Highland Lakes Canine Rescue: Orvis Dog Enrichment Grant Report

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

Our land includes 10 large 40' x 60' fenced yards where the dogs can exercise, play, and have fun with other dogs, volunteers, and staff. One of the 10 yards also has a variety of weather-proof agility equipment for advanced rehabilitation and training.

The dogs spend as much time as possible during the day having enrichment opportunities in these yards, but the heat during much of the year in Central Texas limits these opportunities or puts the dogs at risk for overheating while our summers trend hotter and drier. Cooling sun shades will keep these areas cooler, more pleasant, and safer for the dogs to spend time in. Most importantly, these sun shades will allow the dogs to socialize in these large yards for more hours and days during their time with us.

Thanks to this grant, the dogs will be more comfortable as they enjoy enrichment time with each other and with staff and volunteers in their large outdoor yards. The increased enrichment time outdoors will allow the dogs to burn off more energy and stress while playing and learning in the shade, even in summer months. The ultimate result will be to help our dogs become more adoptable faster and to find their forever families, thus directly helping our mission.

How many pets did this grant help?

100

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

Marnie is a female Saint Bernard-boxer mix in our care. At 75 lbs., with plenty of heavy fur and as a breed more used to snowy mountains than Texas heat, Marnie needs as much shade as possible to make it through the hotter months!

Marnie loves to be in her outdoor yard to snuggle and play with staff and volunteers. She is already loving the shade and cooler air provided by the new sun shade in her yard.

Although it is January, Central Texas is experiencing record heat in the 80s, and it will only get hotter as spring and summer approach. Thanks to this grant and these new sunshades, Marnie can spend more time outside while she waits to meet her forever family.

Marnie is posted on Petfinder; you can meet her here.