All Kind Animal Initiative: KONG Toys Grant Report

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

This grant has already made such an impact on so many dogs’ care. Our shelter is significantly outdated, with over half our general-population dogs in indoor-only runs. While we try to utilize playgroups for these dogs, there have been multiple occasions where different wings have had to be shut down for illness.

The Kongs have allowed us to continue to provide enrichment for these dogs throughout these difficult times. The Kongs have also been a consistent source of enrichment for many of our higher-energy dogs who have struggled with kennel stress.

How many pets did this grant help?

These Kongs have easily served more than 200 dogs in our care since they arrived.

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

Ruffles was a very sweet heeler mix who was very true to her breed.

We watched Ruffles experience rapid kennel decline and this very good dog was becoming more and more difficult to handle due to extreme kennel stress.

Even though we were taking her out for daily exercise, she was not getting enough mental stimulation and, as much as she LOVED tennis balls in the yard, she would immediately shred them in her kennel.

Our team started giving Ruffles a stuffed Kong every day after her exercise and, little by little, Ruffles started to turn around.

We were eventually able to demonstrate Ruffles’s high trainability and skills and she was finally chosen by a rescue organization as a search-and-rescue dog! This special girl was literally saved by the Kongs you all provided.