Alliston & District Humane Society: GF Pet Products Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
This grant was extremely useful to us. Our animals are very hard on things like collars and leashes and we have as many as 40 foster homes in play in addition to our shelter space. We have replaced older collars and leashes with new ones, enhancing both safety, security, and fashion in both the shelter and some of our foster homes.
The summer toys were a big hit, and we have included a picture of an enthusiastic tryout of a new play toy. Our dogs have huge outdoor pens for playing and breaks and it is great to have some new toys for dogs to play with.
The hoodies and coats are very useful to our cats. Samson came to us in rough shape and had to be shaved of matted fur and given medication to treat hot spots on his skin. He loves his new onesie hood and it makes it easier for us to prevent touching of his hot spots. The blankets and coats make it easier to hold animals to administer medication and a number of the cats will love them in the cooler parts of the shelter as the weather cools down.
The final result of this grant is reduced stress for our animals. We take in many abandoned dogs who come to us scared and upset. Kennels are stressful places for many of them. This collection of items helps with enrichment activities and ensures the proper equipment for exercise and playtime for dogs. The cats quite enjoy the warm outfits and the blankets, again reducing stress. Thank you so much to the Petfinder Foundation for their support!
How many pets did this grant help?
30-40
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Willow (first and second photos) is a beautiful golden retriever who came to our shelter quite depressed. She is lucky we had space for her transfer, as she was on the euthanasia list in another shelter due to one instance of food guarding.
ADHS is a no-kill facility and our volunteers immediately took Willow under their wings. She spent lots of time this summer out in our large running areas, got lots of extra walks on our 50-acre property, and did a number of outside daycations, where volunteers took her to town for walks in the park and pup cones.
Her brand-new red harness and leash enhanced Willow’s beauty and our volunteers made a big fuss over it. She looked forward to putting on her beautiful harness, as she knew it meant she was getting an extra outing or two. While this may seem like a small thing, it was part of Willow’s transformation into a lovely, happy dog who has now moved to her forever home.
Thank you to the Petfinder Foundation for your support! Small things matter!
