OXFORD — James and Cheryl St. Louis were in love — with a little dog named Scottie, that is.
The Village of Mallory Square residents were among the numerous animal lovers who turned out to Doggy Doo Run Run Park on Saturday, despite the less-than-stellar weather conditions, for a pet adoption event.
Taking cover from the drizzle underneath one of many awnings under which pet rescue groups had their information booths, James St. Louis shared how his wife had been longing for a little dog to keep her company ever since the couple moved to The Villages.
“Since we moved down here, (getting a dog) is all she’s talked about,” St. Louis said. “The kids are grown and gone and we’re alone now. We need something to fill the void.”
Perhaps Scottie, a wheaten terrier-mix, was just the solution.
Though James St. Louis said they were on the hunt for a “small non-barker,” Scottie, a quiet little fellow just under medium-sized, won his approval.
Potential owners like the St. Louises are just the kind of compassionate folks Ann Bitting appreciates seeing during pet adoption events.
Villagers are ideal pet owners because they are at retirement age, said Bitting, a volunteer with Max’s Pet Connection, which was on hand with 16 dogs.
Villages residents “have the time for their dogs,” the Village of Winifred resident said. “Twenty-four/seven, they’re here.”
Pets, she explained, become “a second child” for many retirees.
“They like to get out and walk around and go to the dog parks and walk around the neighborhood,” Bitting said.
Nearly every canine imaginable of various sizes and breeds was available on Saturday — everything from “Chihuahuas to Mastiffs,” Bitting said.
And Villagers weren’t the only ones on the prowl for a four-legged pal.
Bitting said many hopeful adoptive parents came from as far away as Jacksonville, as well as nearby locations of Ocala, Mount Dora, Inverness and Williston, hoping to complete their pet adoption journey in Oxford, just outside Florida’s Friendliest Hometown.
Representing those out-of-towners were Jeanine Vigneau and her husband Rod, of Leesburg.
It wasn’t their first time adopting a dog from a Doggy Doo Run Run adoption event, Jeanine Vigneau said. “We already have one that we adopted here three years ago.”
On Saturday, Vigneau hoped to find “a brother or sister” for her other beloved canine Mickey.
It didn’t take long for a precious pup she considered naming Minnie to capture her heart. As Vigneau held the tiny brown Chihuahua in her arms, she explained her possible choice of name.
“We named our other dog Mickey, and I was always saying if we get a female, it’ll be Minnie,” she said. “So it might be Minnie — not sure yet though.”
The sight of Vigneau snuggling Minnie underneath a tent, out of the rain, likely gave hope to the other homeless animals on site. Maybe they, too, would be discovered by such kindhearted families as the St. Louises and the Vigneaus.
For more details about pets, animal rescue and adopting a pet visit www.lovemypets.com thanks for cooperation to http://www.thevillagesdailysun.com
