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Director's Corner

April 2022

Hello Lisa,

This month we focus on community partnerships. From expanding your volunteer base to helping you prepare for unforeseen challenges, community partnerships can increase and enhance your organizational capacity. While we may tend to think of partnerships in terms of vet relationships or partnering with animal control agencies to identify at-risk dogs, creative collaboration with schools and other rescue groups is just as important.

As always, we'd love to hear about your innovative programs! Have you forged any unique collaborations? Please share your experiences on our Facebook page and feel free to reach out to me if you'd like to be featured in a future Director's Corner. Thanks for all you do to make life better for senior dogs.

Lisa Lunghofer, PhD

Executive Director

Increase Inclusivity through

Community Partnerships

In the last of Maddie’s Fund’s Foster Challenge Huddle Zoom calls, three organizations will highlight how they created new community partnerships and offered a variety of foster programs to engage a wider array of community members. Tune in on Wednesday, April 27, at 11 am PT/2 pm ET.

Grantee Spotlight: Happy Birthday, HeARTs Speak!

Two-time Grey Muzzle grantee HeARTs Speak celebrated its 12th birthday on April 7! This international nonprofit is uniting art and advocacy to increase the visibility of shelter animals, and their communications kit is a must-have. It includes a collection of customizable tools, editable graphic templates, and curated resources to help you communicate about everything from traditional foster programs to safety-net fostering.

If your organization has a helpful resource, a clever spin on a lifesaving program for senior dogs, or is currently running a fresh take on a program and you are seeing great results, please post any ideas/acclaims to the Facebook page.

Young Volunteers Can Have a Big Impact

on Senior Adoptions

This dog was adopted after the persuasive writing assignment.

St. Michael's Episcopal School/RACC

Searching for creative ways to find new homes for hard-to-place senior dogs?

A partnership with your local elementary school can help your potential adopters see your pups through the eyes of a child, as this shelter in Richmond, VA has done with great success.

"It was just a miraculous marketing tool to help people find those pets and fall in love with them with the stories that the kids wrote, and then take that pet home with them," Peters told NPR.

Are you prepared for Ukrainian Pets in Your Area?

Grant Opportunity: Pedigree’s 2022

Grant Application Cycle is Open

This year’s Pedigree Foundation's Program Development Grants will focus on transport, foster, behavior, and matching programs to increase dog adoption dates (up to $15,000). The deadline for submission is May 8, 2022.

The Grey Muzzle Organization | greymuzzle.org