Shon
07-06-2004, 11:44 AM
Five Dogs Find Homes
MOUNT VERNON -- While Coco pranced around the back yard of his new home in Mahopac yesterday, batting around balls with his large paws, his former shelter mate, Brigham, spent what may be his final hours at the Mount Vernon animal shelter.
Mount Vernon's overcrowded Center for Animal Care had seven dogs that had to be adopted over the weekend or be euthanized.
Five were adopted, but two dogs remained and were to be euthanized today, director Paula Young said.
Both Coco and Brigham are healthy brindle pit-bull mixes who leap up on their sinewy hind legs to lick familiar faces. But Coco, known as Eeyore at the shelter, was among five lucky dogs to be adopted.
"When he arrived here, he was really shy and he wouldn't come over to anybody," said Clarke Bennett, 12. "But now, he's been playing all sorts of games with everybody, and he's really happy, and we just love having him."
Young said Brigham has lived at the shelter for three years, and his brown-black coat makes him appear intimidating to potential owners.
Even if the dogs do find last-minute homes, the problem will continue as long as people neglect to spay and neuter their pets or breed them irresponsibly, Young said. She said she was working with Mount Vernon Mayor Ernest Davis on legislation that would require everyone who isn't a licensed breeder to neuter their pets, and which would provide reduced-cost services. Davis, who owns two Rottweilers, said they expect to present a local bill to the City Council this fall.
Young said the shelter must keep space available so it can accept dogs at any time. It often gets two a day, left by residents disposing of pets or by police who find strays or break up dog-fighting rings, she said. Unlike some other shelters, the Mount Vernon center is required to take in pets from residents.
Young knows all 34 dogs there by name, and calls them her "buddies." She gets choked up when she talks about their plight.
"Today's problem will exist again tomorrow," she said, "unless people can start viewing their animals as precious, as family members, as something that's not just a throwaway."
Five dogs were adopted by people who read newspaper articles about the shelter Friday and Saturday, and an anonymous donor pledged $4,000 to the shelter to be used for spaying and neutering.
One dog adopted during the weekend had been left at the shelter filthy, with severely overgrown claws. Her new owner, Claire Sepe of Hartsdale, said she can still see the ribs of the black mutt.
"This dog is so grateful," said Sepe, a Mount Vernon kindergarten teacher. "She's bouncing around like a bunny rabbit ... and she sits on my foot to make sure I'm not going anywhere."
Victoria Amorusa, a retired teacher from Yorktown, adopted Max, a partly blind shepherd mix that lived in the shelter's kitchen. And Michelle Saccurato of Chappaqua brought her wheaten terrier and two of her four children in when she adopted Mitch, a white cocker spaniel mix.
Most of the dogs at the shelter are pit-bull mixes. Although the breed has a reputation for being aggressive, many are not, and they make great pets because of their desire to please their masters, said Jean Johnson, president of a volunteer adoption group that works with the shelter.
Just ask Clarke's parents, Mark Bennett and Dr. Lisa Rucker, whose family spent yesterday afternoon playing ball with Coco.
"Coco's actually rather timid and showed no aggression at all," said Bennett, a musician who is on the Carmel Planning Board. "He does kissy-face with my daughter ... and when my wife introduced him to the pet rabbit, he just licked the rabbit."
MOUNT VERNON -- While Coco pranced around the back yard of his new home in Mahopac yesterday, batting around balls with his large paws, his former shelter mate, Brigham, spent what may be his final hours at the Mount Vernon animal shelter.
Mount Vernon's overcrowded Center for Animal Care had seven dogs that had to be adopted over the weekend or be euthanized.
Five were adopted, but two dogs remained and were to be euthanized today, director Paula Young said.
Both Coco and Brigham are healthy brindle pit-bull mixes who leap up on their sinewy hind legs to lick familiar faces. But Coco, known as Eeyore at the shelter, was among five lucky dogs to be adopted.
"When he arrived here, he was really shy and he wouldn't come over to anybody," said Clarke Bennett, 12. "But now, he's been playing all sorts of games with everybody, and he's really happy, and we just love having him."
Young said Brigham has lived at the shelter for three years, and his brown-black coat makes him appear intimidating to potential owners.
Even if the dogs do find last-minute homes, the problem will continue as long as people neglect to spay and neuter their pets or breed them irresponsibly, Young said. She said she was working with Mount Vernon Mayor Ernest Davis on legislation that would require everyone who isn't a licensed breeder to neuter their pets, and which would provide reduced-cost services. Davis, who owns two Rottweilers, said they expect to present a local bill to the City Council this fall.
Young said the shelter must keep space available so it can accept dogs at any time. It often gets two a day, left by residents disposing of pets or by police who find strays or break up dog-fighting rings, she said. Unlike some other shelters, the Mount Vernon center is required to take in pets from residents.
Young knows all 34 dogs there by name, and calls them her "buddies." She gets choked up when she talks about their plight.
"Today's problem will exist again tomorrow," she said, "unless people can start viewing their animals as precious, as family members, as something that's not just a throwaway."
Five dogs were adopted by people who read newspaper articles about the shelter Friday and Saturday, and an anonymous donor pledged $4,000 to the shelter to be used for spaying and neutering.
One dog adopted during the weekend had been left at the shelter filthy, with severely overgrown claws. Her new owner, Claire Sepe of Hartsdale, said she can still see the ribs of the black mutt.
"This dog is so grateful," said Sepe, a Mount Vernon kindergarten teacher. "She's bouncing around like a bunny rabbit ... and she sits on my foot to make sure I'm not going anywhere."
Victoria Amorusa, a retired teacher from Yorktown, adopted Max, a partly blind shepherd mix that lived in the shelter's kitchen. And Michelle Saccurato of Chappaqua brought her wheaten terrier and two of her four children in when she adopted Mitch, a white cocker spaniel mix.
Most of the dogs at the shelter are pit-bull mixes. Although the breed has a reputation for being aggressive, many are not, and they make great pets because of their desire to please their masters, said Jean Johnson, president of a volunteer adoption group that works with the shelter.
Just ask Clarke's parents, Mark Bennett and Dr. Lisa Rucker, whose family spent yesterday afternoon playing ball with Coco.
"Coco's actually rather timid and showed no aggression at all," said Bennett, a musician who is on the Carmel Planning Board. "He does kissy-face with my daughter ... and when my wife introduced him to the pet rabbit, he just licked the rabbit."