NEW CASTLE, Del. (KYW Newsradio) — A local animal shelter found itself on the receiving end of a major milestone, as the ASPCA placed the 300,000th pet in its animal relocation program with the Brandywine Valley SPCA.
The organization welcomed Maisie Belle to its New Castle, Delaware facility on Tuesday. The dog was discovered roaming the streets of Chattanooga, Tennessee with a front leg injury so severe it required amputation.
“So she’s now a tripod sweetheart, but she’s only five and a half months old and has her whole life ahead of her. So we know that the right family is out there for her,” said Sara Smith, spokesperson for the Brandywine Valley SPCA. She said once Maisie Belle arrived, she did not let her shortage of legs get in the way.
“She was licking everybody’s faces, loves to be picked up, held, walk around, run around.”
Maisie Belle was one of 12 dogs who arrived at the shelter Tuesday through the ASPCA’s animal relocation program. After a little over 11 years of the program, Maisie Belle marks the 300,000th pet who’s been given a fresh start with new scenery.
“There just may not be enough adopters to adopt a dog like her, and the ASPCA can relocate these animals into a more densely-populated area where maybe they’ll have a different adopter pool,” Smith explained, “reducing overcrowding, enabling shelters to have more capacity and provide animal welfare services in their own communities.”
She said pups like Maisie Belle are resilient enough to withstand the travel and change of scenery. “That’s a small step in their journey to a much happier life and a nice, loving home for the rest of their lives,” said Smith.
Maisie Belle will likely head to a foster home until a forever home can be found. Potential adopters can visit the Brandywine Valley SPCA’s website to look into adopting her or any of the hundreds of other pets looking for permanent homes.