Barren River Animal Welfare Association: Kia Pet Adoption Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
In February 2025, the Barren River Animal Welfare Association (BRAWA) received a financial boost thanks to the Petfinder Foundation Kia Pet Adoption Grant. This generous support allowed BRAWA to significantly reduce adoption fees for many of its dogs and cats, removing one of the biggest barriers for potential adopters — cost. The grant made it possible to offer reduced fees during several special events and in the shelter between receipt of the grant funds in February 2025 and June 13, 2025, resulting in a notable increase in adoptions, particularly of senior pets and long-term residents.
With the support of the grant, BRAWA was able to connect more animals with loving homes while also freeing up vital shelter space to help more incoming pets in need. Reduced-fee promotions not only helped increase foot traffic and community engagement but also provided an opportunity to educate adopters about responsible pet ownership. The visibility of the Kia Pet Adoption Grant helped reinforce BRAWA’s mission of compassion and care.
Overall, the 2025 Petfinder Foundation Kia Pet Adoption Grant proved to be a catalyst for meaningful impact, helping more animals find homes, decreasing shelter stays, and enhancing the bond between the shelter and its supportive community. BRAWA is deeply grateful for the partnership and its lasting impact. Pictures are included of a number of animals adopted under this grant program.
How many pets did this grant help?
65 animals between February and June 2025.
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Meet Ruby, a 13-year-old Jack Russell mix who came into BRAWA on May 8, 2025. She was dumped in a residential area and brought in as a stray by a citizen. She has some health issues, including congestive heart failure and difficulty chewing/eating. Due to incontinence, she wears diapers at night.
She is a super sweet dog and loves to cuddle. As you can see from the pictures, she was adopted by a wonderful family and is set to live out her years with love and attentive care.
The first photo is an intake picture of Ruby; pics 2-4 are her SUCCESS photos. These images show a depleted Ruby when she came in and a happy Ruby with a forever family who are spoiling her with walks, shopping outings, and a place to snuggle. We also have included pictures of other dogs who benefitted from the grant program.
