4 Photos
Rescued dog Katelynn COURTESY OF ARF
Rescued dog Nashville COURTESY OF ARF
Rescued dog Rucca COURTESY OF ARF
Rescued dog Sandra Lee COURTESY OF ARF
While the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons in Wainscott provides a safe haven for dogs and cats before adoption, many animals in shelters nationwide are not so fortunate. However, 46 dogs received a second chance when they were rescued by ARF from a closing South Carolina shelter before they were euthanized.ARF representatives traveled to South Carolina in two vans to retrieve the dogs, some of which were residing in foster homes.
Upon arrival to ARF, all dogs were spayed or neutered, microchipped and brought up to date on their vaccines, said Jamie Berger, ARF’s director of communication and marketing.
Originally, ARF intended to rescue 23 dogs, but Michele Forrester, senior director of operations and partnership programs at ARF, said they added another vehicle and arranged to save another 23 canines. This was the organization’s largest transport to date, she said.
The dogs’ arrival on September 4 came only a week before Long Island’s Best Pet Adoptathon this past Saturday, which combined the efforts of ARF and Petco in Commack.
The South Carolina dogs were all up for adoption in addition to longtime residents of ARF like “Squeaky” the pitbull. Well-known to volunteers and community members, Squeaky remained at ARF for three years and became an unofficial mascot, attending parties and posing with the likes of Martha Stewart at GrillHampton. He was finally adopted on Saturday by a family with two young daughters.
By the end of the day, all 46 of the South Carolina rescue dogs were on their way to “forever homes.” For more information, visit arfhamptons.org.
Jaime Zahl on Sep 15, 2015