RESCUE TAILS: AN FKSPCA SUCCESS STORY

“JUNIOR – THE FLYING HUSKY”

BY TAMMY FOX-ROYER
Executive Director Florida Keys SPCA

Some of the animals at the shelter fly more than I do! Junior is one of those dogs.

Junior came to the shelter as a stray in terrible condition. We tried diligently to find his previous owner and discovered that he had lived in at least two different homes before being completely abandoned to the streets of Key West. We spread the word of Junior’s arrival at the shelter – but no one ever came to claim him and no local vet was able to identify him.

As we know from experience, Huskies are typically smart, friendly, high-energy dogs. But they can also be intense and mischievous (to put it mildly). We knew immediately that Junior was not adoptable without some additional help. So we contacted a terrific rescue group called “Husky Haven of Florida.” They know the breed and have adopters with experience and realistic expectations.

Fortunately, Husky Haven had an available foster home with a trainer for Junior in Tampa. So the first leg of Junior’s journey was an early morning flight with Pilots N Paws volunteer Jeff Bennett. (Junior shared the cabin with 16 of our gerbils – but that’s a story I’ll tell in another column.)

Junior did so well in the foster home that a permanent home was quickly found and Junior boarded another plane to Jacksonville. Junior now has a great new life with new friends and a swimming pool! He loves to fly but, in the future, only on vacation!

Turning Junior’s life around took a lot of work – and a lot of help from volunteers. But it is always worth the effort – and every animal that comes to the shelter deserves it.

If you’d like to help more animals like Junior, please donate to our new shelter building fund by going to https://www.gofundme.com/key-west-animals-need-safe-shelter

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