Staff Writer

Two dogs rescued by the True Care Humane Society have found a new home with the owners of an NFL team.

Board member Shirley Woodward said that the dogs - both terriers - were adopted in February by Denise Mara, the wife of John Mara, the owner of the N.Y. Giants. Mrs. Woodward said the dogs were rescued by True Care, photographed and their pictures were sent to New York Rescue. She said that Mrs. Mara, who is a supporter of New York Rescue, saw the dogs' pictures and decided to adopt them.

Once True Care officials were notified that the dogs had a home waiting for them in New York, the animals were transported there. Mrs. Mara was waiting for them when they arrived with designer coats for the dogs.

Mrs. Woodward traveled to New York in March where she met the Maras at a New York Rescue fund-raiser at the Orienta Beach Club in Mamaroneck. She said the Maras told her that the dogs are their “babies” and sleep with them in their bed.

True Care transports as many as 100 dogs a year to New York City. Mrs. Woodward said that while there are many unwanted dogs in Union County, there is a shortage of dogs in New York State because of stringent spay/neuter laws. She said that persons who have dogs they cannot care for are urged to turn them over to True Care which will try and find them a home either locally or in New York.

Mrs. Woodward added that True Care urges all owners of dogs and cats to have their animals spayed or neutered to avoid the problem of unwanted puppies and kittens. She said True Care offers a low-cost spay/neuter program.

The first leg of the dog's journey is handled by True Care which takes them to Charlotte, N.C., where members of another animal care organization transport them to Greensboro, N.C. The next leg of their journey is in to Virginia. The animals are transported by different groups until at last they arrive in the Manhattan borough of New York City.

Mrs. Woodward said that the biggest expense of transporting the animals is the cost of gasoline. She said that donations are needed to help True Care pay for that cost and continue to send the dogs on their way to a new homes and a new lease on life.

Persons with a dog or cat they can no longer care for, who are interested in making a donation or want more information should contact Dee Dee Threadgill at 424-9082 or Rita Jolly at 427-9988. True Care's mailing address is P.O. Box 339, Union, S.C. 29379.