Mitchell County Animal Rescue: Kia Pet Adoption Grant Report

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

The Kia Pet Adoption Grant allowed us to offer adoptions at no cost to low-income families and individuals in our area, with the understanding that the ability to pay never equals the ability to love.

Each adopter completed a basic adoption application, either online or in person, with the assistance of a staff member. Applicants, with the help of an adoption counselor, were paired with an appropriate pet to fit their lifestyles. Adopters were offered access to our free pet food bank that is stocked with the help of private donors and grants from other foundations, and to our low-cost vaccination clinics.

This grant helped us build trust and relationships with folks in underserved communities in our area. We were able to place pets into loving homes with families who could not have afforded it otherwise. The Kia Pet Adoption Grant allowed us to successfully place seven adult cats, 17 kittens, five adult dogs, and six puppies into their forever homes.

How many pets did this grant help?

35

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

Congo, a very large, solid black adult cat, had been a stray for months. His finders had to capture him in a Havahart trap to bring him in.

His survival instincts were strong and he did not trust easily. For two weeks, grumpy Congo hissed and shied away when our staff tried to interact with him, but they were dedicated to making him comfortable and fear-free in our shelter.

Slowly he started relaxing at the touch of our hands and stopped hissing. Soon after, Congo began affectionately offering head bumps to his new friends. He quickly became one of the shelter’s most loving residents.

When Ms. Carolyn, a retired caregiver on a fixed income, heard about the Kia Adoption Grant, she decided it was the right time to adopt. She was looking for a very cuddly cat or kitten to keep her company. We felt like Congo would be a good match, and it was love at first sight. Congo melted into Carolyn’s arms right away and she knew he was meant for her.

After she noticed that Congo wasn’t eating very well, Carolyn reached out to us for help with a visit to the vet. A grant from a private foundation allowed us to have Congo seen and covered the cost of a dental (one bad tooth was causing pain and discomfort.) Congo is now feeling much better and has his appetite back.

Carolyn calls us with updates and always expresses her gratitude for our programs and the adoption grant. She tells us that Congo is the best cat she’s ever had. He keeps the loneliness at bay, makes her laugh, and is always down to wear matching outfits.

Black cats (especially adult males) often get looked over. Without the Kia Pet Adoption Grant, Congo could have waited for months for a home. Like Carolyn, we are grateful for Kia and the Petfinder Foundation’s efforts to save pets.