Miracle in Peconic: 2 More Shelter Dogs Head Off to Forever Homes After Winning Facebook Appeals

NORTH FORK, NY - "Guess what?"

The words, written above a Facebook post depicting the smiling face of Spudster, a shelter dog who's been looking for a forever home for two years, could only mean the very best news, the news a community has been hoping for — he's found his new home.

And on Thursday, Gabrielle Stroup of the North Fork Animal Welfare League in Peconic confirmed the miracle: Spudster, along with a senior dog, Barkley, will both be adopted.

"Barkley is going home on Tuesday," said Stroup. Barkley will be adopted by Barry Cummings, brother of Wanda Cummings Kartal, who adopted another NFAWL dog, Cinnie, in a joyful ending last week.

"He saw Barkley and fell in love," Stroup said.

Barkley's story touched hearts when his Facebook page was created by Stroup: "I was brought in to the shelter by a man claiming he found me. I was his loyal friend for eightyears and now here I am in the shelter during my later years. I thought I was family? I love, love other dogs and all people. I just want a family who won't abandon me, and who will spend lots of time with me. Please don't let me live my last years in a kennel."

And the good news doesn't end there: After a series of heartfelt Facebook appeals, Spudster, four years old, who's been at the NFAWL for two years, is finally heading to his own new digs.

"He will be going home next Friday," Stroup said. Spudster will leave Southold with volunteer Stephanie Hunter, who will drive him to Richmond, VA, where he will spend the night with Melanie Hummel, a woman who adopted another NFAWL dog, Buddha. "Melanie will then drive him to North Carolina where his new mom Elle will meet them — and she will take him home to Georgia."

Stroup is overjoyed to send two more of her four-legged fur babies off on their journeys home. "Both these dogs are very special," she said. "Barkley is one of the sweetest, easiest going dogs I have ever met. He just loves everything. I was shocked he did not get adopted right away even being s senior."

She added, "Spuds has been one of my favorite dogs since I met him. He is like a little joker, you can't help but smile when you meet him and he will smile right back. He has had some medical issues and so I think that is why it has taken so long. The woman that is taking him volunteers at a vet clinic so has easy access to vet care."

And last week saw two other jubilant victories: Cinnie, a homeless dog who’s lived at the North Fork Animal Welfare League in Peconic for five years, headed home. The sweet senior’s bags were packed and she headed off on the road trip of a lifetime.

Last Wednesday, NFAWL’s Gabrielle Stroup woke up in the week hours to drive Cinnie to her forever home in Morrisville, PA.

Another senior dog, Betsy, was also along for the life-altering ride. She was found through the Mr. Mo Project,an organization who helps to find homes for senior dogs. Betsy will find her new home in Millerstown, PA.

“I’m very grateful both these sweet seniors are getting such great homes,” Stroup said.

Last week, Stroup said joyfully that Cinnie, after years of waiting patiently, had finally found her happy ending.

“We are happy to announce that after five years, Cinnie has found a home and will be going home Wednesday,” Stroup posted on Facebook Tuesday. “This just proves sharing is caring.”

Stroup has worked magic with her personalized Facebook pages, featuring the pups’ individual stories, as well as photos of the four-legged friends dressed up in adorable holiday costumes. Some of her adoption pleas have gone viral and received international attention.

Stroup did the same with Cinnie’s story, on the Facebook page, “Cinnie, Five Years of Being Overlooked,“ which featured Cinnie in an adorable Valentine’s Day pose — and touched hearts.

“The new family reached out to me on Cinnie’s Facebook page,” Stroup said. “They just lost their dog three weeks ago from cancer, who they had adopted as a senior dog. They are very excited to get her into their home.”

Cinnie came to the NFAWL in August of 2011. She’s a mixed breed, Stroup said. “Cinnie came in and you could tell someone had loved her and spent time training her and playing with her. She knew all her basic commands and would play fetch all day if allowed.”

Her new owner, Wanda Cummings Cartal, said she was honored to be Cinnie's new mom: " I think she gave me life. My oldest just deployed and my fur baby Dixie passed away last month, so she's giving me a new purpose ."

Cinnie’s medical expenses — as well as the medical expenses of two other dogs the NFAWL also currently has for adoption, Betsy and Barkly — are paid for by the Mr. Mo Project, a national rescue program for senior dogs.