Humane Society of the Ohio Valley: Petfinder 20th Anniversary Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
$5,000 of the grant money we received was used to sponsor our Annual Fur Ball (which is the largest fundraiser for our shelter). The HSOV Fur Ball has become one of “the” social events in our small community and tickets sell out quickly. In recent years, we have typically raised $25,000-30,000 with this fundraiser to support the operation of our shelter for the benefit of animals in our care.
The remainder of the grant money was used:
1) to supplement needed supplies (vaccines, wormer, medications, flea treatment, food, etc.) for all animals in our shelter
2) to provide veterinary care (including surgeries) for several dogs and cats
3) to replace/upgrade hinges and hardware on kennel gates
Because of this generous Petfinder Foundation grant, we will realize a larger net profit on our 2017 Fur Ball fundraiser by having a $5,000 sponsorship and not having expenses taken away from our operating fund. The income from the Fur Ball directly supports our operations and the care of animals.
Dogs and cats received the vaccines/wormer/flea treatments and antibiotics (if needed). Several were helped with veterinary care and surgery that might not have been possible without this grant. We were able to upgrade and replace broken/weakened hinges on the gates/doors of 20 kennels thanks to this grant money. New heavy-gauge brackets and hinges were fabricated and installed on those kennel gates and provided a twofold benefit: The old latches were not sturdy and bent easily, so the safety of the animals was a constant source of worry. And because the latches were bent and made the kennels difficult to open, many dogs weren’t being walked by volunteers because they couldn’t get the kennel gates open. Now ALL dogs are being walked with the new hinges in place!
How many pets did this grant help?
The grant actually helped each and every animal in our shelter in some way, and we typically house 50-60 dogs and 60-70 cats Approximately 6 dogs and 2 cats benefited more than the others because they were able to have more extensive veterinary care and surgeries that they might not otherwise have had.
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Rufus was an adorable 2-year-old gray male tabby kitty who came to the HSOV on Jan. 19, 2017, after he was found in the Vincent, Ohio, area. This handsome young man had an injury to his tail and was in a great deal of pain and desperately in need of medical attention. We immediately took him to a veterinarian who made the diagnosis that Rufus’ tail should be amputated, so he spent a few days in the vet’s clinic before coming back to our shelter. Rufus made a remarkable recovery and was soon ready to find a fabulous home. We had fallen so in love with this boy. He maintained his sweet, lovable personality from day one and throughout his ordeal, even though we knew he wasn’t feeling like putting on a happy face. Rufus had a darling face with beautiful eyes that begged for attention (and a loving home). He had a calm, gentle disposition and the sweetest personality. Rufus purred constantly and loved to snuggle in your arms. He was given vaccinations, wormer, and Revolution flea treatment on Jan. 19. He was neutered at the same time his tail was amputated. When we took Rufus’ original photos on Jan. 19, he had a red bandage on his tail and it was visible in his Petfinder/Facebook photos. He wore a cone for a couple of weeks while he recuperated. We were thrilled to have the opportunity to take updated photos of Rufus on Feb. 9, and asked him if he would mind wearing a red bow tie for some Furry Valentine pictures. We were even more thrilled when sweet Rufus was adopted on Feb. 14. What a happy Valentine’s Day gift.
Max was a sweet older adult male shepherd/husky mix who was surrendered by his family on Jan. 12, 2017, because they were no longer able to take care of him. This handsome gentleman had a short, smooth, tan-and-cream coat, a long tail, and a darling face with dark brown eyes (which seemed to be highlighted with eyeliner) and large, erect ears. Max was a friendly fellow who was good with children, other dogs, and cats. He had been kept indoors and his owner told us that he needed to be taken outdoors often for bathroom breaks. Max was listed as a special-needs dog since he had been diagnosed with demodectic mange (which is non-contagious and very treatable). He also had a bacterial/yeast infection that caused some hair loss. Max was given excellent veterinary care by a local veterinarian in Marietta, Ohio, and responded wonderfully to treatment and medicated baths. In a matter of weeks, his hair began to grow back in. Max was fairly small for his breed and weighed 60 lbs. He was neutered in early February and was also given rabies vaccine. Max yearned for a new home, a foster home, or a rescue group that would spoil him in the manner to which he wanted to become accustomed. Actually, our staff and volunteers were doing a pretty good job of that, but it wasn’t quite like having a family of his very own. On Feb. 10, 2017, Max found the home that we had dreamed of for this special guy. He left our shelter that day to live with his new family and is living a life of luxury with them in one of our historic landmarks in Marietta.
Paws is a handsome 5-year-old kitty who was surrendered by his owner on Jan. 26, 2017. This big boy is a real snuggle bunny who turns on the charm and loves being held in your arms. Paws has a medium-length, smooth gray-and-white coat, a long tail, and a mesmerizing face with intriguing markings on his muzzle. Paws was listed as a special-needs cat at the time of his arrival because of poor dental health and a possible infection in his mouth/teeth. He was placed on antibiotics in preparation for dental surgery (and thanks to this Petfinder Foundation grant, he had that surgery on March 13), and he was also neutered. Paws was combo-tested on Jan. 31 and we were saddened to discover that he is positive for FIV. This special boy is still looking for the perfect home. Meet Paws: www.petfinder.com/petdetail/37325847
