Florence Area Humane Society: No Fee/Low Fee All Love Adoption Grant Report

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

We had a fantastic response to this grant – nearly doubling the number of canines adopted during May of last year (14) compared to the same time this year (27), and increasing the number of feline adoptions by 33% (from 26 last year to 37 this year)!

We increased the social-media posts as well, acknowledging the Petfinder Foundation as providing this opportunity to the Pee Dee region! This was an important grant to receive with the overcrowding in our shelter (as well as other shelters throughout the region), as it allowed us to free up more space for other incoming animals.

How many pets did this grant help?

64

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

When the Florence Area Humane Society received a call about a mother dog living chained outside beside a makeshift shelter, our hearts broke. With no real protection from the heat, cold, rain, or other dangers, she was struggling to care for her puppies while exposed to the elements day and night.

This devoted mother, later named Molly, did everything she could to keep her puppies safe despite her impossible circumstances. But love alone could not provide the shelter and security her family desperately needed.

City of Florence Animal Control stepped in and removed Molly and her puppies from the property, giving them a chance at a better life. The Florence Area Humane Society then welcomed the family into our rescue horse barn, where they finally had a safe, dry place to rest and recover.

As Molly began to realize she no longer had to worry about protecting her babies from the world around them, her gentle and loving personality started to shine through. Thanks to the generosity of a dedicated volunteer, all of Molly’s veterinary expenses were covered, ensuring that she and her puppies received the medical care they needed as they began their journey toward a safer, healthier future.

Molly’s puppies were quickly adopted into loving homes, but Molly remained at the barn. She settled into her new life with surprising ease. She learned the routines of a barn dog, riding along on the golf cart during feeding time, taking long walks through the property, enjoying good meals, and making new friends along the way. It seemed as though the rescue horse barn would be her forever home.

Then something unexpected happened.

A new volunteer named Jim met Molly. At first, it was just truck rides and visits. Then weekends with his family. Before long, the time Molly spent at the barn grew shorter, while the time she spent with Jim and his family grew longer. A bond had formed that neither could ignore.

One day, Jim asked a question that changed Molly’s life forever:
“Can I adopt her?”

The answer, of course, was yes. The time was right, with no adoption fee!

Today, Molly is living the life every dog deserves. She goes on biking adventures in the mountains, joins her family on beach vacations, and enjoys all the truck rides her heart could ever want. The frightened mother dog once chained beside a makeshift shelter has been replaced by a beloved family companion surrounded by love, comfort, and adventure.

Molly’s story is a testament to resilience, compassion, and the power of second chances. Because someone made a phone call. Because Animal Control stepped in. Because volunteers opened their hearts. And because one man saw not just a rescued dog, but a member of his family.

For Molly, the journey from survival to happiness is complete. And for everyone who helped along the way, she is a reminder of why rescue matters.