This week I attended a Very Important Event at the Humane Society of Vero Beach. It was called “Clear the Shelter,” which means findin’ Furever Famlies for as many shelter animals as poss-ubble! In one day!
When me an my assistant arrived, there was a line of humans all the way down the sidewalk, waitin’ for their turn to meet the animals; an, inside, lots of cats an dogs, anna coupla pigs even, hopin’ to find their Furever Famlies. All the shelter humans were wearin’ pretend cat ears in all different colors, which I thought was very clever an huh-LARRY-us.
Cuzza bein’ a journalist, I got to go in right away and was promptly innerduced to Izzy, the event’s Official Spokescat. Izzy’s an older Shelter resident, a black-an-white mixture who lost the tip of one ear to an undisclosed adventure back in The Day.
In about 2 minutes, one of the shelter humans hollered. “We got our first adop-shun! It’s Moose!! Moose got adopted!!” Everybody cheered. Natch-rully, I was like, “Who’s Moose? Can I innerview him?”
“Of course, follow me,” said Izzy, an ess-corted us to one of the Meet-an-Greet rooms. Because he had mentioned that Moose was a puppy, I, of course, was expectin’, well, a puppy-sized pooch, all wiggly, waggy and adorable. WELL, Moose WAS totally wiggly, waggy and UBER adorable. He was also 116 pounds. He was, paws-down, the biggest puppy I ever saw, possibly the biggest DOG I ever saw. I was like, “WHOA, DUDE!”
Moose was onna leash, hangin’ out with human Humane Society pals Jake, Samantha an Justin, who explained he’s a Bloodhound mixture. He hadda hansome chocolate-colored coat; irresistubble puppy eyes; a large, happy smile with floppy whiffles; huge paws; an the longest ears I’ve EVER seen. ONE of ’em would cover my entire head, I’m, preddy sure.
I innerduced myself an my assistant, an managed to keep upright on my paws as he happily bounced over to greet me.
“I’m MOOSE,” he said happily, towering over me. “I’m SO EXCITED cuz I’m gettin’ a FUREVER HOME! SHE’S gonna be my Mommy!” He pointed to a lady who was sittin’ inna chair, signin’ Important PAY-pers an getting’ in-struck-shuns.
“He’s a sweet boy,” Justin said.
“He can Give Paw! Since he’s still a puppy, he sometimes chews his leash,” Jake said.
“We’re excited he’s getting adopted, but a liddle sad. We’ll all miss him,” Samantha said.
Izzy then led us to the Cat Section, where humans were waitin’ to meet their Furever Felines.
Human sisters Annabella, 11, an Giuliana, 9, an their Mom, Cara Irwin, had seen some cats on The Line an were hopin’ their No. 1 pick, Roger, was still available, but, alas, he’d already been adopted. So they started hopin’ for another online candidate, Thor, a charmin’ black-an-white.
As they went into the liddle room to check the remaining still-occupied cages, I told ’em I’d keep my paws crossed. Preddy soon I saw Annabella, smiling ear-to-ear, snuggling a liddle black cat with white nose, mittens an whiskers, an I knew Thor had found his Furever Famly.
Next stop on Izzy’s tour was a big room in back where the new Furever Famlys were gettin’ their pick-shurs taken for poss-territy, before they went to their new homes.
“Meet Little Bear,” he said.
“Hello,” I said to a very small poocheroo with short, gray-an-white curls nose to caboose, bein’ all wiggly in his new Mom’s arms. “I’m Bonzo the Columnist. Looks like you found your Furever Home.”
“I DID! I just got ’DOP-ted. Isn’t it so Cool Kibbles? I’m probly a Maltese/Shih-tzu mixture, the shelter humans think. I’m gettin’ my own food bowl, anna bed an toys! I can’t WAIT! This is my bran new Furever Mom, Jeannie. She told me she hadda pooch, Annie, who hadda go to Dog Heaven. Mom waited a whole year in human till she was Ready. I’m glad she waited for me! She was ackshully lookin’ for a grrrl pooch but she picked ME cuz I’m so adorable!”
“It was meant to be,” I told him.
“I KNOW!” he happily agreed, then, “Oops. I gotta go outside to Do My Duty before my car ride home. BYE, Mr. Bonzo!” he called, as his new Mom whisked him out the door.
I turned to Izzy. “I heard there were two ackshull pigs up for adoption – Arnold an Palmer, I buh-leeve their names are. Do you know if they got adopted?”
“As a matter of fact, Bonz, they just DID! Arnold an Palmer are goin’ to a farm where they’ll join a pig famly who already lives there. Cool Catnip, doncha think?”
“Absolutely. I’m happy to hear it,” I replied, adding, “So, what about yourself, Izzy? Are you hopin’ for a Furever Home?”
“Truth be told, Bonz, I’m gettin’ up there, 10 in human. My kitten days are long gone. I’m just a laid-back kinda cat. Been here since May, longer than anyone here. Maybe not this time around for me, but I’m still hopin’.”
By the time the Clear The Shelter event was over, Izzy said, all 38 available poocheroos had been ’dopted; an 40 cats had found Furever Homes, only 11 were left.
“Woof! Super Crispy Biscuits, Izz! I just wanna say you are one of the coolest cats I’ve ever met. Thanks so much! PLUS, I KNOW your purrfect Furever Famly is Out There.”
“Thanks, Bonz, you’re pretty Cool Catnip in my book, for a dog,” Izzy said with a Cheshire Grin. “You should also know, our Shelter (for three years now), an H.A.L.O. up in Sebastian, are official No-Kill Shelters, according to the HSUS and the ASPCA (big important groups of humans workin’ all the time across the Whole Country helpin’ all animals in need).”
Headin’ home, I was thinking what a Lucky Dog I am, and hopin’ all the Pooches Less Fortunate out there find their own loving Furever Famlies like I did, an you did, an those 80 shelter residents just did.
Till next time,
