Adopters continue to pass on an “easy going” dog

OCALA, Florida – Canyon was recovered as a stray animal by Marion County Animal Services on March 13, 2020, the day then-President Donald Trump declared the COVID-19 pandemic a national emergency.

Canyon remains in the county animal shelter.

A large mixed breed of 8 years old, the neutered male spends his 463rd day in the care of Marion County Animal Services.

“Honestly, I don’t know how it got overlooked,” said Jim Sweet, county animal service manager. “He might be a large breed dog, but the reality is he’s really easy going.”

“He’s going to make someone very, very happy someday,” he added. “We just need to make that connection.”

Staff and volunteers hope Canyon won’t question the record-breaking stay of a dog named Aquarius, who spent 665 days at the shelter until his adoption earlier this month.

Yet when it comes to extended stays at the refuge, Canyon always has company. Percy, a smaller 8-year-old mixed breed, lived at the shelter for 451 days, officials said.

Diane Summers, Director of Orange County Animal Services since 2019, told Spectrum News she can’t remember having a dog available for adoption for so long.

Animal services officials note 21 days as the average stay for a dog at the Marion County shelter. They say they don’t know why they now see dogs struggling for over a year – and in Aquarius’ case almost two years – to find a home.

Sweet said factors typically include a dog’s age, his behavior around children, and personality quirks that might require him to be the only pet in a home.

“These are the things our animal care techs are extremely candid about because they want these couples to work and everyone to be happy,” he said. “But it can also mean that it takes a while to find the right match.”

As a safe haven without killing, Marion County keeps Canyon, Percy, and dogs like them alive and as satisfied as possible provided they remain healthy and treatable.

On a Spectrum News outdoor gaming tour on Friday, Canyon played with a tennis ball and stayed gentle when we stroked him – but he preferred the tennis ball.

Canyon didn’t want to go when we sat on the floor and tried to play with him, but his tail kicked into high gear and happy when volunteer Lisa Ronan, his primary caretaker, knelt with him. . Canyon smiled and kissed her as she scratched his neck, back, and shoulders.

Percy kept his tail between his legs and didn’t want to come near us, but Marion County Public Information Officer Alex Auéquenceon declared her “a favorite of our Animal Center volunteers.”

Staff member Wendy Crowley explained that it takes time for Percy to get to know people, which could put off potential adopters who have so many choices.

“You walk into the kennel and you have all these dogs, and they are all vying for your attention,” Sweet said, “so I can see how somebody gets past one or two here and there.”

“But going that long isn’t… that’s not what we’d like.”