PETS plans garage sale, adoption event on July 1-2

   When the call came in that 25 Maltese dogs and puppies were recovered from a Rapides Parish residence, Deidre Normand agreed to take the animals and do what she could to get them healthy and suitable for adoption. A mother dog and her two puppies were too far gone to save. The other 22 became the latest projects of Normand’s People Eager To Save (PETS) Humane Society.

   The tiny puffballs were treated by a veterinarian, getting their shots and being spayed/neutered.

   Several are now ready for adoption, fully groomed and certified in good health.

   The bill for that rescue effort totaled $7,000 -- a huge amount for an organization totally dependent on donations.

   Normand is currently in the process of obtaining donations of items for a PETS garage sale, set for July 1 and 2 at 2219 Smith Street in Hessmer.

  “We have already received some nice things for the garage sale, but we are expecting more,” she said. Donations can be dropped off at the Smith Street address, across from Mike’s Jewelry in Hessmer, she said.

   Normand said PETS works with the Humane Society of Western Louisiana in rescue and adoption efforts for about 300 animals a year.

  At this time, PETS does not have a shelter building. Normand uses her home in Marksville or her Pet Palace Inn grooming business in Hessmer as a temporary shelter until the animals can be transported to a shelter or adopted locally.

  Sometimes the temporary guests become permanent members of the family, like 18-month-old “Mya,” a 200-pound Mastiff who came into the shelter a few months ago and has become fast friends with Normand’s 180-pound Great Dane “Nitro.” Both big dogs are “fixed,” so the relationship is purely platonic -- or, since they are dogs, should that be “Pluto-nic?”

   She has plans to build a 24 x 12 foot building with a fenced area for the shelter operations. Curlyn Dubroc of Hessmer has agreed to donate the fencing for the project.

   In addition to the Maltese -- a white dog that weighs about six pounds -- Normand said she expects to have a Pomeranian and a Dachshund-Chihuahua mix available for adoption during the garage sale.

   There may also be some cats available at that time. Several recent “rescue cats” are at the vet now being neutered, getting all their shots and being tested for various feline illnesses.

    “Cats are adopted quickly,” Normand said. “I have a white Persian with blue eyes, but a couple from West Monroe is coming down to adopt him.”

    She said she recently  accepted a group of black Persians that she also expects to be adopted soon after getting the all-clear from the vet.

   Of course, with every large rescue effort comes a large bill -- but she says that is an operating expense that she and other rescue/shelter programs incur in order to help the abused and abandoned animals find a safe and loving home with a family searching for that special animal friend to join the family. 

    For more information on PETS, to volunteer or donate to the rescue effort, call 264-1212.

   Donations can be made at any Capital One Bank, to the account of People Eager To Save, or online by PayPal at adopt.rescue@yahoo.com.