RezQ Dogs: Disaster Response and Recovery Grant Report
How did this grant help your organization and the pets in your care?
RezQ Dogs experienced a devastating flood on June 4, 2013. In the weeks prior to flooding, we received an unprecedented amount of rain totaling over 14 inches, more than the average annual precipitation amount.
As the rains kept coming, we assumed the property leased by RezQ Dogs would flood. Consequently, on Friday, May 31, we evacuated 11 dogs to safety. That left us with 8 dogs that were moved inside the house of RezQ Dogs’ founders. On June 4, the water entered the yard and kept rising. By 6 am, it was clear that even the dogs kept inside had to be evacuated. The dogs were moved to safety by boat and boarded at a boarding facility in Great Falls, Mont., 180 miles from RezQ Dogs.
After the flood waters receded, the damage to RezQ Dogs’ facility became clear. Every inch of the property was covered with 3-4 inches of silt/mud. Ten kennels were destroyed as was the perimeter fence. All of the dog houses were either contaminated or destroyed.
RezQ Dogs used the $3,000 from Petfinder Foundation to purchase new, heavy duty kennels ($2,100) for the dogs and gravel ($1,160) to cover the silt/mud in the kennels in order to keep the dogs dry and clean.
Without the Petfinder Foundation's grant, RezQ Dogs would not have been able to continue saving the dogs of Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy's Indian Reservations. Because of the grant, RezQ Dogs recovered fast from the flood and saved the lives of 240 animals since the flood on June 4.
How many pets did this grant help?
240 so far
Please provide a story of one or more specific pets this grant helped.
Anita’s heart sank when she saw the dog. Another dog that was going to need eye surgery. Another dog with more puppies. Knowing how full the kennels at RezQ Dogs were, it was daunting but it would be done. It took some looking to find the obviously nursing mother dog’s puppies but they were located under the porch of a nearby home. No dog house, no bowls, just a dirty area in which to raise her puppies. It is often that way here, an economically depressed area where there is often little money to spare.
Upon further looking, we found that one of her pups from last year was still with her and she also had a litter of puppies. On this day the younger mom was nowhere to be found, just her small puppies were still present. Since the younger mom was feral, we decided that rather than leaving her four daughters to grow up to be feral and unwanted, they would also be brought to RezQ Dogs. We hoped that their grandmother would raise them; if not, we decided we would bottle feed them.
Twain, as the mother/grandmother came to be known, was brought to RezQ Dogs and placed in a chain link kennel. For about 5 minutes. We soon found that her love of affection was so strong that she would easily escape her kennel just to be with us. She never once attempted to run away but would only get out of the kennel to be closer to us. Twain proved to be an absolute sweetheart even though, due to the porcupine quills her previous owners had left her injured with, her pain must have been immense. After multiple trips, our veterinarian determined that due to her injuries her eye had collapsed and had to be removed. Twain seemed undaunted. Over time, with good food and much-needed medical attention, Twain grew into a beautiful loving friend. This was despite the fact that she had not only her four puppies to feed but was also feeding her daughter’s four puppies. And she loved them all, even the puppies belonging to the dogs in the kennels next to her. It became a common sight to see her licking and playing with all of the puppies she could. Twain is the true definition of what a mother is, caring for not only her children but all children. As is the cycle with all living things, her puppies grew up and were adopted. As of yet, Twain is still in foster care but, we are sure, there is a plan for her. A very special mother deserves a special home.
We would not have been able to save Twain and her puppies if it wasn’t for the generous grant from the Petfinder Foundation which helped RezQ Dogs get back on its feet after a devastating flood.
