Ruff Start Rescue: Senior Pet Adoption Assistance Grant Report

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

Funds were used to support the post-adoption care of Tinkerbelle for the first year with her new family. Funding was used to cover Tinkerbelle's adoption fee, supplies to cover the care of her diabetes (syringes, insulin, glucose meter, test strips, and bi-annual vet visits), specialized food, and seizure medication.

This grant helped our senior rescue dog, Tinkerbelle, find her forever family, and made her ongoing care more financially manageable.

How many pets did this grant help?

1

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

Tinkerbelle was found on the streets of Houston, TX. She was brought to a shelter and was transferred to Ruff Start Rescue in Minnesota. Upon arriving in Minnesota, it was clear Tinkerbelle was not well. She had diabetes and a urinary-tract infection.

With proper medication, Tinkerbelle’s infection cleared up and her diabetes has remained stable. While in the care of the rescue, she also began having seizures. Daily medication was prescribed to manage her seizures, which has provided a significant decrease in symptoms.

From her adoptive family: “Tinkerbelle is doing pretty good. She has had a few seizures, but I have her on a medication called Zonisamide capsules twice a day. I use diapers and potty pads with her diabetes, as she pees a lot. I have started her on a fish-based food I heard was good for diabetes. She has a brother and a sister (the furry kind) in our home. They get along fairly well. Tinkerbelle has some blindness and I have to put a gate on the stairs so she won’t fall down.”

We are so grateful for the support of the Petfinder Foundation to help Tinkerbelle find her forever family. She is now living out her final years with a safe and loving family that is committed to her ongoing care.