A Day in the Life of an Animal Control Officer

The day starts at 7:30 am. As soon as I arrive at the city shelter, Animal Care & Protective Services (ACPS), I’m met by several of the officers waiting to start the day. There are nine active field officers and two trainees, each patrolling an area of about ninety square miles. Everyone checks the computer to see what calls have come in overnight. These can be anything from dogs roaming at large, aggressive animals, cruelty calls and dead animals. Each officer has an assigned area, but will go where needed. 

First, I am allowed to sit in on an oral test for a trainee. Three officers are involved in the test.  Each officer brings up a scenario that the trainee will probably come in contact with. The trainee is able to cite the ordinances involved and whether an officer is allowed to rescue dogs or cats under these circumstances. Although this particular trainee was an officer in another state, she must go through the same training as a new officer before she is allowed alone on the street.  

I spend the next one-and-a-half hours watching an officer prepare a cruelty case. He gets all the information together to take to the General Counsel’s office, who handles these cases. The information includes the animals kennel card, pictures, doctor’s evaluation and all citations to the owner. The kennel card is the information that the officer supplies when the animal is brought in to the intake room at ACPS, such as type of animal, sex, size and other information.

After we drop off the information to the General Counsel’s office, we go on our first call. The call is for a mother dog and her puppies living under someone’s house. We are going to meet up with two other officers to help on this case. I’m told that generally, each officer brings in about 12 animals a day. If the animal has an owner and that owner surrenders custody, it becomes the property of ACPS. The animal will then be assessed to determine the next step. If an animal comes in as a stray, there is a six day holding period to give the owner a chance to reclaim their pet.

On the way to the call site address, we come across another mother dog and puppy in the street. The officer stops to check on them. We end up taking the puppy, which appears to be sick. We leave the mother dog because a neighbor comes out and tells the officer that he knows the owner and will take care of the dog until the owner comes home.

When arrive at the call site, we find the mother dog under the rear portion of the house, with a four to five inch opening to get to her and her puppies. One of the officers shines a flashlight on the mother, and she doesn’t look good. She looks weak and just closes her eyes. She doesn’t show any aggression, but she isn’t friendly either. The officers decide to bring the mother out first, then the puppies. They start digging a little hole to get the mother dog through. I’m not somebody that can just observe, so whether I was supposed to or not, I got on my hands and knees and started moving dirt away with my hands. After we got the mother dog out, we started trying to get the puppies out.  There wasn’t much room, but since I was the smallest, I just dove in. I lied on my back and reached my arm under the house to get to the puppies. I couldn’t see anything, and we didn’t know how many puppies were under there. I finally got my hand on a little brown and white puppy. I passed it to one of the officers to put in a carrier. I felt like a hero. It was an amazing feeling. The other puppies were beyond my reach. One of the officers brought a shovel to enlarge the hole so they could reach the remaining puppies. Two more puppies were brought out. Unfortunately, there were others that did not make it. But I believe one nursing mother dog and three puppies is a good save.

On the way back to ACPS, we see a dead possum in the road. The officer stops the vehicle and collects the animal so it can be properly disposed of at the shelter. Once back at the shelter, the officer has to put the information on each of the collected dogs into ACPS’ computer database. Each animal that is brought in gets their flea medicine, dewormer and bordetella administered by the officers before taken to a kennel. The mother dog is brought in first. She is a very sweet and beautiful black dog. She is put in a kennel where she can be watched by veterinary technicians.  She is given a small plastic kiddie pool and a blanket to get comfortable in before her puppies are brought in. The puppies are soon reunited with their mother in the kennel. They start nursing right away. I’m told that they will go into foster care the next day to get healthy. 

Later, I’m told that we will go back out in the field to check on known “dumping sites”. Some people won’t bring their animals to the shelter because there is a $25 fee to surrender the animal, so they dump them somewhere. The officers have developed a rapport with businesses and homeowners around these “dumping sites” to notify the officers if they see any animals that have been dumped. Fortunately, we did not see any animals.

At the end of the day, I thanked the officers for allowing me to join them and for everything that they do. I had an amazing and eye-opening day with them. They are all heroes to the dogs and cats that they save every day. Whether a cruelty case or a scared stray on the streets, these animals know that they are being rescued. I was also able to meet my personal hero. He is the officer that saved a very special Pit Bull that was so emaciated and weak that he had to be carried to the officer’s vehicle. This special dog is now a part of my family. Thank you just doesn’t seem enough for some of these rescues. These officers have to walk a fine line to save these animals. They don’t want to take animals away from their owners unless absolutely necessary. The officers will educate the owners and give them options if they have problems feeding their pets or taking them to the vet.

Remember, these officers are here to protect the animals. They are not “dog catchers”. They do so much more. They go in to dangerous situations on a weekly basis, if not daily. If you see something, say something. Report any animal abuse, strays or any other problem that you see.  You can be a hero, too. These animals need us.

-Lisa G.

Plants vs. Pets: Many Household Plants Can Be Deadly to our Four-legged Friends

Last week when I was at Publix, I noticed they had really pretty peace lilies on sale.  I bought one and brought it home to prettily reside on my counter.When I got home from work on Tuesday, one of my cats was really sick. Her face was swollen and eyes gunky—the poor girl was miserable. I called the vet and asked if I could give her Benadryl until I could get her in to see them—I thought it was a cold my cats have been passing around. The Benadryl seemed to help a little bit and today, even on Benadryl, her eyes are still gunky. 

This evening when I was walking by the counter, I looked at the beautiful lily and had a feeling that I needed to check toxicity on it—just a hunch.  Guess what? Toxic. I started reading more on what plants, both indoor and outdoor, are toxic to cats and dogs and was very surprised at what I found. I have two azalea bushes in my backyard that are being dug out tomorrow afternoon. How many of you have azalea bushes/plants in your yard? The whole plant, even the pollen, is toxic to animals. 

The Bookholt family recently experienced the devastating loss of their 9 month old puppy, Seven (pictured above), due to plant toxicity. While the family was on a short vacation for the Easter holiday, Seven ate some red berries/seeds from a Sago palm in their backyard. Their friend, who was watching the Bookholt’s three dogs, called them and told them what happened. After about an hour, Seven started throwing up, which the family thought was a good thing.  When they arrived home the next day, though, they were greeted by a Seven that wasn’t himself: he was moving slowly and looking sick. The Bookholt’s Googled sago palms and learned that sago seeds are very toxic to animals—and humans. Sadly, with Sago seeds, the damage is done quickly and the treatment window is very small. Sago seeds attack internal organs, starting with the liver, which makes for a lengthy and painful deterioration. After three days of treatment, monitoring, and watching Seven suffer, the Bookholt family made the unselfish but heart-wrenching decision to alleviate Seven’s suffering and mercifully helped him cross the Rainbow Bridge. 

Unfortunately, the damage was done quickly, and Seven was unable to survive her encounter with a toxic plant.

Sago and Coontie palms are all over in Florida, in private yards and even at businesses. Again, I ask: what’s in YOUR yard? Do you even know what’s planted? When you go plant shopping, do research to see what is toxic to animals? I didn’t—until now. I ask you to please do the same. I hope I won’t be the only one digging up plants in my backyard or taking indoor plants to work.

10 Most Common Poisonous Plants for Dogs AND Cats (Courtesy of Earth Clinic):

Marijuana - Animals who attempt to snack on this plant can suffer serious consequences such as diarrhea, vomiting, increased heart rate, drooling, in-coordination, and even possibly seizures and coma.

Sago Palm - While the seeds and nuts of this plant are most poisonous, the entire plant is toxic. Animals ingesting parts of this plant may suffer from diarrhea, vomiting, depression, seizures and liver failure.

Lilies - Plants of the lily variety are very poisonous to cats. Even very small amounts of this plant could cause serious kidney damage.

Tulips - The toxic portion of this plant is the actual bulb, which can cause drooling, central nervous system depression, gastrointestinal irritation, cardiac issues and convulsions.

Azalea - The toxins in azalea plants can be very severe and potentially cause drooling, diarrhea, vomiting, central nervous system weakening and depression, and in some cases possibly coma or death.
Oleander - All portions of this plant are poisonous and can cause gastrointestinal irritation, hypothermia, heart problems and possibly death.

Castor Bean - Poisoning as a result of this plant can cause abdominal pain, drooling, diarrhea, vomiting increased thirst, loss of appetite and weakness. More serious cases could also lead to dehydration, tremors, seizures, twitching muscles, coma and possibly death.

Cyclamen - The most poisonous portion of this plant is located in the root. Ingestion of the plant can cause severe vomiting and gastrointestinal irritation. In some cases death has been reported as a result.

Kalanchoe - Ingestion of this plant can cause gastrointestinal irritation and cardiac rhythm and rate problems.

Yew - Poisoning as a result of the yew plant can affect the nervous system and cause in-coordination, trembling and breathing difficulties. It may also result in gastrointestinal irritation, cardiac failure and could possibly lead to death.

There are many other well-known and common plants that can be poisonous or toxic to pets, including the following: 

Apple - The seeds of an apple can be poisonous to pets.

Daffodil - Is a garden flower whose bulbs are poisonous.

Morning Glory - Is a wildflower containing poisonous seeds and roots.

Poinsettia - Is a houseplant with poisonous leaves, flowers and stems.

Rhododendron - Is an ornamental shrub whose leaves are poisonous.

Rhubarb - A garden plant with poisonous leaves.

NOTE: If you suspect that your pet has been poisoned, contact the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Poison Control Center at 1-888-426-4435. This is 24 hour a day hotline.

ACPS : Not Your Average Animal Shelter

“One way ticket to nowhere”.

“Killing factory”.

“Depressing”. 

“And end, not a beginning”. 

When I asked my friends to tell me what comes to mind when they’re asked about local animal shelters, these are some of the responses. For decades, those descriptions were very close to the truth. However, our shelter, Duval County Animal Care and Protective Services, is working hard at changing those images and is, in large part, succeeding. Granted, ACPS isn’t changing perceptions on its own—it has MANY partners working in tandem (First Coast No More Homeless Pets, Jacksonville Humane Society, Friends of Jacksonville Animals, the many rescue groups and foster parents, etc). But, it sure is holding its own. 

The current “shelter” location, opened in August 2009, breaks the mold of dark, scary, dingy, smelly, depressing shelters. The building/compound is bright with natural sunlight, open, colorful, and oddly enough, isn’t depressing. In fact, it’s not even called a shelter. The new name signifies exactly what its mission is: Animal Care and Protective Services. Each and every animal that enters the building is treated with concern and dignity—and most of them that come in (through intake) now leave alive. Every month, the numbers are improving. Last month, over 90% of the animals that came into the “shelter” left the doors alive—that’s a HUGE feat! Those few who were euthanized were due to severe behavioral or medical issues—or were so badly abused/neglected that putting the animal out of its misery was the humane thing to do. Compare this to the numbers five years ago: in 2007, of the 23,000 animals brought into the shelter, 19,400 were euthanized. When I heard those numbers my heart broke. Last year, THANKFULLY, of the 19,000 animals brought in, only 4,000 were euthanized. Everything that can possibly be done to find each animal a “furever” home is done—believe me. And it’s done on a shoestring budget. 

In the past 2 years, our Animal Care and Protective Services has lost $2 million of a $5 million budget. They’ve lost 22 of 62 employees. Most companies, if they encounter those odds, would fold. But not OUR Animal Care and Protective Services. The dedicated people working there are spread incredibly thin, are overworked and underpaid, but wow—they sure are incredible people who truly care about each and every animal that come through the door. As one of my friends replied when I asked them about their perceptions of shelters, “the new digs has helped its reputation, AND the good people working there.” Ain’t that the truth?! 

So, the next time someone asks you about our shelter, tell them it’s AMAZING! That it’s not the depressing, ominous place that people may think it is—with OUR help, Animal Care and Protective Services can continue on the path to our county’s/area’s goal: NO Kill. Let’s get to work!

- Alli

Animal Care & Protective Services is located at 2020 Forest Street in the Riverside Area of Jacksonville, Florida.

Long-Timers in Danger

This is an urgent plea. As of this morning, there are a total of 15 dogs that have been at Animal Care & Protective Services since December of 2012. These dogs have until the end of the day Saturday, March 9th, to either be adopted or placed in foster care. If they are not placed, the shelter will unfortunately have to do what it hasn’t done in over a year: euthanize for space. It’s terrible, I know. But it is also reality. There is a finite amount of space in any city shelter. Ours has been at capacity for some time now. 

So this is a legitimate cry for help. For those among us that do not have a voice of their own or even the awareness to realize their dire situation. “Help”. I think all of us at FOJA have come to grips with the sobering fact that it’s impossible to save every single dog and cat in Jacksonville. But I believe we can save these 15. With your help.

So please….

Share their story. With everyone you know. Give them a voice. 

Foster. Take one of these animals out of the shelter for a few weeks and help us find them a forever home in the mean time. You’ll be giving these animals two things they desperately need. Love and time.

Adopt. You may not be ready to take on a pet right now. But if and when that time comes, please consider saving the life of one of the animals at the shelter. Don’t buy into the misinformation and stereotypes associated with shelter pets. 

Thanks for taking the time to read this. We really appreciate it. And I know the animals appreciate it too. 

Here is a list of the dogs in danger, along with their ID numbers. Click HERE to see the full list of adoptable dogs, along with pictures of all of them. 

-Gil

The "Bully" That Changed My Life Forever

He came in to my life on November 26, 2011 and changed it forever.

I had been fostering for Animal Care and Protective Services (ACPS) for several months, fostering many dogs from a Chihuahua to a Pit Bull. One dog had an embedded collar, and all were very thin and in need of socialization with people and other dogs. I saw a picture of a dog that needed help on November 21st. He was picked up by ACPS from an abusive situation. He was living on the end of a thick chain, covered in his own urine and feces, flies and fleas. There was no food or water. He was literally skin and bones. Ironically his name was Handsome. He did have companionship though.  A small puppy was there with him.

When the officer arrived he gave them food. Although he was starving, the older dog allowed the puppy to eat all the food. He wanted human contact more than he wanted food.. He just wanted the officer to pet him. Once he got to the shelter he was checked over by the vet. He wanted attention from everyone, and he got it. He gave out kisses to everyone that gave him attention. He weighed less than 34 pounds. Less than half of what a full grown Pit Bull should weigh. Yes, this sweet, unselfish, loving dog was a “mean and aggressive” Pit Bull.

I picked him up on Saturday. He had already started to gain weight since he was being fed regularly. As I took him out of the shelter, I knew he was a strong dog. He was pulling on the leash to go to his next adventure. I loaded him into the back of my SUV and headed home. As I’m driving, he decides he does not want to stay in the back. He jumps into the back seat and then starts moving into the front seat. I’m trying to keep him away from the gear shift and out of my lap as I’m driving down the highway. I manage to get him in to the passenger seat, but he’s still not happy. I finally get him to lay down on the passenger seat with his head across the center divider touching my leg. Then he was calm and happy. All he wanted was to see me and touch me. This was my first sign of what an amazing dog he was.

When we get home, it’s time for the introduction to the three resident dogs in the house. Introductions are very important. You never know how the new abused dog will react or how your own dogs will react to a strange dog in their house. I start with my passive male lab/rottie mix, Logan. He loves every dog and proves to love Handsome as well. I now bring in my very picky female lab mix, Shylah. She doesn’t love him as much, but she does tolerate him. Now I bring in my female boxer/ lab mix, Lucy. She is the alpha mama dog. She greets him well but is a little standoffish. She is now the mama dog that must teach the new dog how to behave in the house. I always find it interesting to watch the signals between the dogs as they get to know each other. Handsome is very submissive and learns from his new friends.

Handsome is happy to get a nice bath and food in his belly. I feed him twice a day to help him gain weight. He is fed in the bathroom to keep him separate from the other dogs, in case of food aggression. I also feel that he needs quiet time and time to enjoy food again. After a couple of days I test him for food aggression. He does not care when I try to take his food away from him or when the dogs come in to the bathroom to lick his bowl after he is done. 

After a few days in the new house, he is now part of the family. He plays well with everyone and Lucy is acting like the perfect mama. She is taking care of her boy. She cleans his ears and teeth and watches over him as he learns house manners. I try to think of a new strong name for him. I go through all the usual Pit Bull names like Diesel, Tank and others. But nothing seems to fit. One day, I was looking at him and came up with the name Vinnie. I don’t like it. He needs something strong and tough. Vinnie keeps popping into my head and I can’t get rid of it. I start researching the name to see what it means. I found out that it means Conqueror and Victor. I thought it was very fitting for a dog that had survived what he had. So he became “Vinnie”.

I soon realized I was in trouble. Through the weeks of rehabilitation for skin issues as well as helping him gain weight, I was becoming attached to Vinnie. Was he going to be a foster failure? I knew that if I adopted him I couldn’t foster anymore. Four dogs was enough. When I started thinking about somebody adopting him, I wanted to do a home visit, background check and probably take some blood to make sure that they were good enough for him. I realized that nobody was good enough for him. I wasn’t good enough, but I knew I would fight for him and his breed with everything I had. And that was the best I could do. 

After a few setbacks with health issues, I took him in for neutering and heartworm treatment on January 23, 2012. He became an official member of the family January 24th when I adopted him. Needless to say, he was not feeling good. He was in pain and groggy from the surgery and heartworm treatment. I made a soft bed on the floor for him and he came in the house and just laid down on the bed. Soon Lucy came over and laid down next to him on the bed and placed her head on his side. She was taking care of her sick boy. Ironically, Lucy was a foster failure, too. As with Vinnie, it was meant to be. She has been very helpful in teaching and helping all the fosters I brought home.

- Lucy comforting Vinnie after his surgery

Since I have brought Vinnie into my home, I have become a vocal Pit Bull advocate. If you don’t like Pit Bulls, meet Vinnie and you will immediately change your mind. He is the most loving dog that I have ever had. Of all the dogs that have passed through my house, Vinnie has shown more love for all people and dogs that he comes in contact with than any other. He is always ready to give kisses, cuddle in your lap or play. All he asks in return is a belly rub now and then. It’s hard for me to imagine anyone being prejudiced against a dog they have never met. Just like every human being, every dog on the planet is an individual. They shouldn’t be stereotyped. You can’t judge all dogs by the actions of one. If I had done that, I would never have known one of the greatest loves I have ever experienced. Vinnie is now like my child, and I love him unconditionally. If you ever get to meet him, I am sure that you will love him, too.

-Lisa G.

Peanut, Peanut Butter and Puppies…

Animal Care & Protective Services is adopting a new kennel enrichment program and protocol at both ACPS and MAC.  This program will be modeled after the “Open Paw Shelter Program” developed by Kelly Gorman (certified behavior counselor) with input from Dr. Ian Dunbar, veterinarian and renowned animal behaviorist.

The program has minimum mental health requirements for shelter canines.  The primary requirement under this category is environmental enrichment or occupational therapy.  This calls for all dogs to be hand fed each day, with a portion of the food being placed in a Kong.  The Kong is lined with honey, then peanut butter is inserted in the bottom, the Kong is then filled with damp kibble and topped off with another layer of peanut butter.

We have a bee keeper that has agreed to donate honey.  We already have the kibble (which is damp dog food).  We need donations of creamy peanut butter to complete the Kongs.

Donations can be dropped off at ACPS, The Mandarin Adoption Center, or by contacting a FOJA member! 

My name is Cory (A404115). I am a long timer at ACPS and I am running out of time. I am a great dog: friendly, playful, calm, and housebroken and like other dogs. I am very unique looking and have cute pointy ears. I would like to be adopted ASAP.

I am a good dog that would be so thankful if someone saved me TODAY! 

I am FREE to adopt to a good home! Only $20 license fee applies! I am totally free to the lucky Senior Citizen that adopts me!  I am fully vaccinated, micro-chipped and neutered. The reality is if I don’t get adopted soon, I will be in trouble.

Please vote for Animal Care & Protective Services so we can win $100k!

Go to http://www.votetosavelives.org to vote!

We need help! Adoption runs are full! We have 8 cages left and 15 animals that need to go into adoptions! If you are thinking about adopting, or know anyone who is, please encourage them to come down to the shelter and give one of our pets a chance!

Huge Congratulations to Lois Morris! Lois is a member of Friends of Jacksonville Animals and in charge of the Cat Adoption Program at Petsmart Regency! March 4th was the one year anniversary for the cat adoption program! Lois has successfully adopted 230 cats through the Petsmart Program! She donates her time to picking up cats from Animal Care & Protective Services, taking them to Petsmart, cleaning and laundering their cages, handling paperwork, meeting potential adopters, and saving the lives of our sweet little kitties by finding them new forever homes! When I asked Lois why she was so passionate about the Cat Adoption Program she said, “I am passionate about this program because it has allowed us to get many, many, kitties adopted that otherwise might have been euthanized, or have languished for many weeks/months at the shelter, unadopted and alone. Also, because I am able to oversee most aspects of the program, including follow-up calls to the adopters, I have found most adopters to be wildly enthusiastic about their new pets. So many have gotten WONDERFUL homes, you just can’t believe how loved they are. Some keep in touch with an occasional call or an email with pics! It is very hard work, but when my kitties are placed and ‘living the life’, it makes it all worthwhile.” Lois has had an incredible success rate and has only had three cats returned, all as a result of owner circumstances, and all three were re-adopted into new forever homes.
If you are interested in adopting a cat, please stop by and see some of our amazing pets at The Petsmart at Regency,356 Monument Rd. Jacksonville, FL. Adoptions are open until 5pm daily. Cats 1-year or older are free with a $20 rabies tag fee. Cats younger than 1 are only $20 plus the $20 rabies tag fee. Adults, age 55 or older, can adopt a cat 1-year or older for free! 

New photos are up on the flickr page! Check out this week’s adoptable pets! This is just an handful, check out more at http://www.coj.net/pets

Kami, formerly know as Sandy, is settling into her new home very well! Her new owners sent us some pics! You can see how much fun she is having with her new big sister Summer! Huge thanks to Terra (her new mom) and to Magda and Daniel for helping us find our foster pup a family to love her as much as we did!

-Amy & Gil

Featured Cat of the Month!

Prissy is located at 356 Monument Road Petsmart. She is available Monday-Saturday 9-6pm and  Sunday 10-6pm, to check PS availability please call 724-4600 Option 8. Prissy is a newcomer at Petsmart, but she resided at the shelter for several months. She is a 1 year old female brown Tabby DSH. She is friendly, likes other cats, and probably ok with dogs b/c she has such a great personality. She loves to be pet and loves to cuddle. She is looking for a loving home as she has been a cage since she was a kitten. She is a sweet girl. She came into the shelter as a stray. She has been at the shelter the longest therefore transferred to Petsmart in hopes to find her a home soon. Prissy is spayed, micro-chipped, and current on vaccinations and only $20 plus $15 city license fee.

November has two great opportunities to support the Friends of Jacksonville Animal Inc.’s mission to save lives at the city shelter and have some great fun in the process!

First up is “An Evening “Fur” the Animals” event this Saturday November 6th from 6-8pm at Avondale Artworks at 3562 St. Johns Avenue next to Biscotti’s.  You can RSVP for the event at http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=135563553161225

There will be wine and cheese and a chance to meet the Board and share with volunteers all of the great animal success stories.  There is a suggested $25 donation per person at the door, excellent silent auction items (like passes for 2 for the full week of TPC, a signed Maurice Jones-Drew football from the Jaguars and a Bahamas cruise) and a raffle!  All proceeds go to support the animals at the city shelter to get them needed equipment and supplies that the city budget cannot afford.

The next event is Strut Your Mutt and that is the following Saturday morning, November 13th starting at 9:30am at the YMCA Northbank Riverwalk!  You can sign up for that at http://www.firstgiving.com/friendsofjacksonvilleanimals or just donate! Come enjoy a brisk morning walk on the Northbank Riverwalk from the YMCA to the Riverside Arts Market where even more fun awaits the strutters and their “mutters”. ;)  The proceeds for this event will go to sponsor the Heart Care Program for FOJA that helps animals that are heartworm positive get the necessary medication they need in order to be able to be adopted instead of destroyed.

Lots of fun and lots of ways to help the “unwanted” animals of Jacksonville! Come out and show your support and help make these loving souls WANTED!  For more information, contact us atinfo@friendsofjacksonvilleanimals.com

Melinda lost her 18yr old Siamese to old age last month. She came in to adopt a small, scraggly Siamese kitten she saw online. It was a match made in heaven. She has been keeping me updated and she attached some pictures this time. 

The first picture is of Sam now, the second picture is of the little guy when he left the shelter.

Melinda writes, “I adopted this wonderful little boy from you on Sept 15th and I wanted to send you some current pitcures.  His fur is starting to come in thicker and he is growing wonderfully.  He is a little angel!  I cannot thank you enough!  He is a very loved little boy.”

Thanks Melinda!

Kona needs a home!! Please help us find loving new parents for him!

Kona (ID A379731) is a tan and white Labrador Retriever mix.  Kona is approximately 1 year, 3 months old.  He weighs 55 pounds.  He was surrendered by the his owners who had to relocate and could no longer afford to care for him.  He’s a very, very sweet dog.  Imagine being left by the only family you’ve ever known at this strange place full of other dogs and unknown people.  When I walked Kona in front of the Shelter on Saturday..  he would look at each car that drove up with anticipation and excitement - as if he fully expected each car to contain his parents who had finally come back to pick him up.  As you can imagine, it was hard to take him back inside.  Despite all of this, he’s still happy (just look at that dog smile!).  He’s a tall boy with a big heart.  He’s very smart and loves to play ball.  He’s housebroken and knows sit and come. 

October is ADOPT A DOG MONTH and Jacksonville ACPS is celebrating by discounting adoption fees one-half for dogs each Saturday in October.

A Big thank you goes out to Carrie & Kim for their help in getting Harper adopted! Harper is now living in Baldwin with his new parents, Crystal and Matt, and his new sister Lola! You made a difference in this dog’s life and he was most certainly worthy. 

Crystal and her American Bull Dog, Lola (who is deaf) met Harper this past Saturday at Dogtoberfest.  It was instant friendship for Harper and Lola… there was much slobbering and kissing.  Crystal also fell in love with Harper.  She filled out an adoption application and after everything checked out, we arranged for a home visit and delivery.  Curt (my husband) and I transported Harper late yesterday afternoon to his new family in Baldwin.   Matt and Crystal have 3 acres of fenced-in land.  Harper and Lola ran and ran and ran.  Then, exhausted, they fell in the dirt and just lay next to each other.  We left a very happy dog in Baldwin… he never even gave us a second glance as we said our goodbyes… which, while it tugged at my heart, was a good thing.

-Becky Hamilton