Our 1st Blog post/ Introduction to our new Executive Director!

Hello!

I thought I would take the time this first new newsletter from the Humane Society of the Flint Hills to introduce myself. If you haven’t already guessed, my name is Caitlin Flood and I am the Humane Society’s new executive director. I am taking over for Judy Dieker, who has decided to retire after 10 wonderful years with us! 

I was born and raised right here, in beautiful Emporia, KS. I graduated in December 2015 with a Bachelors of Agriculture in Animal Science. I decided it was time to move home in August of 2017, and before becoming Executive Director for the Humane Society, I worked for the Emporia School District.

I have always loved animals, and cared deeply about their wellbeing. In August of 2017, I made my 1^st visit to the Emporia Animal Shelter after many years. After moving home I had decided I need a dog of my own! Peggy (she is the shelter manager and a very nice lady) allowed me and my dad to wonder back through the kennels to look at the dogs available for adoption.

I noticed him right way, a small white and gray pit mix who had a happy smile on his face, even though you could see every vertebrae and rib he had. I of course looked at all the other dogs a couple times but I couldn’t stop coming back to him. The shelter had named him Arnold, a perfectly nice name just not for him (in my opinion). We went back out to talk to Peggy about him, and she offered to take him out on one of the runs so we could meet him. He had only been at the shelter for about a week, and was reserved but also extremely excited to meet new people. He was the sweetest dog and I had confirmed what I already knew, he was my dog. 

We filled out the adoption form and waited the 24 hour period before we could pick him up. I was the 1^st person to show up that day. I refused to let anyone else get my dog. We brought my parent’s dog Angus (also rescued from the shelter), to meet him. Because “Arnold” would be moving into his house and they needed to get along.  The shelter staff got “Arnold” out of his kennel and let him out on a run with Angus. They got along fine and the staff member signed off on him going home with us! 

Anybody who has ever boarded a dog in a kennel knows that a dog gets a particular smell about them after spending any amount of time in one. So, the 1^st thing we did when we got “Arnold” home was give him a bath. He to this day is not a fan of baths. The next thing I did was schedule an appointment with the vet’s office to have him checked out, and get all of his shots given to him. It was as they were taking information to schedule the appointment, they asked for his name. I had been thinking about a new name for him because he was not an “Arnold”. I had even gotten a few suggestion for the same name after people had seen pictures of him. So without any hesitation I told the nice lady on the phone his name was Petey. 

I’ve now had Petey for almost a year and I couldn’t love him more. He is a sweet heart. He loves cuddles, playing outside with my parent’s dog Angus, walks, and being around his family. Because that is what he is, a part of the family. And we wouldn’t trade him for all the money in the world!

Here is a picture of Petey (White face w/ gray patch over one eye) and Angus (Brown and white dog in the back)!