Dogwood Rescue Society: WAHL Grooming Grant Report

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

The shampoo was used on our rescued dogs to make them feel good, as well as to improve their wellbeing, to enhance their appearance, and to ultimately increase their chances of being adopted into a permanent and loving home.

We continued to have several successful adoptions during the time period that we were using the shampoo on our rescues.

How many pets did this grant help?

eight dogs were adopted after using the shampoo on them

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

Jenny was a young stray Doberman Pinscher cross who we rescued from a high-kill shelter, before she was due to be euthanized, because of a lack of adopter interest. When she arrived in our care, she was extremely thin and the poor condition of her coat, which consisted of brittle straw-like hair covered in white dry skin flakes, told a clear story: an absence of care and a lack of healthy and regular food. Obviously she had endured a sad and lonely life with no human compassion and intervention, for a long time. Our volunteers gave her a lovely warm bath and it seemed like she truly enjoyed the attention, as well as the feel of human hands on her body, massaging the gentle Wahl shampoo into her skin, reassuring her that her life was going to be better now. We were able to find an active retired couple who already had a young female Springer Spaniel and they welcomed Jenny into their home and into their lives. She will now reside happily with them for the rest of her years, surrounded by love and compassion (and lots of healthy food!), as well as the playful companionship of her new sister.