Humane Society of Port Jervis/Deerpark, Inc.: KONG Toys Grant Report

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

Kongs were used to provide enrichment for shelter dogs.

While our staff makes every effort to provide daily exercise and other enrichment for the dogs in our shelter, the sad truth is that our dogs still spend a majority of their days in concrete and chain-link kennels. The Kongs are one of our go-to choices to help reduce our dogs’ stress and boredom as they wait for their forever homes.

How many pets did this grant help?

Approximately 60 dogs.

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

Buck (first two photos) and Sugar Ray (third photo) are two big boys who have been at the shelter for several months. Buck came to us tied in the back of a pick-up truck wearing a muzzle after having been found running loose along an area highway. The poor guy was scared to death and took several weeks before he was comfortable with our staff handling him. He is tentative meeting new people and, as such, has not had many adoption inquiries. Sugar Ray was surrendered by owners who didn’t have the time and commitment needed to give this boy the attention, exercise and mental stimulation he needs. In addition to getting out for walks with volunteers or to exercise in our play yard, both dogs enjoy their kennel time more with their personal peanut butter and kibble-filled Kongs!

Meet Buck: https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/31861682/
Meet Sugar Ray: https://www.petfinder.com/petdetail/32094332/