Dogs dropped off on New Year’s Eve await ‘fur-ever’ homes
Tracey Crompton, who leads the Bridge to Home Animal Rescue, meets two of the dogs that were delivered from West Virginia on New Year鈥檚 Eve. (Photos courtesy of Bridge to Home Animal Rescue)
One of the dogs delivered on New Year鈥檚 Eve to Bridge to Home Animal Rescue in Washington County.
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A New Year鈥檚 Eve when she was about 10 has always stood out for Tracey Crompton.
鈥淲hen I was young, one of my earliest memories of New Year鈥檚 Eve is watching 鈥楢nimal Friends,'鈥� she recalled.
Crompton is referring to the annual presentation of adoptable dogs that has been a part of WTAE-TV鈥檚 programming around New Year鈥檚 Eve for decades. The dogs come from Animal Friends, the shelter on Camp Horne Road in Ohio Township. Ever since that New Year鈥檚 Eve long ago, she had wanted to do something similar.
So, last Saturday, as the clock ticked out on 2022, Crompton had the opportunity 鈥� a bus pulled up in her driveway that was transporting 30 dogs from Charleston, W.Va. There had been hopes to bring them by plane, but the weather did not cooperate. Upon their arrival, the animals were then dispersed to foster homes throughout the region, where they have been placed until they find a 鈥渇ur-ever鈥� home. It was done under the aegis of Bridge to Home Animal Rescue, the nonprofit that Crompton leads. Based in Eighty Four, its mission is to help out homeless, unwanted and abandoned dogs.
The 30 dogs that arrived from West Virginia 鈥� which does not have a law regarding the mandatory spaying and neutering of pets 鈥� include a litter of 11 puppies, a 9-year-old that was on the verge of being euthanized by its owner, one that had been abandoned in an apartment, and more. And Crompton and the other volunteers working for Bridge to Home are not done 鈥� another busload of dogs from West Virginia will be arriving Thursday. Then, on Friday, Bridge to Home will be having an adoption event at the PetSmart store in South Strabane starting at 6 p.m.
Crompton said the best thing about doing her work is 鈥渟eeing a dog that had no chance to live if it wasn鈥檛 for the rescue, and getting an update from the family that adopted showing the dog living its best life.鈥�
In the five years since Bridge to Home was launched, the organization has handled more than 3,000 dogs. Individuals interested in adopting a dog can submit an application at www.bridgetohome84.org. Most dogs have several applicants and the adoption process is not first-come, first-served 鈥� the individual who is fostering the dog is left to choose the best potential home based on the needs of the dog.