Columbus-Lowndes Humane Society: KONG Toys Grant Report

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

Our dogs really LOVED the new Kong toys! We fill them with goodies and they play with them for hours on end. It has really helped so much with enrichment. They all get so excited to get their "Kong time" each day. The big Kong "bones" are a favorite with our large-breed dogs, too! Some even like to throw them around. It's truly a sight to see!

How many pets did this grant help?

This grant has helped around 60 dogs so far!

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

Jane, a senior hound with heartworms, was our longest-term residents. She had been here for over six months.

As sweet and beautiful as she was, she was constantly overlooked, partially because of her heartworm status (we do treat all positive dogs) and partially because not everyone wants a senior dog.

She would play with other dogs in our play yard and have the best time, but would get so depressed when it was time to be in her kennel — which is understandable, especially after being here for so long.

We were running out of enrichment ideas. Thankfully, we were approved for the Kong grant just in time! When Ole Jane figured out there was peanut butter inside, she went bonkers! It was like watching a puppy play. People would stop and notice her. Some would ask if Jane had gotten her Kong yet, because they liked to see her happy.

Then one day a very sweet man named Steve, who only adopts senior pets, came in and met our Jane. It was love at first sight! Jane is now living with Steve and another senior dog of ours named Sallie Mae, happily ever after.