Sue Hansen still thinks fondly of Polly, the “fattest beagle I have ever seen.”
In the early 2000s, a woman brought in Polly, a beagle that weighed well over 50 pounds, to Abandoned Pet Rescue in Fort Lauderdale. She wanted to surrender the dog because she was peeing everywhere. Staff suggested she bring Polly to a veterinarian, so she left in a huff. She tied Polly to a post outside the building instead.
Abandoned Pet Rescue staff and volunteers did what they have always done. Polly got medical care, including a diabetes diagnosis and insulin, toys to play with, volunteers to walk her and a safe place to sleep. Eventually, she dropped all the excess weight. Polly was never adopted and spent the rest of her days in the shelter’s front office.
“She sort of became our mascot,” said Hansen, the shelter’s treasurer and board member.
Polly’s story isn’t sad. It’s part of Abandoned Pet Rescue’s mission as the only no-kill shelter in Fort Lauderdale. The non-profit is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
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