One way to explain the relationship is with an example. A very unlucky dog, named Marley, needed help to survive. Each entity, the Grant County Animal Shelter and the Grant County Friends of the Shelter, had to play a role to save Marley. It went like this:

Twenty years ago, Marley would have died.  Then, 97 % of the dogs who entered the Grant County Animal Shelter died.  However, Grant County officials, the Shelter staff and the Grant County Friends of the Shelter came together to change that.  Marley benefited.

Now, the Shelter staff:

• Responds, with police, if necessary, to animal abuse calls,
• Transports the in-danger animal to the shelter,
• Makes its short-term stay as comfortable as possible,
• Struggles to save the animal, if possible,
• Asks the Grant County Friends of the Shelter to be involved, if appropriate.

Marley met the Shelter staff when a law enforcement member contacted them.  Marley had been tethered outside a home, waiting for food and water.  When those necessities never came, someone called for help for Marley.  Marley was carried to the shelter.  He couldn’t walk.  The Shelter staff saw that Marley needed extra care.

Now, the Friends of the Shelter:

• Raises funds to cover the cost of veterinary visits for shelter animals,
• Asks members to offer foster homes, rehabilitation, and nursing care, both short-term and long-term,
• Covers the costs of therapy in extraordinary cases,
• Helps transport animals to their forever homes, if needed.

A Friends of the Shelter member volunteered to foster and rehabilitate Marley.  It took six months of her donated time, infinite amounts of love, and financial help from the Friends of the Shelter.  After many vet visits, infection treatments, and surgery, Marley is healthy.  After lots of gentle encouragement, food, and country walks, Marley is happy.