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Duke's Fund

In the fall of 1995 Duke’s Fund was established to provide specialized veterinary care for the shelter animals in need.

The fund’s namesake, a 6-year-old pug, Duke, was surrendered to the shelter suffering from a chronic respiratory problem that made it difficult for him to breathe. In order to alleviate this condition and adopt him into a new home a costly surgical procedure was necessary. A group of dedicated staff and volunteers got together to raise funds for Duke, and Duke’s Fund was born!

Today, Duke’s Fund continues to give animals their own happy tail. The Guelph Humane Society cares for over 3000 animals per year and many, like Duke, have special needs that require costly medical treatment. With your generous donation to Duke’s Fund, we are able to provide extensive medical care for the animals who need it most.

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These animals have all benefited from Duke's Fund, while in our care. background

These animals have all benefited from Duke's Fund, while in our care.

Humphrey

Humphrey is a little chihuahua who arrived into our care with a severe jaw injury and desperately in need of help. He was taken immediately to the vet, where he was given pain medication, and radiographs were taken of his skull to assess his injuries. Poor Humphrey's jaw was fractured and a tooth wa...Read Mores broken. Thanks to generous Duke's Fund donors, Humphrey had the surgery he needed and is now enjoying life with his new loving family.

Oliver

Oliver is a 9-month-old Greyhound-mix puppy who came to GHS in very rough shape. He had been hit by a car and suffered irreparable damage to one of his legs. The bone was completely shattered and his left forelimb had to be amputated. Thanks...Read More to Duke's Fund supporters, Oliver was able to get the surgery he needed to relieve his pain and give him the best opportunity for a comfortable and normal life. He is now under the watchful eye of his loving foster home while on the road to recovery.

Sunny

Sweet Sunny was a young kitten who arrived at GHS needing urgent care. He was in a lot of pain due to a past injury that did not heal properly. Sunny needed a Femoral Head Ostectomy, a procedure that would alleviate pressure between the leg bone and hip and stop his pain. Thanks to the generosi...Read Morety of our Duke's Fund donors, Sunny's surgery was a success and he was adopted into a loving home where he plays with his favourite penguin toy and laser pointer all day.

Spencer

Spencer came to GHS severely overweight and in immense pain.  Upon arrival, he weighed 176 lbs and was only able to walk a few feet before collapsing from exhaustion. Thanks to the generous support of Duke's Fund donors, Spencer's life is changing for the better. He is on medication to help manage ...Read Morethe pain in his joints and is currently in a specialized weight-loss program, which includes weekly wellness checks and exercise on the water treadmill. Although it will not be an easy journey, he has already come a long way and his foster mom says he is feeling much better!

Marshmallow

Marshmallow is a sweet pup who came into our care in November 2019 after a kind Samaritan saw him wandering all alone on the street. He was in rough shape, with matted fur and a bad limp. After getting a warm bath, haircut, and lots of love from staff and volunteers, it was discovered that Marshmall...Read Moreow had a ruptured cruciate ligament, a painful injury that was causing lots of discomfort. Thanks to the support and generosity of our Duke’s Fund donors, Marshmallow got the surgery he needed to repair his injury, just in time for the holidays. He is currently under the care of his dedicated foster mom, who is taking him to physiotherapy twice a week until he is in tip-top shape for his new family. We are so grateful for our Duke’s Fund donors, who have provided a much more comfortable life for this loving boy!

Gracie

Gracie is a sweet 6 month old miniature schnauzer puppy who suffers from a rare, life-threatening condition called Portosystemic Shunts. Basically, this means that toxins in her blood can’t be cleaned by her liver. Without surgery Gracie would not have survived. Thanks to generous Duke’s Fund ...Read Moredonors, Gracie had her lifesaving procedure on October 21st. We are happy to announce she was adopted by her loving foster family, and is enjoying puppy life playing in the snow with her new doggy brother and human sister. Thank you for giving this affectionate girl another chance at life!

Toffee

Toffee arrived at GHS as a stray in December 2018. Poor Toffee had an open wound that needed treatment, and severe, untreated complications in both eyes. Toffee needed surgery in order to see the world around her properly again. Thanks to Duke’s Fund donors, Toffee has had her surgery and has r...Read Moreecovered very well. Before her surgery, she was quite subdued and hesitant. Now that she’s feeling better and can see, her independent and sweet personality shines through! She is now living the spoiled life in her new loving home. Toffee is a much happier girl now!

Glory

Sweet Glory was hit by a car and was in severe pain. She needed extensive surgery in order to save her life. This sad, but strong, girl also needed dental work. Glory was so lucky that GHS was able to save her and that she had the support of generous Duke's Fund donor to help her have the surgeries ...Read Moreshe desperately needed! Glory is feeling so much better now. She is a massive snuggler and loves to lay on your lap and get pets. Glory is so grateful for Duke's Fund donors who saved her life. She now spends her days enjoying peaceful cat naps while being spoiled with love in her new home.

Bentley

Sweet Bentley was found wandering on Waterloo Ave in Guelph on October 1st, 2018. This spirited and energetic puppy had a limp when he walked and it was a struggle for him to get up from a laying down position​. Even though he was in a lot of pain, Bentley still wanted to play, jump and run ...Read Morejust like any other puppy. Our staff made sure he got the attention and love he needed while he stayed in the shelter and as soon as he could go into a foster home we made sure he had a comfy place to rest. On November 6, Bentley had surgery on his left leg to remove the tip of the leg bone, so he would have full range of motion in his hip again. The veterinary surgeon was able to determine that this was an old untreated injury. We are pleased to say that Bentley is now on the road to recovery! Thanks to generous Duke’s Fund Donors, this sweet puppy got all the care he needed and more than enough love to heal his heart. Bentley is doing so well now and is in foster care, where he’s doing daily physio treatments in addition to underwater treadmill therapy treatment. We will update his story as it progresses!

Dizzy

For months little Dizzy wasn’t receiving the care he needed. He was in a lot of pain and is lucky to be alive today. When sweet Dizzy arrived at GHS he was severely dehydrated, anemic, underweight and in pain. Dizzy’s dental disease had been neglected so long it had infected ...Read Morehis jaw. Dizzy needed surgery to remove all of his teeth. After recovering, poor Dizzy needed a second major surgery. Dizzy had been injured in his previous home and his hip was partially dislocated. The injury went untreated, and little Dizzy was suffering. These surgeries were only possible thanks to generous donations to our Duke’s Fund. Thank you to our donors. Your support saved a life, and gentle Dizzy is so grateful!

Frieda

My name is Frieda. I’m only a year old, and if it wasn’t for donors like you, I wouldn’t be alive today. When I was found my jaw was fractured and my eye was missing. I had frost bite on my tail, my paws, and my ears. I was so cold. I was starving. But I...Read More’m a fighter! When I was found and picked up by the GHS, I knew I was getting my second chance. I had two surgeries while the GHS was caring for me. One to help me with complications with my eye and one to partially amputate my injured tail. The GHS told me it was Duke’s Fund donors like you who saved my life! Thank you for saving me! I am so happy now in my new, loving home!

Darla

The lovable Darla came to us as a stray. She was limping, and our staff thought it was because of her age. After expensive x-rays, it was determined it was due to a torn ligament in her knee.  It was severe, with 70% of the ligament torn (ouch!). This tough girl was in lots of pain, overweight, and...Read More was then put on pain medication. Soon after, Darla received her surgery and had 6 weeks of recovery with her foster parents, where they did physio therapy to help heal her knee. Darla is a go-getter and still wants to play and run, she also just loves attention. Thanks to Duke’s Fund Supporters Darla can keep on smiling with her new family!

Domino

'Domino', as he was affectionately named, was found by a local pizza delivery driver after he had been hit by a car. Domino was rushed to a veterinary clinic, where he could receive the life-threatening care that he so needed. Domino needed to undergo surgery to repair the internal trauma that occur...Read Morered from the accident. He required oxygen support for multiple days, and a large variation of medications to help with his recovery. Domino spent time in a foster home where he could rest and be ready for adoption! Thanks to the generous donors to Duke's Fund, Domino was able to receive the care he needed, and now has his own happy tail!

Chloe

Chloe was brought to the care of the Guelph Humane Society after she was hit by a car. She had an open fracture to her leg, which needed surgery to heal. Following her surgery, she needed daily bandage changes and frequent check-ups. Her foster family helped to ensure she received all the care and l...Read Moreove that she needed to recover. Thanks to the generous donors to our Duke's Fund, Chloe was able to have the treatment she needed and has her own happy tail now with her new family!

Porter

A lot of words could be used to describe Porter, a young brown and white tabby cat. He is sweet, handsome, smart and affectionate, but the word that describes him the best is…fighter. Porter was found injured and was immediately taken to a vet after coming into GHS’ care, as he was suffering fro...Read Morem a painful leg and hip injury. A vet assessment revealed that Porter had likely been hit by a car a few days earlier, and needed to undergo surgery right away. With help of our Duke’s Fund, Porter received femoral head ostectomy -- a procedure that removes part of the damage femur to alleviate pain the cat is experience from a shattered bone. Once surgery was completed, Porter was off to a foster home to recover and get much-needed intensive physiotherapy to regain his strength. After a few weeks, Porter also required dental surgery, as he had suffered some broken teeth, likely caused by being hit by the car. Porter is on his way to a full recovery now, and has Duke’s Fund donors to thank for that. We can’t wait for Porter’s happy tail!

Merlot

Merlot, affectionately named by staff for her reddish colour, is a beautiful Doberman, who came into GHS as a stray.  Merlot had infected eyes, extremely overgrown nails, she was underweight, had lumps in various places on her body, and extremely poor dental health. It also appeared that Merlot lik...Read Moreely has had several litters of puppies in her life. We may never know much about Merlot’s past, but we are committed to ensuring she has a bright future…with help from our Duke’s Fund! Merlot is having much-needed dental surgery to correct her overgrown and inflamed gums, as well as remove plaque and tartar. She is also having all of her potentially dangerous lumps removed, her eyes treated and she is getting spayed.

Torrey

Torrey was found after she had been hit by a car. She had a pelvic and femoral fracture that needed to quickly be attended to. Thanks to our generous donors to Duke's Fund, Torrey was able to undergo the surgery she needed. She recovered from her surgery in a loving foster home and underwent motion ...Read Moreexercises to help her gain mobility back! Torrey's personality shined through, and she was quickly adopted when she recovered!

Chelsea

Chelsea came to the shelter in March when her owner could no longer take care of her. Chelsea has a skin allergy, for which she is currently on medication. She was also in need of a dental when she came in, as she had some sore teeth that needed to be removed! Thanks to generous donors, Chelsea was able to get the care she needed and is currently relaxing in her foster home!

Riley

Riley came to the Guelph Humane Society as a transfer from a local rescue group. Riley quickly won the hearts of the GHS staff with his gentle and sweet personality. When he came to the shelter, Riley was very underweight and was had some GI issues to be resolved. Thanks to the generous donors to Du...Read Moreke's Fund, Riley was able to be treated for his conditions. Riley was quickly adopted by a GHS staff member, and is a very loved member of his new family!

Clarence

Clarence came to the shelter in May as a stray. Clarence is a very affectionate boy that loves being the centre of attention! He loves head rubs and cuddles and would make an excellent lapcat! When he arrived at GHS, we could see that he had some broken teeth, making it painful for him to eat. He wa...Read Mores also severely matted, and was in need of a new haircut! Thanks to generous public donations to our Duke’s Fund we are able to provide Clarence with the dental care he needs!

Suzie

This adorable beagle was brought to the Guelph Humane Society as a stray. Suzie can sit, stay, shake a paw, and give a high five. She is very cuddly and does not like being left alone for very long. She loves to be covered in blankets when napping during the day or sleeping at night. She loves atten...Read Moretion and has a cute little snort that she often makes when excited. Being a senior dog, Suzie had some medical concerns that needed to be addressed. She needed to have bladder stones removed and was in dire need of a dental! Thanks to the generous donors to our Duke's Fund, Suzie was able to get the treatment she needed. After recovering in her loving foster home, she was quickly adopted into her new loving home.

Peaches

Peaches came to the shelter in March when her owner could no longer take care of her. Peaches is a sweet, loving older girl that enjoys stretching out in a window to watch the world go by! She also loves pets and cuddles when she asks for them! When she arrived, Peaches was in need of some dental ca...Read Morere. Thanks to generous public donations to our Duke’s Fund we were able to provide her with the dental care she needed! When you look at Peaches you will likely notice her unique eyes! Peaches has pigmented cysts in her eyes that don’t affect her vision. She has now been happily adopted into a new loving family!

Haley

Haley came in to the shelter as a stray in May, when she arrived she was very overgrown, matted and underweight. Haley was in need of grooming, and even more in need of some love! Though Haley is a senior, around 12 years old, her sweet, active personality made everyone fall in love with her. It ...Read Morewas later found that Haley has a heart murmur, and needed a special diet to keep her kidney’s healthy, she also had a stubborn ear infection that was being treated. Haley also had to undergo a dental surgery while in our care during which she had to have eight teeth removed. Thanks to generous donors to Duke's Fund, Haley was able to get the treatment she needed! Her loving foster parent that dedicated plenty of time with Haley, happily adopted her!

BiBi

BiBi, a Beagle/Lab mix was surrendered to the Guelph Humane Society when her previous owners of 14 years could no longer care for her needs. BiBi was in dire need of a dental due to severe dental disease. She had severe gingivitis, thick tartar, loose teeth and bacteria. BiBi also had several lumps ...Read Moreand bumps throughout her body. The first step was placing her on antibiotics and getting blood work done. The blood work showed that BiBi had significant kidney disease. After 3 weeks of vet checks and estimates for her dental (x-rays, extraction of many teeth plus scaling and polish), a second blood test showed her kidneys had improved due to her course of antibiotics and a high-quality diet for aging dogs with renal disease. Thanks to generous public donations to our Duke's Fund the Guelph Humane Society provided BiBi with two dental surgeries, a skin tag removal on her eye lid which was rubbing on her eyeball and another mass removal.

Abby

In February 2016, Abby, an 11 year-old Silky Terrier, came to the Humane Society as a surrender. Abby was easy to fall in love with as she would charm you with the many tricks she knew. She was super friendly and would follow you around when she decided that you were her new best friend! However, he...Read Morer smile could fool you, as she was in discomfort and required medical attention. Abby had been diagnosed with crystals in her urine a year prior and upon arrival. Abby was sent for an x-ray of her abdomen the day after arrival, which revealed that she had bladder stones, commonly associated with urinary tract infections. Abby underwent a "cystotomy" (removal of bladder stones). Shortly after Abby also required dental work with the removal of 11 teeth due to dental disease. Thanks to the generous generous public donations to our Duke's Fund we were able to provide the medical care needed for Abby!

Stevie

Stevie was a stray brought in to the Guelph Humane Society by a community member. His eyes were infected and painful. After a thorough veterinary examination, surgery was determined to be the best course of action. Thanks to our generous donors to Duke’s Fund, Stevie was able to undergo his eye en...Read Moreucleation surgery. While the medical care he received couldn't save his sight, Stevie is no longer in pain, so he can now be his happy playful self!

Licorice

Licorice came to the Guelph Humane Society when her owner could no longer care for her. She appeared to be having urination problems. After a thorough veterinary examination and ultrasound, it showed that Licorice had multiple bladder stones. Thanks to numerous Duke’s Fund donors, Licorice was able to undergo her cystotomy surgery to remove her bladder stones!

Maggie

I'm Maggie! I came to the shelter in November as a stray. When I came in I had a few painful looking teeth that needed attention. I also have EGC (eosinophilic granuloma complex) which can cause skin inflammation in response to fleas, mites or even airborne allergens. In other words, I have an overe...Read Morenthusiastic immune system! Thanks to generous public donations to the shelter's Duke's Fund they were able to provide me with the dental care I needed!

Kai

My name is Kai! I came to the Guelph Humane Society in December when my owner could no longer take care of me. I am 18 years young! When I arrived I had a lot of matted fur which I couldn't groom properly and it was making me uncomfortable, so I got this lovely new hair-do! When my fur grows back it...Read More will grow back long and luxurious! Being an older guy my teeth also need a bit of work but thanks to generous public donations to Duke's Fund I was able to get the dental care I need!

Chum's Story

Chums is a ten year old cat who came to the shelter in mid-October 2015 after a farm owner discovered him one morning in her barn. This handsome fellow was sweet as pie but had what appeared to be some old scarring to his right cornea. Our shelter veterinarian assessed his eye, and while it was an o...Read Morelder injury, it seemed to be causing him some pain because of the pressure the injury was causing behind his eye. It was also discovered that he needed some teeth extracted which would have been causing him significant pain when he ate. Despite these issues, Chums was always purring and loving up anyone that opened his cage door. When he finally had his eye surgery he was even more outgoing and affectionate! One week later he had his dental surgery and was ready to go to his new home. We were happy to have the resources to help this senior kitty have a very happy ever after!