Faithful Friends Animal Society: Play Yard Renovation Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
Shade sail for protection from the sun. $590.19
Rubber flooring and ramp to protect them from injuries from the existing concrete floor. Rubber flooring: $1,447.50; rubber floor ramps $859.86
Carport to provide a larger shaded area and protection from light weather conditions (rain/snow). The initial vendor we selected is no longer doing business in Delaware so we are currently looking for a replacement vendor. Estimated cost: $1,500-2,000
We have been experiencing great successes since adopting playgroups for our Playing for Life program, a national model for group play. The playgroups have enriched the lives of adoptable dogs by providing them time to socialize and play with each other, and they have allowed staff to get to know dogs’ personalities better, which helps them better match dogs with good homes. The dogs’ energy is spent in a very positive way, where they have an outlet for kennel stress, and it’s provided social enrichment for a lot of our dogs in a safe and sheltered play yard. Thanks to your grant, they can play safely outdoors protected from the sun, heat and rain, and from the concrete flooring that was in the play yard before we installed the rubber mats.
We’ve provided one success story about Sheeva and Sly, two dogs who didn’t know each other when they came into care and immediately bonded in the play yard. Because of this, they were adopted to a great home together.
How many pets did this grant help?
Monthly there are 55-60 dogs in our care at the shelter who can enjoy and benefit from the play yard daily.
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Sly and Sheeva were two mixed-breed dogs who came into care. They were both young dogs just bursting with energy. They didn’t come in together, but as soon as they were able to be tested, they were grouped together during our Playing for Life program, a national model for group play. Thanks to the Petfinder Foundation grant, we have ground mats to protect their feet from the asphalt, and shade from the heat, sun and light rain. Sly and Sheeva did extremely well together, and were often pairing off with each other no matter the number of other dogs in the yard.
Dogs at Faithful Friends often do not get adopted together unless they come in with one another. However, these two did so well together during group play that an adopter decided to take them together. Without play groups, these two would never have been adopted together!
