Pop Art Pet Unleashed

A black Labrador Retriever, rescued during Hurricane Katrina, is scheduled to fly back from here in Denver where she has been fostered, to her home in New Orleans this week.

The Lakewood, Colorado based Misha (Mutts in Safe Homes Always) May Foundation rescued Tasha, as she was known then, from a New Orleans shelter in October 2005. Sunni Rodgers and Brendan Landry took the dog into their home 18 months ago and decided to adopt her eight months later. They called her Rita. Three months ago, Lorraine May, the executive director of the Misha May Foundation, called Rodgers and Landry to tell them Rita’s original owners wanted the dog back. Rodgers says the news came as a shock.

“We waited probably eight months before we even adopted her thinking eight months – that’s a long time,” she said. Rodgers says she has talked on the phone to Sandra, Rita’s owner. “I wanted to talk about what was best for the animal because she’s pretty much been here all her life. Was it best for her to go back or stay here? And they wanted her back, definitely,” Rodgers said.

Rita had a pre-flight checkup Monday at the Colfax East Animal Hospital in Denver.

“I think there’s two good things that came out of this,” Landry said. “One, that Sandra gets her dog back, which is a good thing for her, and that because of people like Lorraine, being dog lovers that we are, is hopefully having another opportunity to rescue and provide another good home for another dog.”

“We’ll definitely miss Rita. She’s grown in our hearts. She’s our little girl, so she’ll definitely be missed here,” Rodgers said.

Source: 9news.com

On a side note to this bittersweet story, we found out about the Misha May Foundation just last month and they’re really a wonderful group. We even donated a portrait, coincidentally of a Black Lab, for a silent auction at their annual fund raiser. You can learn more about the great work they do on their website.

One Response to “An Overdue Katrina Homecoming”