CAN-DO spares nearly 100 dogs

LINDSAY — Nearly 100 lives were saved here Saturday.

Lives of dogs, that is.

With canines tightly packed in at Lindsay Animal Control, supervisor Wendy Jones’ words were simple and implicit.

“We don’t have enough space right now,” she said.

There seemed to be just one solution: euthanasia.

But Compassion into Action Network-Direct Outcome, a non-profit relief organization stationed in Venice, showed incredible initiative.

A massive rescue effort spearheaded by Eric Klein, CAN-DO’s founder and CEO, allowed 86 dogs to live to see another day.

And many more, for that matter.

As the canines’ deafening barks rolled through the hallways of LAC, one by one they were placed into kennels by Klein and his thrown-together, six-member crew.

All 86 dogs were placed into three extended air-conditioned cargo vans, and are now being taken to Puppy Porch in St. Paul, Minn., which is a no-kill rescue group of volunteers who foster the animals’ pending adoption.

“We’re jazzed, big time,” Jones said. “We really are.”

Project Waggin’ Train will last all of 4,000 miles — round trip.

“We’re going straight through without stopping,” Klein said, “and then we’re going to turn around and drive back.”

The project will cost roughly $8,000 when completed, which is being financed by Britt Gage of Puppy Porch.

The day’s lesson: People must have their pets spayed or neutered to control the animal population.

“It’s a necessity,” Bob Putnam, Gulf Coast Operations manager, said.

And the pre-rescue process is not easy.

Much paperwork and planning goes into successfully pulling off an assignment such as last weekend’s.

“It’s a lot of work,” Klein said, “especially since it’s a small town.”

So why bother?

“Somebody has to do it, man,” Klein said. “It’s not an easy chore.”

Klein and his CAN-DO posse, upon wrapping up the Waggin’ Train, will return to Venice and tackle more projects.

“We’re trying to get the word out,” Klein said. “We’re just going to keep going.”

-- Contact Alex K.W. Schultz at 784-5000, Ext. 1049 or aschultz@portervillerecorder.com.