Page 2 - 060120 Senior Voice Citrus24 proof 4

2 • JULY 2020 - Senior Voice of Citrus County
A r e a S e n io r s A d o p t /F o s t e r S h e l t e r

P e t s D u r in g C o v id -19 S h u t d o w n

By Megan Carella County Animal Services.

Sandy Olson and Doug “We saw an increase in
Cruickshank were finally fostering, but the biggest

ready to open their home increase was for adoptions,”
and hearts to a new pet a she said. “I guess people
year after the death of their figured, ‘OK, now we’re
beloved schnauzers. They home, it’s the perfect time.’
found, and fell in love with, We also saw a decrease of

an undernourished hound-mix strays; dogs weren’t getting
puppy that was a recent arrival out during the day while mom
at Citrus County’s Animal and dad were at work.”

Shelter. They knew they could For Sandy and Doug, it
help him gain weight and trust.
truly was the perfect time to
It was early March, and the adopt Hunter. The Inverness
couple had no idea that the pup couple had been searching

they named “Hunter” would the shelter’s website for a few
end up helping them through a weeks when they saw him.
pandemic shutdown.
“We saw Hunter’s photo on

Lil and Wayne “Gil” Gilbert the website and knew we
had been fostering pets wanted to meet him,” Doug
through the shelter for said. “When we got to the
nearly six years. When the shelter and Sandy immediately
COVID-19 shutdown hit, picked him up, I knew he was Colleen Yarborough, director of Citrus County Animal Services,
gives some love and attention to “Sweet Potato,” one of the pets
they took in a 2 ½ pound ours.” available for adoption at the Animal Shelter. (Photo by Jim Vavala)
poodle that needed lots of The dog was a stray and about On the cover: Sandy Olson and Doug Cruickshank on the happy
love. By the time the shutdown six weeks old. He was so day they adopted “Hunter.” (Photo courtesy of Sandy Olson)

restrictions eased, little “Yoda” malnourished the shelter staff
had become a new member of called him “Stringbean.”
the family.
Sandy and Doug took him
Lisa and Mark Pohl fostered home on a trial basis – a

13 cats, all but one kittens, program the shelter calls
during the shutdown. Although “Slumber Party.” For two
the pandemic put a hold on weeks, the couple cared for
the shelter’s usual schedule the puppy, giving both dog

of spaying and neutering of and humans the chance to
animals, it didn’t stop a team see if they were a good fit.
of people across Citrus County On March 25, they officially
from fostering cats.
adopted Hunter and spent the

Many Citrus County residents next several months training,
adopted and fostered animals playing with, feeding, and
during the COVID-19 enjoying the very active new Wayne “Gil” Gilbert gives a treat to “Yoda,” a pet he and his wife,

shutdown, said Colleen member of their family. Lil, sheltered, then adopted, during the pandemic shutdown. Family
Yarborough, director of Citrus members Charlie and Maggie patiently await their treats. (Photo by Lil
Gilbert)
Continued on page 3