Symbiotic, Inc.: Senior Pet Adoption Assistance Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
The funds from the 2021 Senior Pet Adoption Assistance Grant have not been used yet, but we are holding them in reserve for the future adopters of Minnie and Dewey, a senior pair who have been in their foster home with Symbiotic, Inc., for almost a year.
Though we have not yet used the grant money, this grant gave us a great opportunity to increase our exposure of Minnie and Dewey. We shared multiple posts about the 2021 Senior Pet Adoption Assistance Grant to assure any potential adopters that they would have $1,000 toward any veterinary care that the pair might need after adoption.
How many pets did this grant help?
This grant will help two seniors, Minnie and Dewey, as we search for their forever homes.
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Minnie and Dewey are a bonded pair of seniors who were surrendered by their previous owners when the family divorced and neither adult was able to keep them. Minnie is a deaf, 10-year-old mixed breed and Dewey is a 14-year-old hound. They have been together since Minnie was a puppy, and Dewey is highly bonded to Minnie.
Before being surrendered, Minnie and Dewey spent their lives living outside in the family’s backyard. The pair stayed in a small rural shelter in Franklin, VA, for two weeks before Symbiotic, Inc., was able to bring them into rescue. After entering their foster home, Minnie needed substantial veterinary care, including having a large mammary tumor removed and numerous teeth extracted.
This pair is incredibly sweet and laid back. Minnie’s favorite pastime is long walks, though she also loves curling up in her bed for long naps afterwards! She is the sweetest, most gentle dog, and she loves pets and butt scratches. She shows a genuine excitement when she sees people coming and responds with such joy to everything.
Dewey’s all-time favorite activity is walking around the house with a stuffed animal in his mouth. When left alone, Dewey finds a stuffed animal and curls up for a nap near Minnie. He is a huge love bug and loves snuggling with his foster family on the couch.
Though they are loving life in their foster home, Minnie and Dewey are ready to find their forever family. They have been in their foster home since the beginning of February 2021 and were posted on Petfinder in April 2021. This pair is incredibly sweet, but they have not received much interest at this point, likely because they are a pair of large, senior dogs.
Unfortunately, Dewey has developed signs of dementia and has grown too anxious and unpredictable for a typical adoption. His foster home still loves him dearly, and they have agreed to provide fospice (foster hospice) care for the remainder of Dewey’s happy and comfortable life.
In an effort to find Minnie a forever home for her remaining years, we are currently testing separating Minnie and Dewey to see if we could adopt her out without increasing Dewey’s anxiety. Minnie is a happy, gentle, sweet, healthy girl who we think is highly adoptable.
The assurance of support with future veterinary bills will also help assuage any fears that an adopter might have around adopting a senior dog. We are continuing to explore options that will provide the best quality of life for both Minnie and Dewey!
