Underdog Animal Rescue: Kia Pet Adoption Grant Report

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

The Kia Pet Adoption grant enabled Underdog Animal Rescue to reduce adoption fees, which reduced the time dogs spent in foster care. Expensive adoption fees can discourage prospective adopters from taking in a pet. Moving dogs out of foster care is instrumental in rescuing vulnerable dogs from shelters, as it allows us to continuously take in dogs from environments such as shelters. Following the grant received from Kia, we reduced the fees of 31% of our foster dogs. Lowering the adoption fees for these foster dogs lowered their time in foster care to an average stay of 12 days.

How many pets did this grant help?

125

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

Kit, a 2-year-old, 55-lb. female cattle dog/Staffordshire terrier mix (first and second photos), was surrendered by her owner before she was rescued by UAR. She spent more than six months in foster care, where she tested well with young children and other dogs.

She was adopted and returned two times after being attacked by both families’ male dogs. Her history deterred prospective adopters, leading to her lengthy time in foster care.

After receiving the Kia Pet Adoption Grant, we were able to lower her adoption fee from $350 to $100. We have since been able to place Kit with her forever family, where she is happily living out the rest of her life.

Dexter was a 1-year-old spaniel mix (third and fourth photos) who came to UAR from Tulare Animal Shelter. When UAR accepted Dexter into foster care, the animal shelters were experiencing extreme crowding. She was a happy, healthy, dog who we hoped would go to a family.

Thanks to the KIA Pet Adoption Grant, we were able to reduce her adoption fee to $200. Dexter was adopted within three weeks. She is currently thriving with the family she matched with, and we have every reason to believe she will never again find herself in a vulnerable position.