FLORENCE — Twelve lucky dogs from the Florence Area Humane Society will be licking the faces of 12 lucky new owners Sunday in Rochester, N.Y.
Leigh Ann Sawyer and Kim Massengill will leave Florence early Saturday morning in a rented van en route to Rochester. The humane society is looking for donations to cover the cost of the trip: $200 for the van and $150 for gas.
Among those making the trek are Marsha, Jan and Cindy, three black lab mixes who have been at the humane society shelter since May.
Some of the others are Pepper, a black-gray mix; Rosebud, a German shepherd-basset mix; Buddy, a terrier mix; Precious, a blond terrier mix; FeFe, a poodle; Terry, a tan terrier mix; and Clover, a red retriever mix.
The canines have already been placed through Duffy’s Friends, a rescue agency in Rochester. The new owners had to undergo background checks and have their homes inspected before being cleared to adopt the dogs.
Lela Joseph is the rescue coordinator for FAHS. She said there were more than 40 applicants for the 12 dogs.
“It’s a win-win situation for all concerned,” Joseph said Tuesday at the humane society shelter amidst the barking of dogs and meowing of cats. “Duffy pays to have the dogs’ shots and heartworm treatments and to have them spayed and neutered. It’s incredible to see the excitement on the new owners’ faces when the dogs arrive.”
Roxanne Altman is a volunteer at FAHS. She has made the trip before and said the joy the dogs bring to their new owners is overwhelming.
Altman was petting an emaciated schnauzer-poodle mix. She was sitting on a blanket on the floor with the trembling dog.
“She was left in a crate in front of the humane society Saturday morning with two of her sisters,” she said. “They had no food and water and were scared to death.”
Joseph said the FAHS sent 220 dogs last year to the Rochester and Washington, D.C., areas.
“The people are so grateful to get these dogs,” she said. “They all have great stories to tell.”
Joseph also has some tales to tell about her lifelong love of animals. She’s been rescuing them for 30 years.
She even helped a neighbor with her cat when she was 5.
“We were keeping the cat for the neighbor,” she recalled. “I thought it needed a bath, so I gave it one. My mother had a fit when she saw what I was doing. We managed to dry the cat off and get it back to the neighbor without her knowing about the bath.”
And all these years later, Joseph is still loving her animals. They include a 120-pound great dane mix named Barkley, two Boston terriers, a West Highland terrier, a three-pound Chihuahua, a 14-year-old cat and nine fish.
For those close to home who are looking for a pet, the FAHS shelter is located at 1007 Stockade Drive, off of National Cemetery Road, in Florence and is open from noon to 5 p.m. every day except Wednesday and Sunday. Call (843) 669-2921 for more information.
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