Alaqua has a kitten for you! Alaqua Animal Refuge holds open house
By Deborah Wheeler
For Laurie Hood, the good news is that she has helped 1,200 homeless animals find homes in the one year since she established Alaqua Animal Refuge in Freeport.
The bad news is that she has around 200 more animals, excluding horses and pot-bellied pigs that still need homes. Of those, 65 percent are cats and kittens.
"It's kitten season, so I have a lot of kittens now," explained Hood. "Also, I am the only one around who takes in cats. Several different groups help dogs, but no one else is helping abandoned cats and kittens."
Hood moved to Freeport from Destin and was surprised to discover there was no animal shelter in the county. Walton County Animal Control took all strays to a facility in Chipley, where, if not claimed, they were euthanized after seven days.
"I went to Chipley and came back and told my husband I wanted to open an animal shelter," said Hood.
That was in February of 2007.
Now, the animal control trucks stop at Alaqua. Hood takes all the cats and dogs she can, except those that are vicious or have a disease that can't be cured. Her shelter is a "no kill" facility. The ones she takes, she will keep until a home is found for them. Some have been with her since the first month.
"People dump puppies here and I take them in," she said.
Hood provides medical care and all are spayed and neutered.
Dogs run free on her 10 acres and the cats live in a "cat hotel" with fans.
Hood has also taken in seven horses that were near death when animal control found them, a potbelly pig and three sugar gliders.
"It's a lot of work, but I feel like I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing with my life," said Hood.
The cost of operating such a facility comes to $10,000 a month. While she gets a small amount of money from the county, Hood mostly depends on donations to operate.
The Refuge will participate in Pier Park's first canine festival on May 31 from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., an AKC sanctioned event. The Refuge will have a booth and some of their dogs onsite. Adoption applications and donations will be accepted. A photographer will take photos, with partial proceeds benefiting the Refuge. There will also be obedience demonstrations, flyball, conformation, and agility demonstrations. The event highlight will be the Canines In Flight Frisbee Demonstration as featured on Animal Planet and pool time for the pets.
On June 28 will be the Hogs for Dogs Poker Run, with all proceeds benefiting the Refuge. There will be a five-card hand starting at the Lucky Star in Freeport, riders will proceed into Okaloosa County and end at The Outpost in Freeport. There will be drawings, door prizes, T-shirts, live music, and food.
On May 22, Alaqua will host an open house/ribbon cutting from 4 - 7 p.m., at the Refuge with Walton County Chamber of Commerce. The public is invited.
Weekly, check out the adoption kiosk at PetSmart in Destin, which has a few of Alaqua's pets, or view all online at http://www.aarflorida.com.
The public may visit the Refuge during the summer from noon - 5 p.m., Monday - Saturday, at 914 Whitfield Road, Freeport, off State Road 20W.
"Thousands of animals have been euthanized without ever having an opportunity of finding a home or getting back to their homes. We feel by the refuge and the county working together, these animals now have a chance," said Hood.
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