Fayette Friends of Animals: Emergency Medical Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
This grant from the Petfinder Foundation made an immediate and profound impact on our shelter. It allowed us to cover the cost of emergency medical care for a young husky named Aspen, who was severely injured after being struck by a vehicle just outside our shelter. Emergency care can be incredibly costly and, without outside support, can place a significant strain on a small shelter’s limited resources.
Because this grant helped offset the cost of Aspen’s critical treatment, we were able to preserve an additional $1,000 in general veterinary funds. This meant we could continue offering essential services — like spay and neuter surgeries — to the other animals in our care without interruption. As a result, more than 80 additional dogs and cats received the veterinary care they needed to be made available for adoption.
How many pets did this grant help?
In total, this grant has supported the well-being of over 80 pets in our care. Aspen was the direct recipient of emergency funding, and the reallocation of saved funds allowed us to provide spay/neuter surgeries for dozens of other animals this year. Each of these pets has had a better, healthier start to their next chapter thanks to your support.
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
On Jan. 20, our executive director was on her way to the shelter when she witnessed a stray husky get struck by a truck just before the driveway. The dog — later named Aspen — rolled under the truck and came to rest on the roadside, bleeding and badly shaken. She was terrified but didn’t run. Our team quickly sprang into action, gently lifting her into a car and transporting her to Cheat Lake Animal Hospital for emergency treatment.
Though the impact was traumatic, Aspen had no broken bones. She was diagnosed with severely bruised lungs and pneumothorax, which required intubation and careful monitoring through the night. Despite her injuries, Aspen remained sweet and trusting with the medical staff. Within days, she was stable enough to be discharged into foster care.
But Aspen’s journey didn’t end there — she found her perfect forever home with a young couple who were looking for a high-energy companion. They immediately connected with her zest for life, her resilience, and her affectionate nature.
“Aspen has brought so much joy and energy into our lives,” her new family shared. “We had no idea how much we needed her until she came home with us. She’s goofy, snuggly, and full of love. Watching her heal and come out of her shell has been amazing — we’re so grateful to be her people.”
Aspen’s story is a reminder that every life matters. With the help of this grant, she was given the emergency care she needed and the second chance she deserved. And thanks to the ripple effect of your generosity, so many other animals now have the same opportunity to find health, hope, and love.
