Six dogs were among those flown from Florida to Ohio on Oct. 12 to make room at a humane shelter for dogs and cats being displaced after Hurrican Milton.
Sandusky County Dog Warden Kelly Pocock and staff picked up those six dogs at the Akron-Canton Airport and brought them back to Fremont to prepare the pups to find new homes.
"They were surrendered or brought in as a stray," she said about the six dogs sent to her kennel in Fremont. "They had such a long ride."
National association sent out plea for help
"I got an email from the National Animal (Care and) Control Association," Pocock said about how she learned about these dogs.
The national association was looking for kennels that could accept dogs from Florida. "We pulled as many as we could," Pocock shared, adding she had never participated in a relocation like this before.
With the six new Florida dogs, plus a local weekend surrender of a batch of six puppies and their mother, the Sandusky County Kennel now has 23 dogs to house at its Countryside Drive location.
The Florida dogs came from the Humane Society of Sarasota County, which arranged to fly 100 adoptable cats and dogs out of Florida to reduce its census to prepare to house dogs and cats being displaced due to Hurricane Milton. The flight to Ohio was funded by the Brissell Pet Foundation. Other animals were dropped off at various locations.
The Sandusky County Dog Warden said her kennel accepted the six dogs even though adoptions at her kennel have been slow in 2024, the slowest she has seen since taking over her job. Some dogs have been at the kennel for months and months. She is hoping the newest occupants will find homes quickly.
"There is not that much transition," Pocock said about getting them ready for new homes. "Most likely they will go up for adoption right away." The humane society in Florida had already done heartworm and updated the shots for the traveling dogs. "They were up for adoption down there."
The warden wants to give the Florida dogs some time to transition from their trip. Names for the Florida dogs are Macky, Smiley, Chico, Homer, Bisquit and Meg.
Dogs faced a long trip to Fremont kennel
"They left Florida at 11 o'clock in the morning," she said about Saturday, while petting one dog named Smiley. "They went through three takeoffs and three landings." Saturday was a challenge for the animals and for the kennel crew picking them up.
On Monday, Pocock and a couple staff members came in to do medical checks on the new dogs even on Columbus Day. "We are almost at capacity," the warden said about the Fremont kennel.
The Sandusky County Dog Kennel also accepted a batch of mixed-breed puppies and their mother over the weekend. Pocock said the puppies are five and a half weeks old and will not be adopted out until they are eight weeks. One of the six puppies had to have veterinarian care as it was in serious condition and remains in separate care. The puppies are a mix of American bulldog, great pyrenees, collie and pitbull.
Pocock said the kennel not only needs more homes for its dogs and volunteers and toys.
"No matter the good intentions, it's still a kennel. It's temporary," Pocock said about getting the dogs permanent homes.
Information on the adoptable dogs will be on the Sandusky County Dog Kennel Facebook Page and Petfinder this week, she said.
The adoption fee at the Sandusky County Dog Kennel is $150. The fee includes spay/neuter, four in one vaccine, one-year rabies vaccine, heartworm test, deworming, flea and tick prevention and the current year's dog license, Pocock noted. For more information on the dogs, visit the Sandusky County Dog Kennel on Facebook, https://sanduskycountydogkennel.com/adopt.php, or call 419-334-2372. The office is open weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and dog visiting hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays at 1950 Countyside Place, Fremont.
Rbrooks@gannett.com
419-334-1059
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Six dogs relocate to Ohio from Florida humane society
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