Hounds Abound by Linda O. Johnston Read Free Book Online Page A

our final adoption form. If all went well, both might even be able to take their new pets home with them today.
    “I already met them and liked them,” I told Bev. “Did you schedule their times?”
    She had. The couple would arrive around ten that morning and the family about three-thirty, after the kids’ school let out.
    I walked around the corner and down the short hallway to my office and left the messages there. “Do you want to come?” I asked Zoey, inviting her, as always, on our initial walk around the shelter facilities for the day. The happy look in her expressive amber eyes gave me the answer I expected. “Let’s go.”
    To my delight, when we exited my office Bella was inthe reception area chatting with Bev. She wore jeans and a denim work shirt with the Save’Em logo over her T-shirt.
    She looked at me, then downward. “This must be Zoey. What a sweetheart!” She knelt and hugged my dog. If I hadn’t already liked Bella, I would now.
    “I’ve heard of Save Them All Sanctuary.” Bev came around the desk to join us. “You’re the person who started it? Lauren said you might be visiting today.” Bev was short and thin, with a hint of a stoop that suggested possible osteoporosis. She wore a yellow HotRescues volunteer knit shirt. She was here often enough to be a staff member. I’d even offered once to hire her, but she had laughed and said she didn’t want to feel obligated to be here—though she was certainly around a lot.
    “Yes, I founded Save’Em,” Bella admitted with a shy-looking smile.
    “Then I want to shake your hand.” Bev did so, her grin wide and delighted.
    “I didn’t think you’d come this early,” I told Bella as I started her tour of HotRescues.
    “I needed to get away for a little while,” she said. “But I’ll be fully refreshed when I go back.”
    With Zoey at my side, I took her out the door at the building’s rear and into the shelter. Our presence immediately excited a lot of the pups and most started barking—something I did not encourage.
    The area looked far different than it had a few months ago, before Dante bought the property next door and expanded our facilities. He’d also had this area remodeled. The cement walkway was still lined with kennels for medium and larger dogs, but much more attractive oneswith wood and glass in addition to the standard chain-link fencing. Similar ones around the corner at the rear weren’t as large and housed small and toy dogs.
    The kennels on the new property were much like the ones here had previously been—but newer and updated, made with better materials. Each was still mostly outdoors, with an indoor area at the rear where dogs could veg out or avoid bad weather.
    “Hi, Abel,” I crooned to the black Lab mix in the first kennel on the left. He had been brought here a few months ago as an owner relinquishment and remained unadopted. We weren’t sure of his age, but he had a lot of gray around his muzzle.
    “Looks like one of our guys,” Bella observed.
    “He hasn’t been here long, and I’m hoping to find him a new home—but if that doesn’t work out, I might be in touch about him.” Unless I could find him a loving fosterer. One way or another, he’d remain well cared for.
    He behaved well, not barking or jumping like some of the other dogs who’d gotten excited just to see us. Bella and I went inside his enclosure and fussed over him. Zoey waited outside for us, sitting tolerantly.
    Soon it was time to move on. I introduced Bella to other dogs, most of whom were fairly new since we were fortunate enough to find homes quickly for a lot of our residents. I took her into the building on the right, at the center of this row of kennels, to show her the new kitchen and the upstairs had been converted into an apartment for the security person who slept here overnight. “Hint, hint,” I told her. “You should have someone like that.”
    “I do,” she said dryly. “Only, it’s me.”
    I shook my