Rescued from hurricane floods, shelter dogs in need of homes
Waterford — When natural disasters strike, many temporary shelters aren’t equipped for and therefore don’t accept animals, leaving already worried pet owners with a conundrum.
“You have to play that game of, do I leave my house, or do I stay at my house so I can stay with my animal,” said Brandon Guy, district manager at the Connecticut Humane Society’s Waterford Shelter. “That’s a tough decision for anybody to make.”
In the case of Hurricane Matthew, however, flooding left many residents with no choice but to leave their pets behind — pets that have since been rescued and dropped off at nearby animal shelters.
Looking to clear out space so animals with owners could stay closer to home, the Connecticut Humane Society earlier this month took in 23 dogs from multiple overwhelmed shelters in the storm-ravaged Carolinas.
To handle the sudden influx, the agency dispersed the dogs among its Waterford, Newington and Westport shelters.
In Waterford, Guy said seven dogs, many of them Labrador mixes, arrived to the 28-kennel shelter on Oct. 18, at which point they underwent a two-day quarantine.
On Oct. 22, the dogs that had been spayed or neutered if necessary and had passed behavioral and medical evaluations were put up for adoption. Many of them were adopted the same day.
“It’s everybody helping everybody,” Guy said of the operation. “They need more room (in the South) and we’re helping them get those animals adopted up here.”
On Friday morning, three dogs remained: Gus and Kiwi, both 4-month-old Labrador mixes, and Sasha, a 2-year-old Labrador retriever.
Gus and Kiwi, Guy explained, didn’t initially pass the medical inspection, but as of Friday had been cleared for adoption.
Sasha, however, is one of five of the dogs the organization brought in that tested positive for heartworm, a disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes, which can be fatal if untreated.
The society has begun the process of healing the dogs — one that involves stabilizing them with medications, restricting their exercise and administering about 60 days’ worth of various treatments — but they’re looking to the public to help offset the unexpected cost.
For each dog, Guy explained, successfully treating heartworm disease can cost about $2,000.
A give2gether.com campaign the group launched — one that asks readers to help “Save Sasha, Margo, Fredo, Boe and Lucky Sue from heartworm and heartache” — had raised more than $2,300 by Friday afternoon.
Guy said agency members also are looking for foster homes for the dogs so they don’t have to go through the whole treatment process while also dealing with the downsides of shelter life. The society would continue to handle the cost and administration of treatment, he said.
According to a Connecticut Humane Society news release, retrievers, hounds and boxer mixes were among the 23 dogs sent to Connecticut. Some were treated for skin conditions, kennel cough and dental concerns, while others received only the basics.
“Some of these dogs were in buildings that became flooded, and many are confused about what’s been happening to them,” Director of Operations Theresa Geary said. “All shelter pets need patience, understanding and time to adapt, but these may need a bit more.”
Still, she said, the dogs would make "great pets."
“They deserve the opportunity to go home with a family, and we know people are just going to fall in love with them,” Geary said.
Anyone interested in adopting one of the Carolina dogs or any other Connecticut Humane Society animals can check www.cthumane.org.
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