SPCA of Winchester, Frederick, and Clarke: Bar Dog Operation Grant Report

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

To prepare six large dogs for adoption (neuter, vaccinations, microchips, parasite treatment) and cover their adoption fees.

All six dogs featured through the Petfinder Foundation Bar Dog grant found forever homes. One dog had been in shelter over 400 days.

How many pets did this grant help?

6

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

Xena was brought to the Winchester SPCA in August of 2020. A local resident rescued her from an online site. She presented with superficial injuries the vet determined could have been due to fighting.

Xena’s wounds healed and she was vaccinated, spayed, and microchipped. A BARC behavioral assessment was completed and Xena performed well in all categories except for dog-to-dog interactions.

Xena is one of the friendliest dogs you will ever meet: She has an amazing personality and loves all humans. She loves belly scratches, snow, eating out of your hand, and playing outside. She traveled in a multi-pet transport van to get spayed, and she did great at the vet.

Still, finding Xena a home was a challenge. The Winchester SPCA wanted to ensure that Xena’s next home was forever. She needed a home without any other pets and a 6-foot privacy fence.

As Xena waited, she started to shut down. Often, she wouldn’t even want to leave her kennel for daily walks. Volunteers would come to read to Xena to help keep her spirits up. Staff and volunteers would carry the large lovebug when she refused to walk. Xena was well-loved in her time at the Winchester SPCA. Still, she deserved a family of her very own.

We featured six large dogs thanks to the grant from the Petfinder Foundation and Bar Dog Wines. Xena was mutt No. 3 of six. Several families started to come visit with Xena.

On the day of her adoption, Xena didn’t know why she got a special bath and new bandana. She didn’t know that a wonderful family had applied to adopt her. She didn’t know their home check was complete and their application approved. She didn’t know when they came to visit that they would be taking her home. We didn’t tell her. We waited patiently and hoped that all would go well and that today would be the day, and it was.

There are so many humans for Xena to love in this new home, her forever home. After 408 day in shelter, Xena was adopted.