Poodle and Pooch Rescue of Florida: Kia Pet Adoption Grant Report

How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?

We needed help for eight of our adoptable dogs who were harder to find homes for and had been listed for adoption on Petfinder for over a month. We believed that reducing the adoption fees by $100 each for six of the dogs and reducing the adoption fee for a bonded pair by $250, we'd have better success in finding them homes, since we often get emails from seniors on fixed incomes, veterans asking if we give discounts, and families who want to rescue a dog but need a lower adoption fee to be able to do so.

With the grant funding, we were able to adopt out all but two of the dogs, Bella and Freckles, who are still listed for adoption.

How many pets did this grant help?

8

Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.

Stitch was one of the dogs we needed help for. He was a little senior Chihuahua/Yorkie mix who came to us from an animal-cruelty case and had a heart murmur that required monthly medications. He also needed a home with no children. This was a tough proposition for many families, who either had children or just couldn’t afford the costly medications and possible complications from his having a heart issue. We weren’t getting applications for him.

Shortly after we reduced Stitch’s adoption fee, we got a great application for him. Jessie and Tim had adopted two rescue Yorkie mixes and decided their home was ready for another. They were made aware of Stitch’s past, his heart issues, and the fact that he was very standoffish with strangers and did not like to be picked up.

Knowing this, his new adopters were willing to take their time getting to know him and had two meet-and-greets with Stitch to make sure that he was “the one” they wanted to save. They even took the “I’m Home” photo without touching him.

Stitch joined two other rescue Yorkie brothers, Edison and Watson. This threesome is able to run in a spacious fenced backyard, hunt lizards, and spend their days enjoying the sunshine. We are so thankful this couple took a chance on a dog who might otherwise be passed over because he doesn’t like to be held until he knows you. Jessie made progress with Stitch within just a few hours after taking him home. We knew when we got that feedback that this was the right match for him.

Stitch will be loved and cared for the rest of his life and he will never have to worry about being abused and neglected again.

Thank you, Kia and the Petfinder Foundation, for helping us get Stitch adopted!