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Virginia

Rockbridge Animal Alliance

Funded in 2023

A Grey Muzzle grant will allow Rockbridge Animal Alliance to provide preventative medical care for senior dogs like 12-year-old Goober, who reside with their owners. The financial support will help keep senior dogs healthy, in their homes, with their families, and out of the shelter where they are at risk of euthanasia.

Rockbridge Animal Alliance serves rural Rockbridge County in Southwestern Virginia, where community outreach, humane education, and support services are priorities. RAA provides a monthly pet food pantry, low-cost spay and neuter surgeries, and veterinary assistance for at-risk pet owners. The organization was founded in 2014 as a non-profit and is supported and run by volunteers. 

white dog laying down

The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria

Funded in 2023

The cost of living in Northern Virginia is very high, and many residents struggle to afford veterinary care for their pets, especially emergency medical care. Funding from Grey Muzzle will allow the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA) to provide emergency medical grants to senior dogs’ families who make less than $50k per year and provide specialty food and supplies for our senior AniMeal clients. Both programs will help to keep senior dogs like Bunny with their loving families. 

The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria has been a resource for the community and a shelter for homeless animals since 1946. Through adoptions, spay and neuter assistance, education, community service, and outreach, the AWLA promotes responsible pet care across Northern Virginia.

smiling hound dog

Friends of Homeless Animals

Funded from 2021 to 2023

With generous funding from The Grey Muzzle Organization, Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA) is expanding its Senior Care Plan, which waives adoption fees for senior dogs and provides reimbursement for qualifying medical expenses or pet insurance premiums. The Senior Care Plan also includes senior-specific preventative healthcare before adoption, which results in healthier senior dogs with fewer long-term health issues. The plan assures adopters they can confidently adopt a senior dog like seven-year-old Lambert, a beautiful shepherd mix who has a big heart and loves a good walk. Supporting and encouraging senior dog adoptions will allow FOHA to take in more senior dogs from overcrowded shelters. 

Friends of Homeless Animals saves and improves lives one paw at a time. FOHA provides rescue, medical care, and adoption services in the Northern Virginia and Washington DC metropolitan areas. More than 16,000 cats and dogs have found a haven with FOHA over the last 47 years. FOHA’s mission statement is Home with us until they’re home with you.

brown dog with floppy ears

Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA

Funded from 2020 to 2021 and 2023

Funding from The Grey Muzzle Organization will help the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA provide high-quality medical care to senior dogs who arrive at the shelter looking for a second chance at finding a forever home. The Grey Muzzle grant will enable the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA to transfer more senior dogs from shelters where they may be at risk of euthanasia due to their age and medical conditions. Dogs like Hooch, an 11-year-old hound who was surrendered to the shelter with several medical concerns, will live their golden years with a loving family.

The Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA is a private animal shelter based in Charlottesville, VA, whose main purpose is finding permanent adoptive homes for animals.

Wilbur

Animal Care Assistance Program (ACAP)

Funded in 2020

Thanks to The Grey Muzzle Organization’s grant, ACAP will be able to extend their level of assistance beyond the previously normal monetary limit to help senior dogs like Wilbur receive life-saving veterinary care. Wilbur’s mom was referred to ACAP by an area animal shelter. He was  crying, acting in pain and drinking lots of water. ACAP partnered with another group to get Wilbur to an emergency vet clinic once he had labored breathing. Wilbur was discovered to be newly diabetic with a blood sugar of over 500! After urgent care, insulin therapy and a couple of follow up visits, Wilbur is feeling like a puppy again!

Serving central Virginia, and with a sanctuary located in Louisa, VA, the Animal Care Assistance Program, or ACAP, is a 501(c)3 organization which was established in 2015 to provide low-income pet owners the opportunity to get their dogs and cats much needed veterinary care, which they would not otherwise be able to afford. ACAP also pulls high risk senior dogs from rural shelters, fully vets them and, depending upon their health needs, places them into loving homes through their foster-to-adopt program. 

Black and white English Springer Spaniel

Mid-Atlantic English Springer Spaniel Rescue Organization

Funded in 2019

The Grey Muzzle Organization grant will make it possible for the Mid-Atlantic English Springer Spaniel Rescue Organization (MAESSR) to provide a Seniors for Seniors adoption program that enables adults age 60+ to experience the joys of adopting wonderful senior dogs. Funding from this grant will allow MAESSR to pay for canine screenings and needed medical and dental treatment upon rescue, supplement reduced adoption fees, and place a significant number of senior springers (age 9+) in loving forever homes with ongoing support and resources. This grant will help dogs like Warlord who arrived at MAESSR as a senior dog in poor health after having been used to sire many litters of puppies. At nine years old, Warlord’s medical exam indicated neglected health and dental care; many teeth were rotted to the root, while others were broken and almost falling out of his mouth. Thanks to MAESSR, Warlord received all the care he had gone without and is a candidate for the Seniors for Seniors adoption program. 

The Mid-Atlantic English Springer Spaniel Rescue Organization (MAESSR) is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating and re-homing Springers. MAESSR is active primarily in PA, DE, NJ, MD, VA, WV, NC, NY, and the District of Columbia. However, when it comes to rescuing English Springer Spaniels, there are no borders as they will go anywhere, anytime, to save a Springer.  MAESSR is committed to providing excellent medical and dental treatment and foster care for Springers, while screening potential homes interested in adopting.

Little tan Chihuahua Marcus

Lucky Dog Animal Rescue

Funded in 2019

The Grey Muzzle Organization grant will allow Lucky Dog Animal Rescue (LDAR) to provide diagnostic and medical care for senior dogs living in foster homes. Funding will also be used to provide screening and medical care for senior dogs who are up for adoption, ensuring their new families have a clear understanding of their health needs. This grant will help dogs like Marcus who was rescued by Lucky Dog Animal Rescue from a shelter in rural Virginia. At seven years old, he had been passed over for adoption again and again. But now Marcus is getting his second chance. After receiving a full medical workup, he’ll be transported to a Washington, DC area foster family where he’ll have a better shot at finding his forever home.  

Lucky Dog Animal Rescue (LDAR) is a volunteer-powered nonprofit dedicated to rescuing homeless, neglected, and abandoned animals from euthanasia and finding them loving forever homes. Since 2009, they have been a dedicated and driving community force in the DC Metro area.

small white dog with medical halo

Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation

Funded in 2019 and 2021

The Grey Muzzle Organization grant will allow the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation (LDCRF) to provide needed medical treatment to our senior dogs. This will empower potential adopters to make informed decisions about their ability to provide care for a new family member. Support from Grey Muzzle will help dogs like 10-year-old Santos, who is blind and was rescued after his elderly owner could no longer care for him. Santos arrived malnourished, with severely matted fur, glaucoma in both eyes, skin issues, and a broken spirit. Currently in foster care with LDCRF, he is getting the extensive veterinary care he needs to regain his health and be ready for adoption.

The Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation (LDCRF) was established in 2001 and has worked tirelessly since to rescue dogs and cats in need from rural shelters, crisis situations, and the threat of euthanasia — and give them loving temporary care until they find homes.

Brown and black dog

Norfolk Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Norfolk SPCA)

Funded in 2018, 2021 and 2022

Thanks to the support of The Grey Muzzle Organization, the Norfolk Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Norfolk SPCA) will provide dental exams, cleanings, and other necessary procedures for 60 senior dogs awaiting adoption--dogs just like Cleveland. Unfortunately, many senior dogs that arrive at the shelter have teeth that have been neglected by their previous owner, due to cost or lack of awareness of the importance of dental care. With this generous grant, the Norfolk SPCA’s veterinary staff will provide expert care that will alleviate suffering and ultimately increase these senior dogs’ likelihood of finding their forever family.

Established in 1892, the Norfolk SPCA in Norfolk, VA is one of the oldest animal welfare organizations in the country. The Norfolk Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Norfolk SPCA) shelters, treats, rehabilitates, and rehomes 2,000 companion animals annually from Greater Hampton Roads and gives them the extra time and care needed to find a forever home.

Yellow lab laying on deck with mouth open, panting. Tennis ball is between the front paws.

Highland County Humane Society, Inc.

Funded in 2018

The Grey Muzzle Organization grant will supplement and enhance our rescue program, enabling us to provide needed veterinary care and long-term foster care for senior dogs. With additional funding, we will expand our program and prioritize pulling senior pets from open admission shelter and placing them in loving foster homes. Grant funding will be used to cover senior blood work, x-rays, dental care, surgery, and other medical care. Grant funding will also allow us to reduce or eliminate adoption fees for seniors consistent with recent studies that show fees have no bearing on the commitment of adoptive families.

Highland County Humane Society, Inc. is a foster-based, 100% volunteer animal rescue serving poor, rural mountain communities in VA and WV. Traditional animal control and shelters do not exist in the counties we serve, and Highland County has no permanent veterinarian. Highland County Humane Society is dedicated to promoting health, safety, welfare, compassionate care, and protection of animals through a cooperative engagement with Highland County, its citizens, and other like-minded animal welfare groups.

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