One Groton rescue is hoping Clear the Shelters on August 19 will be the happiest day for two dogs who’ve waited far too long to find a family.
Rupert and Reginy are two German shorthair pointers with so much love to give. Their story begins at an overcrowded shelter in North Carolina, where their days were numbered.
But Friday’s Rescue Foundation in Groton stepped in and there, no dog is ever given up on.
“We get to save lives every day every time we go to get dogs that would otherwise not be here in a week or two,” said Elizabeth Atchinson of Friday’s Rescue Foundation.
Rupert and Reginy are a bonded sibling pair and have lived at the rescue for about four years – at around seven years old, that means the two dogs have spent more than half their lives waiting for a forever home.
“We've learned that they are housebroken, that they are snuggly love bugs...just overall great, great dogs,” Atchinson said.
It’s been difficult to place the two healthy dogs, because as a bonded pair, they’re a package deal.
“They have to go together. They're really dependent on each other ... also Rupert is an excellent jumper, he needs an 8 foot fence or to always be on a leash,” Atchinson explained.
Normally the adoption fees at Friday's Rescue range between $350 and $450, but on Clear The Shelters Day, the combined adoption fee for Rupert and Reginy will be just $200.
Rupert is a bit of a lapdog, and Reginy is a big more shy, but warmed up quickly.
“Anybody that can handle having two large dogs in their house is a great fit. They're great with all people, kids, they love to go for hikes, their foster parents take them out to Bluff Point all the time,” Atchinson said.
The staff at Friday’s is hoping Clear the Shelters Day will be the day Rupert and Reginy finally go home, even if it’s bittersweet.
“Cry with both joy and sadness because they've been here for so long, they almost become your dogs in a way ... so it would be joy, pure joy, it would be exciting,” Atchinson said.
More than 53,000 pets were adopted through the 2016 Clear the Shelters campaign, a nationwide push to place deserving animals in forever homes. Check out this year's participating Connecticut shelters by clicking here, and join the conversation on social media using #ClearTheShelters.
