Make them all lucky through Tri-County Animal Shelter

and FURever Friends

by Erika Roe

A few months ago, while volunteering with FURever Friends of Albany Spay and Neuter Clinic, I met a beautiful dog named Zelda. She had been abandoned near the Tri-County Animal Shelter and she ran out onto Highway 90 in the middle of the night, in the pouring rain. Thankfully, she crossed paths with the shelter’s amazing rescue coordinator, Jamie Scott-Cross. Despite Zelda’s reluctance and fear, Jamie managed to get her into the shelter, where she would be warm, dry and fed until she found her forever home.

Shortly before Zelda was spayed, I had the opportunity to spend a few minutes with her. She climbed into my lap, as if she wanted me to keep her safe, and I knew I was supposed to be her human. Zelda is now a happy, healthy member of my family, and I couldn’t be more grateful to have her.

I have been thinking about how fortunate Zelda was, to make it to the shelter alive and whole, after being abandoned outside in the middle of winter, because I met another dog in similar circumstances who was not so lucky.

I saw a young male dog running back and forth across Highway 127 on my way home from work. I immediately called Jamie Scott-Cross to see if she could help me rescue him, as he was in extreme danger of being hit by passing cars. Jamie and I, along with a very kind stranger, tried our best to catch him before he could get hit by a car. Unfortunately, he was too fast, and too scared, and we could not get to him in time.

Jamie and I stayed with him in the final minutes of his life, ensuring that he was not alone. We called him Jury, because neither of us wanted him to die without a name. Jury may not have known human kindness and compassion for most of his life, but we did our best to provide him that at the end.

As I mourn the loss of a dog I only knew for a few minutes, I reflect on the fact that my beautiful, intelligent Zelda could have suffered the same fate, but for a little extra luck.

So I encourage you, if you have a pet you cannot take care of, don’t just abandon it. Call Jamie Scott-Cross. She can help you surrender the animal in a safe manner, so it doesn’t suffer the same fate that befell Jury and many others like him.

Also, please consider donating to the Tri-County Animal Shelter or FURever Friends of Albany Spay and Neuter Clinic. The clinic does great work in helping reduce pet over-population in Clinton and surrounding counties, and they are in desperate need of caring, dedicated volunteers.

If you would like to donate, volunteer, or simply schedule your cat or dog for a spay or neuter, FURever Friends of Albany Spay and Neuter Clinic can be reached by calling 1-888-725-2269 and following the appropriate prompts. Jamie Scott-Cross can be reached by calling the Tri-County Animal Shelter at (606) 387-0943, Monday – Friday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. She can also be contacted day or night by reaching out on Facebook to Friends of Tri-County Albany Ky Animal Shelter. Please help us help the animals of Clinton County.