Jelly Bean was a stray who spent a year living in the shelter before entering Gateway Pet Guardians (GPG) life-saving foster program known as the Unicorn Foster Squad Program. With the support of a dedicated foster parent, professional trainers and GPG staff, Jelly Bean received the training and care she needed to become an adoptable pet. After just two months in the program, Jelly Bean was adopted by a loving individual who looked forward to spoiling her endlessly and giving her the best life possible.
GPG is now ensuring that dogs all over the country like Jelly Bean are given a new chance at life. GPG received a No-Kill Excellence Grant from Best Friends Animal Society in collaboration with The Rachael Ray Foundation, which funds projects that demonstrate a direct impact on saving animals’ lives. With this funding, GPG developed an eight-week online training course to teach other animal welfare organizations how to implement their own life-saving foster program like the Unicorn Foster Squad Program.
Like a mythical unicorn, GPG considers the dogs within its Unicorn Foster Squad Program as rare and beautiful beings. GPG will work with animal welfare organizations across the country to successfully give support to fosters and adopters to give the Unicorns a chance. The Unicorns are the dogs typically first to be euthanized, such as those with anxiety or are undersocialized. By rolling this program out to other shelters and rescues, GPG is sharing an essential life-saving program. Thanks to the support from Best Friends Animal Society, this program will be offered free to 40 organizations. The first cohort starts on June 1. Participating organizations will be eligible for $500 microgrants to build their own program and help animals in need like Jelly Bean.
For more information about Best Friends Animal Society, visit bestfriends.org.
For more information about The Rachael Ray Foundation, visit rachaelrayfoundation.org.
Click here for more information on the No-Kill Excellence Grants.