M&M's Fur-Ever Furbabies: Emergency Medical Grant Report

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

Our organization received a $1,000 Petfinder Foundation Emergency Medical Grant that was used specifically for one of our rescued dogs named Reason. She had been severely neglected and abused before coming to us. Reason was in constant pain from having her canines shaven and front teeth pulled out by her abuser, leaving her unable to eat. Already emaciated and malnourished, Reason needed to have dental surgery/procedures done to relieve her pain. The grant was used to provide Reason with the vet care and procedures needed to start her recovery journey.

Receiving this grant helped our organization provide the necessary care needed for one of our previously abused rescue dogs named Reason. Without this blessing our small nonprofit would have struggled to raise the funds needed, which would have taken much longer and could have been detrimental to Reason's health. Thankfully, Reason was able to start her new life as a happy and healthy girl quickly after the procedures were completed. Because of this grant, Reason is no longer in pain and has gained much-needed weight since she is now able to eat nutritious food.

How many pets did this grant help?

1

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

Reason came to our rescue after being abused and neglected, used for breeding multiple litters of puppies. Upon intake, she was extremely emaciated, weighing 30 lbs. You could see every bone and vertebra of her body. She was dehydrated, starving, dirty, broken and sad, but she trusted us immediately without any hesitation. We noticed her tail had been broken in several places and her claws had overgrown so much they twisted, but the worst of all was that her canines had been shaved down and both top and bottom teeth had been pulled from her mouth, causing her gums to be swollen, bruised and painful. Reason was knocking on death’s door and needed a miracle to save her life!

She was immediately taken to our vet for examination, where they performed standard testing and procedures. Her age was estimated at 2 years old, but because of her mouth, it was difficult to say for certain. For weeks we fed her whatever she could eat without being in pain, which did not help her gain weight or overcome her malnourishment. Returning to the vet, they reexamined her and told us her only option was to have dental procedures to help relieve the pain and correct her biting technique, but that those were not considered emergencies; therefore, without full payment, there was nothing they could do to at the time.

Immediately we began trying to raise the funds on our own to have this done for Reason as quickly as we could. Unfortunately, being a newer and smaller rescue, raising the funds was impossible and almost became hopeless. She managed to gain 15 lbs. after the first month of being with us, but she needed to gain much more. Thankfully, around this time was when we received word that the Petfinder Foundation was going to help us by approving the emergency medical grant application for her procedures. Within days of receiving the funding, Reason had her procedure and was recovering well.

She has been able to eat almost everything she wants to now, even the hard kibble we feed the other dogs. Her testing shows that everything has improved and she has gained 45 lbs. in total as of today. You can no longer see any of her bones or vertebrae and her gums are no longer swollen, bruised or painful, which allows her to be the healthy, happy girl that she has always deserved to be!

Because of the Petfinder Foundation’s grant, Reason is alive without pain and now has a second chance at the life she should have always lived. Meet Reason: https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/33693174