Party animal descending on Tucson
Elderly dog adopted after 10 years at nation's largest animal sanctuary
October 23, 2006 1:54 PM
Kanab, UT (10/20/2006) - Whenever a homeless animal gets adopted, it is a reason to celebrate; but Spencer, a 13-year-old dog, is putting a whole new spin on the term "party animal," as he readies for his trip home to Tuscon, Arizona.
First there was the celebration at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary near Kanab, Utah, where the staff and volunteers who care for Spencer gathered to honor him with a party. After all he has been waiting for 10 years to go home. And then, when he arrives home tomorrow (Saturday, Oct. 21) in Tucson, his family and a whole new batch of friends will be there to party with him that night.
How come all this hoopla for an old, Sharpei-mix? Well, here at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Spencer went through quite a bit of self-improvement. He used to be cantankerous with other dogs. But over time and with lots of unconditional love from his caregivers, he mellowed out considerably. And then along came Joyce Rosenfeld from Tucson, who was at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary for a volunteer vacation. She was helping out in Old Friends where the older dogs live and she met Spencer.
"Actually, it is my belief, he chose me. There is a Jewish expression 'Bersharet." It means it was meant to be. I was not looking for a dog. But it physically hurt me that no one had wanted this dog for 10 years. I said to myself, 'Why fight it? You know you are going to take him."
But Joyce is a nurse who works with the Flying Samaritans and she couldn't take Spencer home right away because she had an assignment in Mexico. Tomorrow morning Spencer's caregiver Joyce Wallace, will be his chauffeur and drive him to his new home where Joyce and her other three rescued dogs will be waiting to welcome him.
Joyce said she has raised a lot of puppies and three children and at this point, she is all about older dogs. "The older dogs want a home. They want to please. They just want to be with you. You don't have to housebreak them and you don't have to worry they will chew your furniture. I'm close to my family, but I tell you, if we all only had people who love us as much as these rescued dogs do, it would be great."
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Best Friends Animal Society operates the country's largest sanctuary for homeless animals, and provides adoption, spay/neuter, and educational programs nationwide. For more information, go to www.bestfriends.org
