One day after being adopted, our lovely pup Thad passed away unexpectedly due to an unforeseen medical defect on his lung. The outcome of Thad’s journey with us was heartbreaking and shocked us all. We had never been through a situation like that before. The adopters, our fosters, and volunteers were stunned. Even when we were reassured by our vets that there was nothing different we could have done to save him, we felt that there must be a way to honor him through this tragedy. In 2020, we founded T.H.A.D which stands for “to help adopted dogs.” This program is aimed at providing a small stipend to families whose adoption journey takes an unexpected turn. In the event, something horribly unexpected happens to a dog after being adopted, families will be able to apply for a small T.H.A.D. grant. This grant will be paid directly to their vet to help with unforeseen medical expenses. In order to qualify, adopters will need to have proof of the following: monthly preventatives given for flea, tick and heartworm, veterinary proof that they brought the dog in for their 30 day wellness exam, kept the dogs up to date on bordetella, distemper, and rabies vaccinations, licensed their dog with their municipality, and tested them yearly for

heartworm disease.

These donations need to be raised separate from our general operating donations. Funds will be granted to families based off of what we have available, and no more than $500. Funds will also be granted based off of most immediate need. Our hope with this program is that we can continue to support our adopters after adoption. That we can be there for them through the bad times and ensure our dogs continue to receive the best care- the care they deserve.