Boudreaux's Animal Rescue Krewe (BARK): Shelter+ Challenge Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
This grant money was used to buy Immiticide to heartworm treat 18 dogs at our facility. We see Heartworm Disease in approximately 70% of the adult animals we intake at BARK. Heartworm Disease is caused from mosquitoes and living in Louisiana, we have lots of mosquitoes. All the animals that come to BARK are given a heartworm preventative pill each month regardless of their heartworm status. After heartworm positive dogs are given three months of heartworm preventative and one month of Doxycycline, our veterinarian gives the Immiticide injections. For one month, these animals have to stay calm and can only be leashed walked. People are scared of Heartworm Disease, and animals are less likely to be adopted with heartworms. BARK does not euthanize animals that suffer from any treatable Disease or illness. It is not the animal's fault they have Heartworm Disease; it was lack of heartworm preventative given to animal in the past. Once an animal enters BARK, we give any and all medical attention to him/her until we find their forever home!
This grant could not have come at a better time. BARK had just ordered the Immiticide to treat the 18 dogs when we found out we came in First Place Winner for the state of Louisiana!!! Wow!! We were all so shocked and excited. I honestly could not believe it at first. That morning I continued to get text messages from volunteers and supporters saying "Congrats" and "We are so excited!!!" I didn't even realize we won yet!!! BARK decided to do a Raffle to help us pay for the $1,022.18 veterinarian bill for the heartworm supplies. Then we received this grant which allowed us to use our Raffle money on spays and neuters. This grant was so beneficial to our organization!! These 18 dogs that were heartworm treated are now up for adoption. We are hoping they will find their forever homes just in time for the holiday season. Thank you so very much!!!
How many pets did this grant help?
This grant help heartworm treat 18 dogs. In addition, we were able to use money we were raising from a raffle for spays and neuters so it actually helped more than 18 dogs!!!!!
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Barney has already gone home!! He was one of the dogs that just finished the heartworm treatment. His family met and fall in love with him right before he started his treatment. They brought him home for a couple of days and then back to BARK for his Immiticide injections. For the month he was with us, they would come and walk him and bring him special treats. Really heartwarming and it definitely kept his spirits up during the treatment. I am happy to say he is home and loving the life on his new couch with two little girls that adore him!!! Thank you so much for this grant money! It was an early Christmas present for all of us at BARK especially the 18 dogs that were heartworm treated! Below are pictures of Barney and Gypsy. These are two of the 18 dogs that were heartworm treated.
