Kokomo Humane Society: Dog Field Trip/Short-Term Fostering Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
We used the money to purchase martingale collars and Gentle Leaders.
The purchase of these items made it much easier to handle the dogs out in the world and also safer for the dogs themselves. It reduced the risk of the dogs slipping out of collars and getting lost, and also made walking more manageable. By using the correct equipment, we can ensure the safety of the dogs and make the experience for the volunteers much more enjoyable. Through this, we have had volunteers return over and over to participate in the Dog Day Out program.
How many pets did this grant help?
The grant helped approximately 120 dogs.
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Nova (first and second photos) was singleton who did not do well in playgroup and consequently didn’t get much exercise. She spent a lot of time in the kennel and was licking herself raw in some places from anxiety. Dog Day Outs helped her relax and get some good-quality people time, which is what she loved the most.
Her Dog Day Out partner said this: “Took Nova on a dog day out yesterday. She’s such a doll! We went to Lowe’s, where she leaned into everyone for pets. She sits and shakes very nicely for treats, doesn’t pull much on the leash, and decided she would rather me lift her into the car instead of jump in herself. She loved leaning her head out the window while we drove, too! She’s a really good girl. Thank you for letting me take her out for the day.”
Ember (third photo) was surrendered to us because her owner didn’t have enough time for her. She is a great dog, filled with energy and ready to take on the world. This was exactly what her Dog Day Out friend saw and dressed her in a Superwoman costume for her day in the woods. It didn’t take long for someone to see her superpowers and adopt her.
Wings (fourth and fifth photos) went on tons of days out. She ended up in foster with her main Dog Day Out human. They run up to 12 miles together. When Wings would come back, all she would do was sleep for hours. She has now moved in with her Dog Day Out person as a foster and they have decided to adopt her as a permanent family member.
Ace (sixth photo) was so scared and snippy in the kennel, we never knew just how sweet he could be until he was picked to go on a Dog Day Out. After his person spent some days with him, she was able to give us more insight into his personality. We were then able to promote him accurately and he received tons of interest, which eventually led him to finding a forever home.
Saturn (seventh photo) and Mars (eighth photo) were two brothers who came in together as strays. They were very high-energy and couldn’t be kenneled together. They did really enjoy playing together, and going on days out was a great way for them to take nice long walks and spend quality time together. This also helped learn to behave better with each other. They were both adopted, but to separate homes. They went on multiple days out with the same volunteer, who reported: “Another successful Dog Day Out. Saturn and Mars enjoyed ice cream and squirrel-watching at Foster Park with us yesterday! These guys are just the sweetest brothers and were so much calmer for us than expected outside of the shelter.”
