Grand County Pet Pals: Kia Pet Adoption Grant Report

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

We serve the community of Grand County, Colorado, which is a rural, working-class neighborhood.

We have several programs to fulfill our mission of promoting good stewardship and compassion for animals within Grand County. Funds are raised to provide 100% spay/neuter and veterinary care for all animals at the shelter, as well as affordable spay-and-neuter assistance to pet owners with financial need through a voucher program.

In 2014, a Good Samaritan Fund was formally established to provide one-time charitable care at private veterinary practices within Grand County to pet owners with financial need.

Being able to provide reduced pet-adoption fees was a helpful last piece in providing financial assistance to prospective adopting families. The reduced pet-adoption fees allowed animals at the shelter to get adopted more quickly.

In 2022, we received 14 dogs who had spent their lives on the ends of chains in a dog-hoarding situation. By offering reduced pet-adoption fees, we were able to get these dogs adopted quickly.

How many pets did this grant help?

38

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

Meet Nana. She is a 10-month-old Chihuahua cross. Nana was surrendered because the owner had too many dogs and needed to find homes for several of them.

Nana came in very shy and timid because she hadn’t had too much human contact. Nana eventually learned that human touch was a wonderful thing and just wanted to be loved. She came to the shelter not fixed or vaccinated, so the shelter took care of all that was needed before she was adopted.

Nana was at the shelter for several weeks before she got adopted to a wonderful family that had another Chihuahua. At the meet-and-greet, the two dogs were unsure of each other, but respected each other’s space. The first day or so at the new home, they still had reservations about one another, but that soon faded away.

Nana, now named Rue, loves her big sister and they are now best buds who love to play and cuddle together all the time.