Warren County Animal Ark: KONG Toys Grant Report

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

To keep the dogs and puppies occupied to prevent boredom in the shelter and during events.

The Kong toys helped many of our dogs and puppies by providing them with a distraction from where they were and what was going on around them. Several dogs spent hours playing with the Kongs after managing to work the treats out. A lot of dogs that we impound have never had toys, so they have no idea what to do with them, are scared of the ones that squeak or just aren't interested. The Kongs with treats inside gave them something to work for while realizing this was something they could chew on, throw around and have fun with. Unfortunately, there have been no local events that we were able to attend since we received the grant, but we have one coming in October and will definitely have the Kongs with us for the dogs. We do not have any pet stores or local retailers that hold events in our county.

How many pets did this grant help?

25

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

We have three dogs whom the Kongs are helping greatly with adjusting to shelter life: Bella, Sheila, and Sammi. Bella (first photo) was surrendered when her owner became too sick to care for her. Her owner stated that Bella needs a home where she can be the only pet, since she becomes very jealous of her human and doesn’t like to share food or treats. Since she has specific needs, it makes it more difficult for us to find her a home. She has been with us for almost a month now. Bella loves to play and chew. Her Kong toys have provided her with a durable toy that can stand up to her chewing, along with something to keep her mind occupied while she tries to work the treats out. As we wait for Bella’s new owner to come take her home, we know we can keep her busy and content by giving her a treat-filled Kong. Meet Bella here.

Sheila and Sammi were brought to the shelter on May 20th of this year. They were being held as evidence after their owner was arrested for failing to provide them with proper care. Both were underweight. They were recently officially surrendered to the shelter and we have been trying to place with a rescue group out of the area. They are not listed on any adoption sites for this reason. They have spent countless hours with their Kong toys, working at getting the treats and peanut butter out of the centers and chewing on them. We believe that having these toys has prevented them from ending up with the behavior issues that can be seen in long-term shelter residents: pacing, circling, cage-aggression and excessive barking or crying. The Kongs have definitely been a lifesaver for Sammi and Sheila.