescued pups.

Image via Wikimedia Commons