Norfolk Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Inc.: Orvis Dog Enrichment Grant Report

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

Petfinder Foundation/Orvis funds were used to purchase enrichment toys and paint/repair our agility equipment.

The enrichment toys help prevent boredom in our shelter dogs and provide mental and physical stimulation. The toys take advantage of our dogs' natural hunting instincts. This enrichment improves the quality of life for our dogs and helps build bonds between the caretakers and the pets.

How many pets did this grant help?

Fifteen dogs have benefited from the Petfinder Foundation/Orvis enrichment toys and agility equipment since we purchased the items this summer. On an annual basis, we anticipate that more than 250 dogs out of our yearly adoption total of 1,000 will enjoy the toys and equipment.

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

Joshua is an 18-month-old dog who came to us from an elderly couple. They admitted they hit him and never played with him. He was fearful and had a lot of pent-up energy. Our staff members used enrichment toys to play with him and took him for playtime in the agility yard at our shelter. Joshua began to trust our staff members, have healthy playtime, and burn off his physical and mental energy. Like most dogs, a tired Joshua was a good Joshua. He enjoyed playtime and became more adaptable and friendly. This improved his adoptability. Although he is still up for adoption, we think Joshua will find his forever home very soon.