Animal Protective Association of Missouri: Pet Transfer Program Grant Report

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

Pet Transfer Program

It paid for supplies and salaries for the dogs in our Pet Transfer Program.

How many pets did this grant help?

112

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

John Jay the Shepherd mix didn’t have the easiest start to life. While his exact history is unknown, he came to The Animal Shelter of Texas County (TASTC), Missouri, as a stray who appeared to have been abused. However, he was a sweet dog who seemed eager to please, even if he didn’t have the best manners. The great staff at TASTC decided John Jay was an excellent candidate for their Puppies for Parole program.

This program brings animals in need of additional socialization or obedience training into prisons and gives inmates an opportunity to help those dogs develop skills. The dogs live in the cells with their trainers and spend hours each day developing the skills they need to become wonderful members of the family. After 3-4 months, the dogs graduate and head back to their original shelters to find new homes.

John Jay excelled at the program, and came out knowing seven new skills: sit, lie down, stay, come, shake, roll over, and play dead. Whoever adopted John Jay was getting one heck of a dog! The staff at TASTC decided that this great pup deserved the best opportunity possible to find a new home, and they transferred him to the APA. Within just five days, John Jay found a fantastic home with plenty of kids to play with and to help him stay sharp on his skills. Everyone was so happy to see this wonderful dog find the family he deserved!