Providence Animal Center: Orvis Dog Enrichment Grant Report

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

This grant was used to purchase enrichment items for the dogs in our kennels in order to keep them mentally and physically stimulated. Thanks to Orvis and the Petfinder Foundation, we were able to purchase Weiss Walkie harnesses, KONG Wobbler treat-dispensing toys, and Rescue Remedy aromatherapy water additive.

Enrichment items like KONG Wobblers and Rescue Remedy keep our dogs physically and mentally stimulated and reduce their levels of stress while they wait for adoption. This reduces their incidence of illness and shortens their average length of stay. Weiss Walkie harnesses make it easier for staff, volunteers, and visitors to walk our more energetic and athletic dogs, which means they can go out on more walks during the day. All of these things mean that we can adopt out out more dogs and save more lives!

How many pets did this grant help?

Our kennels hold about 50 dogs, who will all benefit from these enrichment items. Since we only use a few drops of Rescue Remedy at a time and since the harnesses and toys can be washed and re-used, we can safely estimate that several hundred dogs will benefit from these new enrichment items.

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

Littles (first and second photos) is a 2-year-old pit bull-type dog who was rescued from a local high-volume animal control facility. He is a sweet and friendly boy who loves attention! His KONG Wobbler helps him pass the time in between walks from visitors. Joltik (third photo) is a 5-year-old mastiff blend who was rescued from a nearby high-volume animal control shelter. He enjoys trotting around the grounds and rolling in the grass. His walks are made even more comfortable using his new Weiss Walkie harness!