Social Tees Animal Rescue: All-Star Dog Rescue Celebration Grant Report

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

We used the Petfinder Foundation grant that we received last year to provide extraordinary veterinary care for 10 special-needs animals that we were able to rescue specifically because of this grant.

This grant enabled us to stay true to our mission, particularly our goal to rescue special-needs and senior animals. Specifically, it enabled us to save the lives of 10 special-needs dogs and cats.

How many pets did this grant help?

10

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

A pet who is very dear to our hearts whom we were able to save because of this grant is Dolly (first photo), a pit bull mix who is blind and recently recovered from cancer. Dolly is a truly remarkable soul. This girl has a loving, trusting energy that emanates from her and warms everyone she meets. Dolly is 9 years old and about 40 lbs. We rescued her from a family that was about to dump her because she had gone blind. She had one of her eyes removed earlier this year, and while she can’t see, she gets around very well — she just bumps into things once in a while and needs some guidance. Dolly absolutely loves being outside and going for walks. She walks well on a leash and even tries to run around and jog, but needs help taking it slow so she doesn’t run into things. She absolutely lights up when anyone touches her — she flips over on her back and grunts and snorts with glee when you pet her and give her belly rubs. She is extremely gentle and instantly befriends every stranger she meets. She likes to play with tennis balls; she chases them by sound, and she gets a real kick out of playing tug-of-war with pull toys. She comes from a troubled past — she has a scar around her neck from a chain that had become embedded in her skin when she was left outside tied to a tree at some point in her past. She is always smiling though, an outward reflection of her inner happiness and resilience. Shortly after we rescued her, we learned that she had an old leg injury that was causing her a lot of pain, and the vet said that if she was younger and healthier, he would recommend an amputation. Unfortunately, because she is older and blind and has a weakened immune system, he recommends managing her pain until she passes away, which will likely be within the next five months. Dolly’s foster dad has been incredibly supportive through the whole process, and we are very happy to have been able to give Dolly the truly love-filled golden years she deserves.

Another animal we were able to rescue using these grant funds was Aiden (second photo), a 4-year-old semi-feral cat with a historic leg fracture who needed his leg amputated.

Another example is Prometheus (third photo), a 5-year-old American bully with a galloping heartbeat (heart murmur) who needed to be neutered via a private veterinarian. He has been adopted.

Another dog we were able to rescue was Sophie (fourth photo), a senior Pomeranian mix who needed one eye enucleated, a hernia repaired, a full dental (all teeth removed), and spay surgery. She has been adopted.