Arizona Humane Society: Orvis Dog Enrichment Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
This generous Orvis Grant of $1,000 was used to support general operating for our dog adoption programs. AHS found 13,312 forever homes for animals last year and placed a total of 17,831 through adoption and alternative placement programs.
As a modern open-intake facility, we accept owner-surrendered animals, as well as the sick, injured, abused and abandoned homeless pets who have nowhere else to turn and need our care and support. While it costs AHS an average of $422 to care for each pet until he or she finds a home, some of our homeless pets are in our care longer, resulting in an increased cost of care incurred by AHS to ensure each pet stays happy and healthy while awaiting their loving home. Shelter Buddies is a program at our Campus for Compassion, in which our adoption counselors advocate for animals in the shelter whose stories or personalities have made an impression. The Hopeful Heart program helps AHS showcase animals who might need a little extra attention to help them find a loving home. Through the support of this Orvis Grant, we were able to offset the financial impact for some of the pets that remain in our care for an extended period of time.
How many pets did this grant help?
This grant was used to support our general operating for our dog adoptions and our Shelter Buddies and Hopeful Heart programs, which impacted numerous homeless dogs awaiting loving homes.
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
There is one story in particular that showcases the impact of our lifesaving dog-adoption programs and the impact of this grant. Let me introduce you to our furry friend, Brownie (first photo). On Jan. 16, 2015, Maricopa Animal and Rabies Control advised the Phoenix Police Department and the Arizona Humane Society that, in response to complaints from witnesses, they had recovered a brown pit bull dog from a couch in front of a Phoenix residence (second photo). Phoenix police began an investigation into possible animal cruelty/neglect and were able to determine that the owner of the pet had moved out of the home on Wednesday, Jan. 14, and had possibly left the dog behind.
Police first interviewed neighbors of the owner and, on Jan. 17, were able to contact the 33-year-old owner via telephone. The owner indicated that he was upset because he had returned to the property later on the day he had moved and dog was not there. Officers advised the owner that the dog had been placed with the Arizona Humane Society and a pet seizure notice, giving the owner 10 days to request a hearing to get his pet back, had been left on the garage door.
After nearly a month of Brownie being in AHS’s care, the owner had made no claim for the pet and this investigation was sent to the City Attorney’s Office for charging/review. At that time, Brownie was put up for adoption through AHS and we are proud to say that as of Feb. 13, 2015, Brownie has found his new home — he even has a new canine friend (third photo).
Because of generous supporters like Petfinder Foundation, the lifesaving work being done by AHS is made possible to serve more homeless pets like Brownie each and every day.
