RESCUE TAILS / Tiny the Tater Tot

By Tammy Fox, Executive Director, Florida Keys SPCA

Tiny, an extra-large American Bulldog was sitting alone floating on a boat anchored just off Big Pine Key, roasting in the hot July sun. The big handsome dog was clearly defeated, appeared hungry and was trying to hide from the direct sunlight. His white skin was sunburned and his big brown eyes were filled with sorrow. Twenty four hours after posting the abandonment notice on the boat, Animal Control Officers from our Marathon Campus returned to the vessel and legally removed the gentle giant from the confines of his lonely boat. 

Back at the shelter Tiny’s heart was clearly broken from being left behind by his owner. He was big but thin, and his skin was raw from the sun. He was hungry and tired and enjoyed resting comfortably in his new air conditioned kennel on a nice soft bed. As the days passed he became more and more comfortable. He enjoyed his bath time, loved breakfast and dinner and showed interest in playing with the other dogs. At the time, the shelter was slowly filling up with big dogs. (Although the Florida Keys are considered to be a pet-friendly community, many landlords have no-pet policies, or place weight restrictions on permitted dogs. As transient as the Florida Keys are, and as hard as it is to find housing, many families surrender their large-breed dogs when housing with big dogs is hard to find. 

That’s where a foster family stepped in. As a no-time limit, open admission shelter, it’s difficult to balance space and housing when suddenly dogs or cats come pouring in and fill up every kennel. Foster families provide safe, temporary housing solutions by offering their homes to an animal at the shelter. Our foster families often take in puppies, kittens, nursing animals, medically ill animals, senior pets or simply open up their homes when we need space. Tiny went to a loving foster family with a Black Lab brother and a Shepherd sister until his forever family would come along. As a senior large-breed dog, it took five long months before he would meet his new family. 

Tiny, affectionately nick named “Tater Tot” by his foster mom got along with dogs of all sizes. His new family already had a lovable senior American Bulldog and small Chihuahua mix, but they couldn’t help but fall in love with Tiny and his story. He is now part of a family and is living the dream life as a senior pet in a wonderful forever home. Fostering is a great way to help two shelter animals in need. First, by providing a safe, temporary loving home for a dog at the shelter, and secondly, creating space for another dog that needs the open kennel at one of our Campuses. It also helps prepare animals for adoption by giving them a chance to live in a home where the can fully express their personality, work to overcome fears, or recover from trauma. If you’re interested in adopting an animal, or learning more about our foster program contact me at [email protected]. 

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