COMMUNITY NEWS

Town touts animal shelter success story

Cancer-stricken dog finds a new home

Posted

An 8-year-old dog is loving life with his new owner. Although Duffy, an American bulldog, is battling cancer, no one would know it from his friendly and playful demeanor.

Duffy was recently the center of a social media campaign by Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter volunteers to find him a new home. Last week, town officials introduced Levittown resident Sharon Faucett, who took in the dog from the shelter in Wantagh.

The dog was turned over to the shelter in October, when his owner could no longer care for him. In March, it was discovered that he had cancerous tumors, and will soon undergo electro-chemotherapy treatment.

Last month, Faucett became Duffy’s foster owner, and plans to adopt him. She was told about Duffy from a friend, who described his situation and his need to get out of the shelter and into a home. “I never met him,” she said. “I committed over the phone. Then when I saw him, I said, ‘Oh my, he’s big!”

Since then, Duffy has stolen her heart. As a foster owner, she won’t have to worry about the cost of the dog’s cancer treatment, which is expected to cost at least $8,000 for four rounds of chemotherapy. The Town of Hempstead presented Faucett with a check in that amount at a press conference in her Round Lane backyard on June 10. The money came from the non-profit Tails of Hope fund.

The fund, which is supported by donations from the public, helps to pay the costs of animals at the shelter dealing with extraordinary medical situations.

A GoFundMe site has also been set up for Duffy, which would cover any additional medical costs. Money raised on the site that isn’t spent on Duffy would go to the Tails of Hope fund to help future sick animals.

Town of Hempstead Supervisor Anthony Santino called Faucett “a real hero to all of us” for taking in Duffy during his time of need. “This $8,000 donation is our way of giving back to her,” he said.

Duffy inspired town officials to waive animal adoption fees at the shelter throughout May. Fees will again be dropped for the annual Summer of Love adoption campaign, which will runs from June 25 through Sept. 5.

Faucett, who previously had an English mastiff named Paulie, said that Duffy is a welcome addition to her home. She cited his easy-going personality. “I feel like he’s always been a part of my life,” she said. “You can’t pry me away from this dog. This dog is my heart and my soul and my life. I am madly in love with him.”

She added that Duffy gets along very well with her house rabbit, and whenever a guest comes over, Duffy brings them a toy.

Faucett said she hopes her fellow town residents will follow in her footsteps and go to the shelter and find a “forever best friend.”

Santino asked residents to do their part to support animals, by either contributing to the Tails of Hope fund, or visiting the shelter and adopting a pet. He said that Duffy is an inspirational story, and there are plenty of more stories with happy endings that await. “There are so many dogs and cats that are looking for a loving home,” he said, “and are just a short trip to Wantagh away.”