Tillamook K9 Rescue: Dog Enrichment Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
We are a small shelter in Tillamook, Oregon. We get in dogs from all of Tillamook County that are brought to us by law enforcement. If we cannot find the dog's owner after five days, dogs are put up for adoption. Being a rural shelter, we are run mainly by volunteers. We have three shifts a day in which the dogs are fed and cared for. When we have six or seven dogs, that means each dog is getting an hour of human companionship a day and the rest of the time they are stuck in a kennel with a lot of alone time to get bored. This grant provides enrichment through toys, chews, and lick mats when the pups are alone. It helps keep them from getting bored and helps to stimulate them in the kennels.
How many pets did this grant help?
120
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Shadow (first photo) was found tied up on the Footbridge Trail in Tillamook County on Feb. 28, 2024. He was a very friendly dog who was a little underweight, and his eyes squinted. When we took him to our vet, we learned his eyelashes were growing inward, causing him constant pain. We worked to get him eye surgery at the same time he was neutered. He has been with us for 10 months now.
This grant is especially important for dogs like Shadow. Despite being one of our most people-friendly dogs, he has had few meet-and-greets. He tends to be a little reactive to other dogs and, due to his size, it has really been challenging to find the right fit for him.
After 10 months in a kennel, dogs can really start to shut down without additional mental stimulation. Being able to give Shadow additional activities to do when we are not with him has really helped to keep his spirits up. While he is not yet adopted, we do hope his adopter will be requesting to meet him soon.
