Mutt Misfits Society: KONG Toys Grant Report

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

This Petfinder Foundation grant has helped us keep our adoptable dogs engaged and stimulated, keeping them active and reducing stress and boredom. Many of the adoptable dogs in our program have been with us long-term and keeping them mentally and physically healthy and thriving is key.

Since receiving this grant, 19 dogs who benefitted from the KONG toys have been adopted! Another 27 adoptable dogs in our program are currently experiencing more enrichment in their foster homes or boarding because of the generosity of this program.

How many pets did this grant help?

46

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

Angel came to Mutt Misfits Society as a mangey puppy, just a stray on the streets searching for someone to help her. We helped her get healthy and she grew into a beautiful girl and, at 6 months old, she began her wait for her forever family to find her.

During her time with us, we hit a challenge that many foster-based rescues do: Her foster family wasn’t able to continue to foster her and we struggled to find Angel the soft landing place she needed in a new foster home.

At 10 months old, Angel went into boarding as we worked hard to find her a new foster family week after week, month after month. Angel is an active, playful girl and, in boarding, it can be tough for dogs to get the activity, stimulation, and socialization they need.

Our KONG toys grant through the Petfinder Foundation came at the perfect time to help Angel and many other adoptable doggos like her in our program. This grant helped provide more activity and engagement, helping keep our rescue dogs happier and healthier, both physically and mentally.

Angel was able to thrive more in the boarding environment with help from this Petfinder Foundation grant, setting her up for success when she would finally get the chance to meet her forever family. And we are so happy to share that after 419 days of waiting, her day finally came!

Angel’s new mom saw her photos, her videos, and her story and knew this was the rescue dog she needed to meet. It was an instant connection. It was beautiful to see Angel and her new mom light up to see each other. We are delighted to share that Angel is THRIVING in her new home, on a college campus.

Her new mom shared this in a recent update: “It’s safe to say she loves college life, whether that be playing with the other doggies from the dorm, pulling me down the street to try to catch the campus squirrels, or doing her cute little booty-shake when she sees college-aged humans that look like they might be struggling. Not a day goes by that I am not thankful to have my Angel girl by my side.”

Thank you, Petfinder Foundation and KONG, for helping make rescue stories like Angel’s possible!