The Roanoker March/April 2022 - 72

Sandi Boyd 's daughter,
Christina Lazenby, (then
20), wanted a Dachshund for
Christmas the year after her
brother Lee died. Boyd already
had a Doxin, Maddie, and she
knew how much a beloved pet can
help get you through tough times.
After a two-month search,
Lazenby found 18-month-old
Angel on a website. She had
been turned over by a breeder
when she failed to bear puppies.
She had worms and had to be
medically cleared before being
transported by the All American
Dauschand Rescue (a 501C out
of Tennessee) volunteers from
the New Hampshire foster to
Staunton.
To be considered to adopt,
Boyd filled out the application,
paid a $300 adoption fee, had a
home visit by a local woman to
ensure they were a suitable family
and provided three references in
addition to a vet recommendation.
Angel, a short-haired cream
Doxin became Angel Lee (after
Lazenby's brother) upon adoption
seven weeks later in January 2017.
Boyd adopted another Doxin in
September 2020 that came from a
puppy mill in North Carolina and
was fostered in Alabama. Genesis,
now Geni Mae, was kept for three
years in a crate with no socialization.
At three, she had maxed out
the number of litters she could
have, so was turned over to the
rescue agency. She was underweight,
skittish and a flight risk.
Volunteers brought her from
Alabama in one hour stretches
so Sandi could pick her up in
Wytheville.
" It took time to gain trust, "
says Boyd. " She still cowers
with sudden moves and is skittish
around new people, but she
gets along with the other Doxins,
is the perfect weight now and a
love bug. "
Boyd has been volunteering as
a driver since they adopted Angel
because she wanted to give back to
the organization. She says, " I super
value them because they took such
good care of our pups before we
got them. "
Finding the perfect pet for
your family can be an adventure,
near or far. Knowing your family's
needs and the pet's needs can
help determine the best fit for
your family and ensure you have
a wonderful adventure. I
Angel
Christina
Lazenby
with Maddie,
Angel, and
Geni Mae
.
LOCAL AGENCIES REHOME ANIMALS FROM NEAR AND FAR
There are plenty of opportunities to
adopt a new family member locally. Pets
are turned over to a shelter for many
reasons including family health issues or
financial challenges. Local rescue agencies
like Angels of Assisi and the Roanoke
Valley SPCA also work with national
rescue organizations to find homes for
pets displaced due to a natural disaster
as well as those removed because of
neglect, hoarding or puppy mills.
In late 2021, the RVSPCA " received
four dogs and all have been placed in
loving homes with individuals who understand
their special needs and are willing
to work with them to develop them into
the most loving dogs that they can be, "
72 MARCH/APRIL 2022
according to Julie Rickmond, RVSPCA
Marketing and Communications
Director.
" Folks interested in adopting dogs
(or cats) from difficult circumstances
typically begin working with the pet
through a behavioral foster to adopt
situation. During this time, trained
professional staff from both inside our
organization and outside are enlisted
to support the transition of the animal
to its new home as well as provide the
adopter with the skills and training to
work with the pet's special needs. As
the adopter and the pet develop a
deeper relationship, the adoption is
completed. "
Lisa O'Neill, Director at Angels of
Assisi, says that the staff will pick up
animals from other areas, including many
in the Carolinas. She shared that there is
a network of transports up and down the
East Coast to move pets from the south
to the north where they are more likely
to be adopted. There is also a program
by the Virginia Federation for Human
Societies that helps take pets from rural
areas where they aren't as likely to be
adopted to bigger cities like Richmond
and Northern Virginia.
Other places to adopt locally include
Salem Animal Shelter, RCACP (Regional
Center for Animal Control and Protection)
and Planned Pethood. -LW
TheRoanoker.com
COURTESY OF SANDI BOYD AND CHRISTINA LAZENBY
http://www.TheRoanoker.com
The Roanoker March/April 2022

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