Help A Dog Smile: Senior Pet Adoption Assistance Grant Report

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

The Petfinder Foundation grant was the key to getting Dolly adopted. Dolly, who is most likely in the last year of her life, has kidney disease and the cost and time associated with Dolly's medical needs during her final year were major impediments for adoption.

How many pets did this grant help?

One: Dolly

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

Dolly is a 13-year-old Chihuahua who lived with a single owner her whole life. Her owner died and the owner’s veterinary clinic staff asked Help A Dog Smile to find Dolly a new forever home.

Dolly has a kidney condition that requires weekly fluids and daily medication. Dolly is most likely in the last year of her life. We wanted to find someone to adopt her so she could spend the final year of her life in a home rather than a medical clinic.

The cost and time associated with Dolly’s medical needs during her final year were major impediments for adoption. Dolly needs daily medicine, weekly IV fluids, and lab work. The Petfinder Foundation 2023 Senior Pet Adoption Assistance Grant to the rescue!

Thanks to the Petfinder Foundation, we received a $1,000 grant to help Dolly’s adopter with her medical costs. On Aug. 27, we posted on Facebook and, through an email campaign to find a home for Dolly and thanks to the Petfinder Foundation, we are able to offer the adopter financial assistance with medical costs. (You can see the narrative from the campaign below)

Within a week of the Facebook and email posts, Dolly had an adopter. Dolly’s adopter knows how to take care of dogs with kidney disease and made the decision to adopt Dolly because of the financial assistance available thanks to the Petfinder Foundation.

The very first thing Dolly did in her new forever home was build a nest of soft blankets on a sofa right next to her new owner. She is so very happy.

Thank you, Petfinder Foundation, for making the last year of Dolly’s life truly amazing!

EXCERPT FROM OUR EMAIL AND FACEBOOK POSTS:

This is Dolly, and oh what a doll she is! Dolly is 13 years old and in urgent need of a special home. She lived her whole life with a loving owner who died suddenly, leaving four senior dogs behind. Dolly is the last one looking for a home to live out the rest of her days.

Dolly has kidney failure and her health is rapidly declining in the kennel environment. She misses her owner, dog siblings, and home, and deserves to live out her life in a peaceful and loving home. Dolly loves people and has always lived with other dogs.

Dolly’s medical treatment plan consists of medication (twice a day), subcutaneous fluids (weekly), and blood testing (every six weeks or so). Thanks to the Petfinder Foundation, we are able to offer $1,000 in financial assistance to Dolly’s adopter to help fund her medical costs. Dolly also comes with an additional $100 donor-funded medical grant.