A Rottweiler whose owner could not care for him after Sandy is the last dog left at an emergency shelter for storm victims' pets, and it's about to close.
The Nassau County SPCA is putting out a call to dog lovers everywhere in an effort to find someone to adopt Bruno.
Bruno is the last of the Sandy survivors being sheltered at the Mitchel Field Emergency Pet Shelter. The sweet, big-eyed canine faces an uncertain future as the shelter, which was only opened to help pet owners during the emergency, prepares to shut down.
The SPCA says Bruno and his owner were left with no place to live after Sandy destroyed their Long Beach home. The owner dropped off Bruno at the abandoned gymnasium converted into a pet shelter, which took in more than 500 other pets from owners who needed help as they recovered from the storm and tried to rebuild.
But his owner's situation did not improve, the SPCA said. Bruno's owner lost his job and struggled to find a place that would allow Bruno to live with him.
Bruno's stay at the shelter turned from weeks to months; the owner found a new job outside of New York and could not visit the dog as frequently as he had been.
Eventually, he stopped visiting Bruno entirely. Now, Bruno is the shelter's only remaining tenant. And the SPCA hopes someone will adopt Bruno before the shelter closes permanently.
"Bruno is a devoted dog," Nassau County SPCA spokesman Gary Rogers says. "He has a strong and sometimes stubborn Rottweiler personality that would fit best with an owner who understands the breed, but he becomes a loveable puppy around the people he really knows and trusts. He has had a very difficult last few months and we are desperate to find him a happy ending."
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If you are interested in adopting Bruno, can provide foster care for a short period of time or want more information, call Nassau County Emergency Pet Shelter at (516) 272-0017 or email emergencypetshelter@gmail.com.
