Animal Welfare Grants Strengthen Ability to Respond to Dire Pet Needs

Animal shelters routinely receive dogs and cats in severe health crisis, and Animal Welfare Grants from the Community Foundation can expand their capacity to provide emergency care and foster monitoring services that enable positive outcomes for these animals.

The impact of Animal Welfare Grants is illustrated in the case of the Humane Society of Lakewood Ranch (HSLWR), which received a $9,500 grant from the Robert Parker Fund in 2022 to support emergency and surgical care, along with foster kits that set animals and their foster families up for success.

Expanded capacity at the shelter enabled staff to take on an urgent request by Sarasota Animal Services to receive a very pregnant dog last year. The HSLWR accepted the dog, Jolene, and it was immediately clear she was in poor health, in addition to being on the verge of labor.

Within days, Jolene birthed nine puppies, three of which died within the first 48 hours. Nonetheless, those that survived were given excellent medical attention, including three that were taken to the ER on respiratory issues. All these pups survived, and the shelter was further able to provide 24-hour monitoring with their foster families, setting both the pets and their new families up for success.

These funds made it possible for the mother and pups to survive, and for those pups to go on to bring joy to their new families.