Mary Needs a Loving Home and Fast

Four-year-old Mary has spent the past three years living at the Brookhaven Town Animal Shelter and holds the title of longest resident at the adoption facility.

The problem is such a honor isn’t anything to boast about and it isn’t what shelter director Dori Scofield wants for any of the 200 dogs and cats that need a loving home.

So Scofield launched an informal, but heart-wrenching email campaign this week to find Mary a family, and hopefully homes for many other of her current charges.

“I write this with tears in my eyes and defeat in my heart. Mary has been at the Brookhaven Animal Shelter since 2009. She is 4 years old, 3 of those years in the shelter. She is a fabulous dog that has been overlooked time and time again. She is on special food for skin allergies and she has to be an only dog. But what a great dog she is. All that being said, I am making a final plea for Mary. It is no longer fair to her to remain in a shelter. There are fates worse than death, and day in and day out, month after month, year after year in kennel is one of them,” she wrote in an email sent out this week.

The adoption hurdles with Mary, according to Scofield, aren’t easy to overcome. One is that Mary is not the most cuddly-looking canine. She’s way past the cute puppy stage and needs a special diet supplement to keep her skin clear. She also needs to be the only animal in a family’s life.

“Anyone who knows me knows I have a ‘no kill’ philosophy but we’re getting to a fine line here with over 200 animals,” Scofield told Patch. As she notes in her email pitch Mary isn't as cute as a puppy coming up from the South.

“The puppy from the south will live a life on Long Island that our local girl Mary never had a chance to. Over 200 animals at our shelter. No place left to put them. To say we are desperate for help for our dogs is an understatement. Anyone that would like adopt or come take Mary out for a walk....a final walk or a treat of any sort(we won't have to keep her on the special diet for her final days) is welcome to come down. Let's give her a loving send off, she deserves at least that,” concludes the email note.

The  ‘loving send off’ can be averted by just one family opening their hearts and home to the smart and affectionate Mary, and that could just happen this weekend as Mary’s going on a ‘road trip’ in the quest to find a home.

In response to Scofield’s email, the Blue Point Brewing Company will host Mary as a special VIP guest on Saturday and Scofield is hoping that she’ll find someone to take Mary in.

If not, maybe it’ll happen during the facility’s upcoming  “Woof Stock” adoption event at Kapplers Hotel and Bar in Patchogue slated for August 5.

“I’m running what is likeliest the biggest shelter in New York State and it’s just getting worse. Anyone who says the economy is getting better needs to visit here,” said Scofield, noting that animals are found abanonded and dropped off when families are force to down size in housing and can no longer have a pet.

Another big adoption issue, explained Scofield, is that many adoptive families aren’t keen on certain mixed breeds and the look of pitbull.

“People need to look past the breed and the look of a dog when adopting. They need to look at the soul of the animal and Mary has a wonderful soul. She’s a sweetheart, good on a lease and is just a couch potato.”

The adoption shelter is open seven days a week from 9:30 to 4 p.m. and 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Anyone interested in meeting Mary can call Scofield at 631-286-4940 or check out other animals needing homes by visiting the shelter’s website.