Valley Humane Society: Senior Pet Adoption Assistance Grant Report

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

We used the money to encourage the adoption of Monet, a 7-year-old, FIV+ cat who had undergone a tail amputation and developed a urinary drip. Her adoption fee was waived, a special litter box and cat tree were purchased for her to take home, and a pet store gift card was given to her adopter to assist with her prescription diet and other needs for two to three years.

With the "total package" to support Monet's success in the home, Valley Humane Society was able to run a special promotion to bring awareness to Monet's situation, seeking an adopter willing to accommodate her special needs. Not only did Monet find her forever home, but her media coverage brought attention to the other animals awaiting adoption.

How many pets did this grant help?

1

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

Just days after we sent out a press release detailing Monet’s special situation (she was a tailless, FIV-positive senior kitty with an occasional urine drip), a local family who already had an FIV+ cat just happened to decide that they wanted another feline companion. Valley Humane Society was the only group in the area with a special-needs cat. They came to visit and (of course) fell in love with Monet and took her home. They weren’t remotely fazed by her challenges, and were completely willing to adapt to meet Monet’s needs. In their adoption photo, you can see on their faces that everyone is thrilled — and Monet looks as if she has claimed them for her own! Coincidentally, Monet was the 600th adoption of the year for Valley Humane Society. She had been in residence since January, so it definitely made for a joyous year-end celebration.

Monet’s new family has since shared that she’s captured all of their hearts. She loves running around first thing in the morning, and has claimed a number of lounging spots around the house. She and her new kitty sibling are amicably sorting out the details of their new relationship. They are managing her needs easily by layering her favorite sleeping areas and doing a couple extra loads of laundry each week. They also invested in some custom waterproof pads for their furniture. “Her weakness is in the cheek/chin area,” they wrote recently. “Scratch her there and she will love you forever.”

Thank you so much to the Petfinder Foundation for your support in helping Monet find her forever home! She represents those animals whom people sometimes see as a “lost cause,” but like so many of them, she had a lot of love left to give. Being able to share her story, and particularly her adoption, helps people understand that special needs can be managed too — because they can see that others are managing it.