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Community Corner

Kent Animal Shelter Celebrates 30,000 Adoptions

A puppy who almost lost her life in a gang initiation became the 30,000th adopted animal at Kent Animal Shelter.

Kent Animal Shelter in Calverton celebrated its 30,000th adoption this week when Mona Lisa, a 4-month-old puppy found her forever-home.

Mona Lisa narrowly escaped death when a gang captured her, intent on using her as part of their initiation process. Police officers caught the gang of juveniles while they were attempting to hang Mona Lisa from a tree. Mona Lisa was taken to Brookhaven Animal Shelter and then transferred to Kent.

“She had the further misfortune of encountering a gang of juveniles intent on harming her," Pam Green, executive director of Kent Animal Shelter said in a press release earlier this week. "As an organization, we exist to help animals in need and to help educate the public to be compassionate toward animals.”

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Kent Animal Shelter was founded in 1968, with the listed purpose of caring "for abused, abandoned and homeless animals." Today the shelter offers not only a temporary home for abandoned animals but also low-cost spay/neutering, a veterinary clinic, a cat retirement home, a pet therapy program, and humane education for area schools.

Mona Lisa, who at the time of her rescue showed signs of starvation and neglect, is just one example of an animal who has benefited from Kent's care.

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"As our 30,000th adoption, Mona Lisa represents many things to us. She is a beautiful puppy who deserves a loving home. Through no fault of her own, her parents were not spayed or neutered; and she found herself living on the street with no means of survival except scavenging for scraps in garbage cans," Green said.

For more information about Kent or to view pets currently available for adoption, visit the shelter's website.

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