Back in the fall of last year, Roy and Sigmund were found wandering together as strays, and brought in to the shelter. They were buddies so the staff hoped that someone would come in and take both of them home.
But they went their separate ways. Sigmund was adopted, and Roy's owner came to the shelter and claimed him.
A short time later, Roy was found wandering again, and was brought in by a police officer who wanted to adopt him. When Roy's owner didn't show up this time to claim him, the officer came to the shelter and took Roy home.
Jennifer, the office manager at the shelter, remembers how furious she was when she came to work a few days later to find Roy tied to the shelter fence. She called the officer and left several messages on his machine. None of her calls were returned, "until he finally picked up the phone by accident," she said. When Jennifer asked him why he abandoned Roy, especially in that way, he said, "`Well, I just didn't want him,'" Jennifer said. "I was so angry. Here the guy had picked Roy up as a stray, adopted him, and then just dumped him!"
It looked like Roy was a three-time loser. His buddy Sigmund had been adopted months ago, in October, but no such luck for Roy. This was his third time back at the Shelter, and his future looked bleak.
Then Roy got adopted a fourth time in January by a military guy named James. But before long, Jennifer said, James called the shelter and said he would have to bring Roy back "because the necessary military paperwork wasn't approved."
Then Travis Holland came in looking for a playmate for Sigmund.
"I spoke with Jennifer, who was instrumental in helping me adopt Sigmund last October," he said. "And Jennifer told me about Roy." The rest, as they say, is history.
Travis, a full-time student at FKCC majoring in Diving Business Technology and Marine Biology, said that both dogs "are great together, and they love the water as much as I do. But Jennifer was the key. She led me to both of them."
"Roy is such a good dog," said Jennifer. "I'm thrilled he finally found a permanent home."
There are 45 healthy dogs still waiting at the shelter for good homes. Come on out to meet them— the shelter is open from Mon.-Fri., 10-6, and on Saturdays from 10-2. You just might find the perfect canine (or feline) for you. (Travis found two!) But when you adopt, please make a lifetime commitment. Info: 294-4857.
rida Keys (WRFK) recently held a yard sale to help with bills for the new hospital and daily running expenses. The fundraiser was a great success.
According to WRFK volunteer and event organizer Brent Thole, the yard sale netted $4,500 which, he said, will be used to expand the flight cages for the cormorants and pelicans, along with needed supplies and medicines.
And Debbie Brittin, Director of WRFK, wrote that she "would like to thank everyone involved who made this year's fundraising yard sale our most successful yet . . . We are proud to be a part of such a generous community. Thank you for your support."
Dorothy Fork of the United Humanitarians, who is holding her March low-cost spay/neuter clinic today, wrote us to say that at the Feb. 25, Doris Day Free Spay/Neuter Clinic, 54 animals were spayed and neutered, including three