Page Title

Pets find homes through the Net

12/27/01
By Dawn Treglown,
Rome News-Tribune Staff Writer

Sophie, one of 19 basset hounds Hutchings has rescued, was adopted by a family who
drove from Colorado to get her. A dog’s life can be pretty good, but when the pet is
looking for a home it can be doggone frustrating. That was true for Sophie, a 5-month-old
purebred basset hound whose owner could no longer care for her. But once her photo
was placed on the Internet, prospects began looking up for a new home for Sophie. Bill
and Pat Hutchings of Silver Creek, who have seven dogs, including six basset hounds,
found out about Sophie and recommended her to The Sterile Feral Inc., which lists
animals for adoption on the Internet. The 2-year-old nonprofit organization usually takes
in wild or stray cats, gives them a three-year rabies shot, neuters or spays them and then
releases them back into the wild. But occasionally a cat is adopted out by the
organization, which lists dogs and even an occasional bunny. The cats are tested for
feline leukemia and all animals are given current vaccines, said Jane Berry, president of
the organization. A search on www.petfinder.com matched Ron Kichton of Colorado with
the perfect family pet — Sophie. Kichton wanted Sophie so much that he spent two days
driving from Colorado to pick her up. “I promised the family that I would get them a dog,
and I made good on that promise. And she’s beautiful. She’s exactly what we were looking
for,” Kichton said as he picked up his new pet in Rome Thursday. He said he searched
about two weeks ago on the Petfinder Web site. “It was pretty easy to find her. And the
day after Christmas we left to come get her,” he said. Kichton traveled with his sons Nick,
11, and Tony, 9, while leaving wife Donna and daughter Stacey in Colorado Springs,
Colo. “I like her a lot,” said Tony. Brother Nick agreed. “She’s great,” he said. Berry said
the organization also has adopted out animals to other parts of the country. She said a
dog was recently adopted and sent to New York. “Next week a three-legged Chihuahua is
going to New Jersey,” she said, adding the dog was found in that condition. Carol Ann
Adams, adoption coordinator, said the Internet helps find homes for the orphaned
animals. “Since Oct. 1, we’ve adopted out 27 cats and 14 dogs. We’ve been on the
Internet only a couple of months, and most of these adoptions have come to us through
the Internet,” Adams said. Adopters are asked to fill out applications, and their references
are checked. “We give the animal to the person who we believe will give it the best home,”
said Adams. And if animals are too small or tame to release back into the wild, they join
the lineup of animals at the center hoping for a new home. “We have volunteers who help
socialize the animals,” she said. “They play with the animals and get them used to being
around people.” There’s no fee to adopt an animal, although donations are welcomed at
the nonprofit organization. Also, local veterinarians volunteer time and services, and
hospitals volunteer supplies. It’s not unusual to see cats lounging around the center. “We
can’t bear to keep them in small cages. We let them roam around,” said Berry. “We only
use the cages for a 14-day quarantine to ensure the animals are healthy before allowing
them around other animals.” The center houses about 30 animals at any time, including
dogs that roam in a fenced yard. There’s Midnight, a black cat whose owner was
expecting a baby and didn’t want a cat. And Sunshine lives there, too. She is a Himalayan
cat whose owner brought her to a veterinarian to have her euthanized. She’s been there
almost two years. An adult tabby cat is there because her owner died and she has
nowhere else to go. And a small kitten was brought in Wednesday that was found in the
tire department at Sears. “We never euthanize an animal. If they’re not adopted, they’ll
live here forever,” Berry said. But they need to be adopted to make room for other
animals that need a home, she said. And what’s next on the adoption list? “We’ll be listing
a goat soon. We need to find it a home,” said Adams. To adopt a pet, visit www.petfinder.
com, list 30161 as the area to search, then click on The Sterile Feral — or visit www.
thesterileferal.org. To donate money or supplies, contact the organization at 232-2418, or
leave supplies outside the center at 722 Kingston Ave.