By Adria L. Henderson

and Lisa N. Peterson

King sat on the cement floor peering through the chain link fence. He arrived at this new home emaciated, exhausted, filthy, seriously ill and terribly depressed.  What happened to the children he used to play with in the shady backyard? Why couldn’t he sleep in his soft, comfortable bed near the fireplace anymore? When the new baby came home they just didn’t seem to have as much time for him.

A closer look revealed that King, an 8-year old, sixty-pound Rottweiler cross, was once a beautiful, dignified creature. You could imagine him proudly walking down his street on the end of a leash or running in the backyard with his little boy.

Now he was alone. 

King’s story is not new or uncommon. All the dogs that end up at the Newtown Pound have sad tales.  Some are just let go to fend for themselves on the streets, their battle scars evident.  Monty arrived at the pound with his leather collar embedded into the skin on his neck.  Either his owner didn’t notice or care, or perhaps Monty had been on the streets so long he literally outgrew his collar. With so few homes to take them in, King, Monty and other dogs just like them have a very grim future.

Pound and shelter dogs all over the country wait anxiously everyday for someone to adopt them.  Thousands of dogs are euthanized every year because there are just not enough homes for them.

People like Newtown’s Assistant Dog Warden George Mattegat and Pound Keeper Pat Anzelotti have their hands full taking care of the dogs that make their way through the system. For almost two decades George and Pat have been working together, feeding, cleaning up and caring for the dogs whose lives touch them every day.  In addition, Mattegat is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for emergency calls.   

Last year, Newtown resident Virginia Jess had an idea. With the help of Luise Lenk, and three other Newtown women, they decided to start an organization to help the Newtown pound dogs. In 1999 they formed Canine Advocates of Newtown, Inc. Their stated mission is to be a voice for the dogs of Newtown and to further the quality of life, safety and health of the dogs at the Newtown pound.

In a short time CAN has made an enormous difference in the lives of the pound dogs.  Their volunteers walk the dogs everyday.  They spend quality time socializing and playing with the dogs in the exercise yard to better prepare them for new families. If a dog is hard to place, Canine Advocates volunteers put in the extra time to find the right home. 

The men and women of CAN, now about 150 strong, hang photo posters of the available dogs for adoption all around town.  The wonderful photos taken by Luise Lenk have helped place many of the pound dogs that never would have been seen by the public.

CAN also provides the funding for all pound dogs, prior to adoption, to receive a fecal exam and all vaccinations, including rabies. When a dog is adopted CAN picks up the tab for spaying or neutering at the Mt. Pleasant Hospital for Animals. 

That’s how King got lucky. After three months of living at the pound, several hospitalizations including neutering and a multitude of other health problems, a young single man contacted CAN looking for a special dog. It was the perfect match. Steve Hayden took one look at King and fell in love.

The feeling was apparently mutual. King jumped into Steve’s pick-up truck, licked his face and off they went.

King, Monty, Charlie, Foxy and many others have found wonderful new homes because of CAN.

A local resident who rescued Sara, a small mixed breed, from the pound said, “I couldn’t have gotten better pet if I had made a list of all the qualities I wanted in a dog and ordered it.  She’s my best friend.”

Another happy pet owner said, “Sam is the best dog I’ve ever owned. It’s as if he understands that I saved his life and is eternally grateful. Canine Advocates has made a difference.”

In order to accommodate the public The Newtown Dog Pound has extended its hours of service.  The Pound is now open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM and Saturday from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

If you are interested in contacting Canine Advocates to volunteer your services, become a member or make a donation, they can be reached at (203) 426-5327, by mail at PO Box 236 Newtown, CT 06470 or e-mail, at director@ canineadvcoates.com. You can visit their website at www.canineadvocates.com for additional information and photos and stories about the dogs available for adoption at the Newtown Pound. 

Adria L. Henderson and Lisa Peterson, owners of Safe at Home, a Newtown based Pet Sitting business contributes Animal Lifestyles.  You can contact us by phone at 203-426-5784 or 426-4682.  Write to us at PO Box 427 Bots ford, Ct. 06404 or e-mail us at animallifestyles @ usa.net. We welcome our reader’s response.