Labs and More: Dog Enrichment Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
After we successfully reached our tenth year of operation in serving rescued dogs in San Diego County, this enrichment grant was instrumental in providing us the capacity to serve an expanded number of rescued dogs and their puppies.
Overall, Labs and More utilized these enrichment items to support the expansion of its facility, increasing the capacity to place more dogs as well as their puppies in forever homes that will care for and nourish them for years to come. This funding for supplies to support these rescued dogs and their vulnerable puppies was critical to preparing these rescued dogs for their paths to adoption and forever families.
Specifically, our Dog Supplies & Enrichment Project provided critically needed agility items, nose-work games, dig blankets, toys, and beds for use in the expanded space. Labs and More did not have supplies necessary to serve its expanded number of dogs and this grant made it possible. Without the generous support grant from the Petfinder Foundation, Labs and More would have had to make do with secondhand items, which do not have the quality that new items would provide these dogs in need.
How many pets did this grant help?
1,611
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Labs and More rescued Francis (first and second photos) when he was left in the streets and was found by a bystander. The bystander called us and shared that he saw some teenagers throwing rocks at poor Francis.
Our volunteers could tell right away that Francis could not walk properly due to pain in his back leg. The vet was able to diagnose Francis and a partial tarsal arthrodesis surgery was required ASAP!
After Francis’s surgery, Labs and More supported and cared for him as he was rehabilitated for approximately two months and given the prognosis that he was pain-free and could return to normal activity. Thanks to the surgery, Francis is now completely healthy and able to complete a full range of activities with his new family.
Francis has had a complete, overall life turnaround and was one of the most active users of the enrichment toys provided by this very grant! He has a spark back in his eye that had been missing before his surgery. His quality of life is amazing now that he is able to fully participate in all activities with his new family.
Although at first, Francis required some additional therapy after the surgery, today his new family just needs to take him in for regular check-ups. The surgery was literally life-changing for Francis and has provided him a second chance at life.
