Calhoun County Humane Society: Orvis Dog Enrichment Grant Report

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

The grant funds were used to purchase new doghouses for the outdoor kennels. Pickette's Feed and Pet Supply, a local store, helped us direct-order the houses, which allowed us to avoid shipping costs or have to purchase small amounts as available. As such, we were able to purchase 11 doghouses.

Doghouses are a tremendous expense for our low-income area. It is much easier for donors to give household items. A doghouse of nearly $100 is outside of their reach, as well as ours, requiring hard trade-offs. Not only did this grant directly provide shelter for our outside dogs in time for one of the coldest winters in recent times, with multiple snowfalls not common to our area, but it freed up our funds and our donor funds to provide other basic supplies and health care.

How many pets did this grant help?

Eleven

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

Lab-mix Shadow was given up by his owner to Animal Control in September 2017. As a large dog used to outdoor living, he was given one of the large outside kennels. His hand-me-down house was certainly lacking — its prior occupant had decided it was a fantastic chew toy! The enlarged opening let in the elements that doghouses are supposed to keep out. Shadow has some behavioral issues and will likely be with us for some while. It was essential he have good housing during what has turned out to be a brutal winter, with snow and ice and bitter temperatures. His new house has definitely put a smile on his face and given him a much more comfortable stay!