South Suburban Humane Society: COVID-19 Operation Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
We are incredibly grateful for our COVID-19 relief grant. The grant was utilized to support our pet-food bank for needy pet owners and for supplies for our foster program.
COVID-19 and the pandemic were a shock to animal-welfare organizations everywhere. We had no idea how donors, adopters, and fosters might react and we were terrified of the potential outcomes for our organization. Grants like the one from the Petfinder Foundation allowed us to breathe a small sigh of relief as we turned our attention to helping our communities and getting pets out into foster homes. It was a tremendous gift to buy additional supplies for new fosters and to ensure we had adequate supplies to give to needy pet parents.
How many pets did this grant help?
1600
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Navy Pier had lived with South Suburban Humane Society for almost exactly two years. As a special-needs dog, she had few inquiries for foster or adoption, but staff and volunteers were committed to keeping her safe, healthy and happy. During the pandemic, the attention that the public turned towards fostering drew a pair of roommates to SSHS to foster. We supplied them with a crate and supplies through this grant. They helped market Navy Pier with amazing photos of her visiting the lake (second photo) and taking long walks. The profile attracted this adopter and she was adopted! What a celebration we had!
From Facebook, May 14: “I can’t believe I’m sitting here typing to you that Navy Pier is adopted! Navy was rescued two years ago by Chicago Heights Animal Control from an alleged breeding and dog-fighting operation. She has lived with us for two years, waiting for the perfect home.
“Our friends at One Tail at a Time shared a list of interested fosters with us at the beginning of the pandemic and we were able to get Navy into a foster home. The lovely people pictured (third photo, with Navy’s adopter in the blue jacket) have loved on Navy and learned so much more about her in a home. Their fostering brought her to today when this extraordinary guy adopted her. He’s an Army veteran who told us he’s been lonely and needed a companion. They are the perfect pair.
“No one on our staff has a dry eye right now. We are so grateful, so joyful, and so hopeful that Navy’s story shows that fostering saves lives and collaboration saves lives.”
