Dozens of people rolled dice and raised money at Humane Animal Partners’ second casino night.
But HAP also begged for someone to give the dog, named Tessie, a chance. The 4-and-a-half-year-old Labrador mix has been at the Rehoboth Beach shelter for about 1,000 days.
“I promise you, given her time, she will be your best friend for life,” said HAP Sussex County Director Lee McKinley, fighting back tears. “She just needs a home with no other animals around and that will tolerate all her little quirks.”
Tessie is an example of the lifesaving mission HAP has been committed to for decades.
The event, held Sept. 21 at Baywood Greens, celebrated the 150th anniversary of the merger with the SPCA of Delaware.
“When an animal is adopted, we feel a sense of satisfaction and our hearts are warmed,” said HAP CEO Patrick Carroll. But he said the mission doesn’t start with a rescue. “The Delaware SPCA was founded because of the way livestock were treated on the streets of Wilmington. Dog and cat adoption was just evolving.”
Funds raised from Casino Night will primarily go toward medical care and dog and cat rescue at the Rehoboth Beach facility.
McKinley said the biggest needs range from medical equipment to small items that people can just bring in, such as paper towels, food bowls, food, grooming supplies and crates.
She said volunteers are a big part of HAP.
“We have dog walkers and cat socializers. We also have people who just want to come to events and speak on behalf of the organization,” she said.
Click here for volunteer information. humaneanimalpartners.org.
