Empire Animal Rescue Society: KONG Toys Grant Report

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

The Kong toys were given to fosters to use with their foster dogs as they wait for a family to adopt them into a forever home.

The availability of the Kong items helps provide our fosters with a way to engage with their foster pups and also helps to stimulate the dogs and keep them busy when their foster people are not able to be with the pet throughout the day. Inserting treats such as peanut butter into the Kong helps keep the dogs content and helps reduce their stress during the periods when they are not in direct contact with their fosters.

How many pets did this grant help?

30+ pups have gone through the foster homes that were provided with the Kong toys that we received as a part of this grant. They will continue to benefit our pups throughout the years since they are such a wonderfully durable dog toy.

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

Buttons and Hamlet both had a rough start in life and haven’t had the luxury of having toys available to play with. They are just getting used to the idea that they are now able to play and enjoy their new life that all dogs should have the opportunity to live. No longer will they worry if they will have food or a safe place to lay their heads at night. Buttons is a little guy but his favorite toy became the Kong bone — which was quite large for his little body, but he just wouldn’t give it up. When offered other toys, he immediately went back to the Kong bone every time. It was so nice to see his tail wagging as he chewed away happily. His foster mom claims he was smiling, and we are sure that, if Buttons could talk, he would shout out a big “thank you!” for his new toy. EARS is very appreciative of your amazing support of our organization’s dogs and puppies as we provide them with care, love and temporary homes as they await their forever families.