It all started for Heather Keough when her daughter told her about a dog at the Tipton County shelter that was going to be euthanized if it wasn’t adopted soon. Heather explains, Until this point I had not been involved in rescue efforts, besides rescuing them from off the streets, of course.” Her daughter begged her to foster the dog until she could find it a home. This foster dog would become the first of many, and would spark what would become Paws and Claws. 

     Heather took some pictures of the dog and posted them online, and she was adopted immediately. After seeing the quick response to the photos, Heather realized this was exactly what the shelter needed to boost adoptions. At the time the shelter did not have any pictures of the animals, and Heather saw an opportunity to get more pets into loving homes. She started Paws & Claws and came to the shelter to take pictures of the animals.

      It didn’t take long for what started out as just a program to help boost adoptions with photography to grow into helping the animals through many different areas, including vaccinations and heartworm treatment. Paws and Claws is currently offering a grant to cover the heartworm treatment of adopted shelter dogs affected with heartworms (Heather says the name is in the works, but she’s thinking of calling it their Healthy Hearts campaign). How it works is simple: When you adopt your new friend, you pay a $50 adoption fee. For Paws & Claws to cover the heartworm treatment, you simply make a $100 donation, and they take care of the rest. They also provide a voucher for spay/neuter of your new pet, which must be done before treatment. 

     With the typical cost of heartworm treatment between $400-$1,000, this is a remarkable campaign by Paws & Claws to encourage the adoption of dogs and cats that may be affected. The stigma of heartworms can sometimes turn adopters away because of the potential cost and trouble of the treatment. Emotional stress is hard on the adopter because anytime a member of your family is sick…….you worry  And dogs have a way of stealing your heart very quickly!

     Heather stressed that it is much easier on the pet to recuperate from treatment in their own home, with a family, rather than a shelter.