The Pit Bull Pen: KONG Toys Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
The Kong toys we received are instrumental in keeping our dogs relaxed and engaged in an activity during times when volunteers may not be able to spend enough time with them. We have filled and frozen the regular Kongs with both peanut butter and softened food for the dogs with digestive concerns, and this gives them hours of interaction, energy burning, and stimulation.
We do the same with the bone-shaped toys and place them in the kennel walls, giving the dogs a way to play tug, work it through the bars, or just lick until they are satisfied.
Outside, throwing the toys gives the dogs a challenge; they enjoy guessing which way the toys are going to bounce, jumping to catch them and chasing them around the yards.
Our dogs thank you for the opportunity to enjoy so many good toys. We thank you for giving us the ability to keep the dogs at the rescue entertained, exercised, and mentally stimulated during the very hot days last summer in particular, as well as at other times.
The durability of these toys allows our biggest pit bulls to have options.
How many pets did this grant help?
150
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
We focus on pit bulls, and Miss Petunia is a little but mighty blue brindle purebred American Staffordshire terrier who came to us just three days before producing 10 puppies. We had a lot of trouble keeping them alive and did get 7 to survive and thrive. Over the summer, they played outside all day, often with Kong toys that went into the pool, mud, and play yards, and under the porch where they hid them.
The real saving grace was when Petunia developed a severe case of pyometra and almost died. She had emergency surgery, and staying quiet afterward was imperative to her healing properly. She had so many staples in her little tummy, it was traumatic.
To keep her quiet, and because she’s prone to rashes, we softened her food and froze it into her Kong toys. She really enjoyed them over the three weeks she was here and we sent a couple of Kongs home with her to her foster, who ultimately adopted Miss Petunia.
We had weeks of 110-degree and higher temperatures during the time Miss Petunia was recovering, and she wasn’t allowed to get wet to cool off, so her frozen Kongs also provided her some cooling comfort.
