Animal Protective Association of Missouri: Pet Transfer Program Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
**NOTE: This grant was made possible in part by a donation from Beggin’.**
The money provided funds to be used in our Pet Transfer Program.
It funded medication, vaccinations, utilities and salaries related to the care of transferred pets.
How many pets did this grant help?
101
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
When Lana, a Chihuahua mix, came to the APA, it was her sixth residence, and she wasn’t even 1 year old. She had been bustled around from home to home until our friends at All New Hope Rescue transferred her to us, hoping we could help her finally find her forever family. With a face like Lana’s, we knew it wouldn’t be hard, but we didn’t realize what a special match she would be for one extra special family.
Emily Nienhuis has a heart of gold. Over the past 15 years, she has been a foster mom to 24 children. She has legally adopted four daughters and is in the process of adopting two more little girls. With a heart that big, it’s no wonder Emily was also interested in adopting a shelter pet!
When Emily and her daughter Evelyn came to the APA looking for a furry family companion, they were originally interested in adopting a rabbit. While we did have a bunny, his personality wasn’t well-suited to a home with six children. Our adoption counselor Robert recommended that, if they were open to adopting a dog, they visit with Lana. Her laid-back, tolerant personality made her a good candidate for a home with lots of hands to give lots of love.
As soon as they met her, Emily and Evelyn fell in love! They couldn’t resist Lana’s charm and her snuggly ways and were eager to take her home to introduce her to the rest of the family. During the adoption, Emily asked if we knew any background information on Lana. As a matter of fact, we had a ton of information on Lana’s background; she had come to the APA with a binder full of paperwork from all the places she had been. Emily was amazed by the coincidence: Children entering foster homes bring their Life Books with them. These books help tell their life stories and experiences until they find a family to call their own. What a perfect match for Lana and the girls!
Today Emily says that Lana has been a wonderful addition to their family. She’s a social butterfly who loves playing with all her new human sisters, and she’s brought a healing presence to their home. Children in foster homes sometimes come from traumatic situations, and Lana’s sweet, buoyant spirit has been a comfort and a joy to her daughters. Every night she and Evelyn snuggle on the couch together until they both fall asleep, safe and sound in their forever home. We couldn’t ask for a more perfect ending to this happy tail!
