County Animal Control to Hold Adopt athon

[bigdoglover]

BY Elizabeth Leis, Staff Writer, The Capitol


It's elementary, my dear Watson, that Sherlock needs a home.

He's a squirmy black Labrador puppy, with such love in his eyes that those who meet him revert to cooing and baby talk.

Sherlock is one of the 28 dogs eligible for adoption at Animal Control's adopt-athon tomorrow. With any luck, he'll have a new family to call his own by day's end.

Lt. John Church, who's overseeing the department, said the last adopt-athon resulted in new homes for 40 animals.

"Wouldn't that be great, if we could even get that close?" he said.

The event will also feature a reptile display that includes a ball python and Russian tortoise, a demonstration by the police department's K-9 unit, the county SPCA Mobile Adoption Unit and face painting.

Visitors also can check out two peahens, meet McGruff the Crime Dog and snack on light refreshments.

In addition to the dogs, there are 16 cats available.

One of those, a striped gray short-haired cat named Baby Girl, purred yesterday as she was petted, nuzzling her face to the warmth of a loving hand.

Assuming potential owners meet the criteria, such as having their own home or permission to adopt from their landlord, they might be able to take home an animal that day. Newer strays, however, might be required to stay a few more days to make sure there's not an owner looking for them. If animals are not fixed, they must be before going home.

Kennel attendant Sherry Durm said it's also important to consider what kind of animal is right for the adopter.

"You have to realize it's a lifelong commitment," she said.

The cat types range from short-haired orange tabbies to some long-haired cats. The dogs include a border collie, a Jack Russell terrier, a beagle mix, a Labrador mix and shepherd mixes. They range from 9 weeks to 8 years old.

One dog is a shar-pei taken from the Harwood property of Dr. Frederick J. Corder, former Prince George's County chief health officer, who was sentenced to house arrest after being convicted on three misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty. The dog, called Commotion, was adopted and returned recently because he's under-socialized, Ms. Durm said.

"He needs someone at home who would spend time with him," she said. "He wants that love."

The adopt-athon will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at county Animal Control headquarters, 411 Maxwell Frye Road, Millersville. The K-9 demo is set for 1:30 p.m. The county police helicopter will be there from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.



Published May 19, 2006, The Capital, Annapolis, Md.
Copyright © 2006 The Capital, Annapolis, Md.