Oregon Humane Society: Dog Enrichment Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
This grant supported the purchase of enrichment toys for dogs at Oregon Humane Society’s Behavior and Rescue Center (BRC). The BRC is a place that allows dogs to rest, heal, rebuild trust with human companions, and receive specialized training before adoption.
Enrichment toys play an important role in this process by providing opportunities for dogs to exhibit species-specific behaviors, learn confidence through exploration and play, and have a safe outlet for their natural foraging, herding, or chewing behaviors.
The enrichment toys we purchased with your generous support enable the dogs in our care to familiarize themselves with safe outlets to release energy. This ultimately helps them thrive in their new loving homes after adoption. The toys have already helped many dogs in our care, and because of their durability, they will continue to help dogs at the BRC for several months to come.
How many pets did this grant help?
Over the course of 2025, we anticipate that more than 90 dogs will benefit from these enrichment tools at our Behavior and Rescue Center.
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Spudnik, a lively shar-pei mix, came to Oregon Humane Society through the Second Chance program, and very quickly staff and volunteers began to notice the once-lively boy was starting to appear lethargic and shut-down.
Our dedicated veterinarians performed a radiograph and became suspicious of a foreign object lodged in his stomach. The best course of action was to perform abdominal surgery as quickly as possible. They removed a fabric squeaker toy that had been causing Spudnik to lose weight.
Since his surgery in November 2024, Spudnik has changed back into the spunky dog we love. With the help of the Petfinder Foundation Dog Enrichment Grant, we were able to purchase a variety of KONG toys, including some that can be stuffed with food. This has expanded Spudnik’s in-kennel variety of enrichment options, allowing him to chew and consume appropriately. He has made big strides during his time at the BRC and is available for adoption.
