Jacksonville Humane Society: Emergency Medical Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
This generous grant from the Petfinder Foundation helped provide Hercules with the surgery needed to repair his knees. Hercules was suffering from congenital joint disease. The surgery reduces the patella luxation issue with his knees.
Hercules is currently undergoing daily physical therapy to help him regain strength and also alleviate pain in his hips from the same disease. He is on medicine and supplements to help slow his arthritis.
Hercules is only 4 years old and has a positive prognosis thanks to this surgery. His behavior has drastically improved; he no longer snaps or lunges from pain in response to affection from humans.
Hercules is currently in a foster home with a JHS veterinary technician, where he is receiving individualized attention and continuing his daily therapy. He does come to JHS once a week to participate in dog playgroup sessions.
When Hercules has fully healed from his surgery, we will begin looking for an adopter.
This grant allowed JHS to get the surgery needed to save Hercules’ life. Hercules came to JHS from another shelter where he was at risk of euthanasia for his behavior. However, our team was able to determine that his behavior was related to pain and created a medical plan to save his life. Thanks to your support, Hercules is happier, healthier and will soon find his new home!
Receiving this generous grant from the Petfinder Foundation allowed JHS to allocate our resources to other pets in need who were not facing the significant challenges of a pet like Hercules, but still required medical care to heal and find new homes.
How many pets did this grant help?
One
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
The Petfinder Foundation grant saved Hercules’ life. Hercules was a very misunderstood dog. At 4 years old and 72 lbs., this big boy was seen as a threat. Despite his love of belly rubs and penchant for giving sloppy kisses, he would bark, snap and lunge at humans who tried to handle him. It left many people wondering: Was there any hope for Hercules?
The veterinary team at the Jacksonville Humane Society did a thorough examination and determined that Hercules’ actions were a cry for help. He was in serious pain due to issues with his eyelids, knees, and hips. He wasn’t communicating anger with his barks; he was trying to explain how badly his body was hurting.
JHS knew that surgery to repair his knees would be paramount to saving his life. The Emergency Medical Grant from the Petfinder Foundation did just that! With your support, JHS was able to get Hercules surgery from a specialist and he is now on the road to recovery. When he is fully healed, he will be available for adoption.
