The Animal Pad: Dog Enrichment Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
The Animal Pad, while being a foster-based rescue, does have a headquarters where some dogs reside, either while they wait for a foster home or as a relief placement while their foster goes on vacation.
It is at our headquarters that some dogs become the most rambunctious and develop the habit of destroying toys. Some become super-chewers who cannot be left alone with a toy because, as they chew, they unconsciously or consciously swallow pieces of the toy.
Thanks to the Petfinder Foundation Dog Enrichment Grant, The Animal Pad was able to purchase a variety of Goughnuts for the super-chewers who stay at headquarters. Due to the variety, the Goughnuts can be used for play and for food enrichment. And because of the Goughnuts' durability, the dogs are able to safely be alone with them, which is beneficial as the dogs spend a majority of their time in their kennels while at headquarters.
How many pets did this grant help?
30+
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
One of the dogs who benefited from the Dog Enrichment Grant was Polu (first and second photos). Polu hails from the Bahamas and had to reside at The Animal Pad’s headquarters for several months while he was being treated for heartworms.
During his time at headquarters, he become destructive of towels, blankets, bowls, and, of course, toys. Polu particularly liked balls, especially those made of plastic or rubber, which he would shred into pieces within five minutes.
Due to his destructive behavior, he wasn’t to be left alone with toys or allowed certain toys, and most definitely was not allowed toys in his kennel.
When the Goughnuts arrived, he was the first of the dogs residing at headquarters to test them, and while he enjoyed them all, he unsurprisingly enjoyed the ball Goughnut the best. Since the Goughnuts are hard to destroy, he was allowed to keep it in his kennel, and with it in there for him to play with, the destruction of his food bowls ceased.
This lasted up until he finally made it to foster! And don’t worry, he was able to take his ball with him, as we didn’t want him to chew up anything he wasn’t supposed to.
Another dog enjoying the Goughnuts that were purchased with the funds from the Dog Enrichment Grant is Samson (third photo). Samson is a former working dog for the U.S. Border Patrol, which means this boy isn’t accustomed to residing in a kennel for hours on end, and with no stimulation to boot.
While Samson is an older dog and his body isn’t in the best shape due to his years in service, he does enjoy a game of fetch, preferably with a large Goughnut water stick, since it resembles the rubber toys from his training days.
Playing fetch with the water stick gets Samson so tired and tuckered out that he doesn’t mind the comforts of his kennel for an extended amount of time.
