Friends For Life: Senior Pet Adoption Assistance Grant Report

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

This grant helped provide the daily medical care for one of our senior adoptable cats, Rocky. She had chronic diarrhea, occasional vomiting, hyperthyroidism and spinal inflammation. Rocky was on a variety of different medications for her thyroid function and pain management, as well as a special protein diet and daily subcutaneous fluids.

Because of this grant, we are able to take in senior animals to be placed in their forever homes. Too often, senior animals are euthanized in traditional shelters because the shelters are not able to provide the medications or dedicated time to rehabilitate this kind of pet. At Friends For Life, we don't believe that age is automatically a death sentence, and because of the support of the Petfinder Foundation, we are able to offer this kind of treatment for a second chance at life.

How many pets did this grant help?

1

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

Rocky was a one-of-a kind cat. She was a survivor of Hurricane Harvey in Houston. During her time living at the our shelter, she fully asserted herself as a member of our family. She loved the company of guests, as long as they stayed to pet her, because “drive-by petting” stressed her out. On October 24, Rocky had some bloody diarrhea, pale gums, more stumbling than usual, was drooling and had apparent abdominal discomfort. Our on-staff licensed veterinary technician was concerned that she was bleeding internally and might not make it through the night. We rushed her to the emergency room, where the veterinarian had the same assessment. Rocky was euthanized that evening. She was alongside two of our staff and her caretakers. Rocky’s memory lives on in our memorial garden (fourth photo), where we are able to honor all of the animals who have left us.