...Deer hunting with hounds is a popular sport here in Florida.

...Occasionally, a dog will get seperated from the group and get lost.

...The lucky ones that end up at the humane society, are fed and cared for until they are either claimed or adopted. Most are in very poor condition arriving at the humane society. Probably because they have been on their own for awhile.

...Most go unclaimed and are eventually euthanised. Most people are looking for a house pet when adopting. These hounds are not reared as pets. They are most likely raised in a small pen and transported in dog boxes for working.

...Don't get me wrong, there are responsible working dog owners. They supply their dogs with micro chips or electronic tracking collars so they can find their dogs if they get seperated from the others. They also take good care of their animals.

...Let me introduce you to the newest member of our family ~"HECTOR"~ as of February 3rd 2001.

Isn't he a sweetie!!!

When I found him, he was very thin with worn pads and very much afraid. I just couldn't leave him on the side of the road to get hit. So I turned the car around, pulled over on the shoulder, and coaxed him to come to me.

It was on a monday, so I thought maybe he had gotten seperated from the pack over the weekend. He had no collar and no tatoo. He seemed content to ride in the back seat while I took care of some things that I was originally going to town to do. He stared at me the whole time though as if to say. "What Now?".

I drove to the animal shelter to let them know that I had found a lost dog. They checked him for a micro-chip. NONE. I volunteered to take him home with me and be a foster parent until possibly someone claimed him. No one ever did.

The shelter is full of mostly hound type dogs that never get adopted. It is so sad.

After 3 weeks, we decided to adopt him. He gets along fine with all the other pets right from the start. WD, my kitty, walked right up to him and started rubbing against his legs as if to welcome him here.

He has heartworms, and did have hook worms, and infected ears. He has had his first treatment for the heartworms, a regular worming, shots and medication for his ears.