Well, today is my birthday (don't ask which one

) and early this morning, I was asked to visit our local Animal Control facility to check on a young Rottie male that had reached the end of the adoption period. For those of you that don't know what that means, most Animal Control facilities keep large, potentially dangerous dogs for only two weeks to allow owners to claim them or to find new adopters. After that, they are euthanized.
So I arrived on AC's doorstep as they unlocked the doors and made my way back into the cage area to check out the Rottie. He was in a cage with another young Rottie male and they were getting along famously although the other Rottie had a splint on his left leg. I asked to take the first Rottie boy outside to evaluate him and judged him to be about a year old. He is very active and pretty friendly with both other dogs and people but clearly has had little experience with people and no training whatsoever. When he came over to me, I knelt and gave him a milkbone and he promptly rolled over on his back and gave me his belly. At that moment, I named him Johnny and made the decision to take him into our Rescue organization.
I filled out the paperwork and asked about the other Rottie boy with the splinted leg. They told me he was also at the end of his adoption period and nobody had in a claim for him. So I went back and took him out for an evaluation. I judged him to be between 6 and 8 months old. He has no training and very little experience with people but he is not afraid and is very sweet both with food and when being handled. I named him Frankie and decided we would take him into Rescue as well.
Our Rescue organization -- the Gulfstream Guardian Angels Rottweiler Rescue -- is a no-kill shelter that finds new forever homes for abandoned Rottweilers. Dogs coming out of Animal Control cannot be placed in veterinary kennel facilities because the vets are afraid that those dogs will be carrying something very contagious (like Kennel Cough). So they have to be placed into foster homes until we can find new families to adopt them.
On my way back home to process the photos I took of Frankie and Johnny, I called several potential foster families and was able to find one that would take them both. So, both of these puppies will be given a chance for a great life with a loving family. I personally can't think of a better Birthday Present than this.
Since this is a photo forum, here are some photos of the boys. First, here's Frankie.
And here's Johnny.
And, while I was taking these photos, I was being carefully watched by the director of Wildlife Relations, Mr. Goose. I took his picture, too. I'm not sure he was all that impressed

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Thanks for reading about my day.
Jim