Longtime I Heart Dogs Rescue & Animal Haven volunteer Josh Somppi had a soft heart for all dogs and cats, but especially for large breeds and pit bulls in particular. Somppi died earlier this month at the age of 37 and on Saturday, the no-kill shelter where he spent so much of his time held a special adoption event.
In lieu of flowers for the funeral home, Somppi’s family asked that people make a donation to I Heart Dogs in his name. The shelter, which is located on Groesbeck Highway in Warren, decided to use that money to offset adoption fees for bigger dogs. The first 12 large-breed dogs, or dogs weighing more than 25 pounds, and the first seven cats or kittens adopted during the event had their adoption fee waived. Dog adoption fees range between $150-$325; fees for cats range from $75-$90. Somppi owned a pit bull and four cats.
Staff and volunteers working Saturday’s event were visibly emotional when they talked about their departed colleague.
“Josh did everything,” said I Heart Dogs Events Director Cindy Yankly. “He was funny, kind, and hardworking. Anything that was broken or needed fixing, he would bring his tools and take care of it.”
Somppi was also a home-visit volunteer who would check the homes of potential adopters to make sure there was secure fencing and that the home environment was safe for the dog or cat when it got to its new home.
“If somebody needed a fence fixed, we would not be surprised to see him at Home Depot buying the supplies at his own expense and going over to fix the fence so that the dog could get a home more quickly,” said Yankly. “He came out on the pack walks, he did a lot of maintenance at the shelter, and he loved the cats and kittens too. He was just invaluable and everybody loved him. He was a very special person.”
Yankly and volunteer Judy Hey say that bigger dogs tend to stay at the shelter longer than small dogs and puppies and are generally more difficult to place. The care and feeding of a larger dog can be expensive and sometimes, people can be apprehensive about adopting certain breeds such as pit bulls or rottweilers.
“We post pictures of our puppies and within a couple of days, they are all spoken for,” said Yankly. “It is the same with the little dogs, but the big dogs sometimes take longer so the volunteers get to know them better. We love all of them, but we get to spend more time with the larger dogs.”
A stocky pit bull terrier/English bulldog mix named Chumley was clearly wanting to engage with anyone who approaches his kennel. Several potential adopters looked at him, and about an hour into the day-long event, someone filled out an adoption application for him.
“You can tell he’s just a big, mushy guy,” said the potential adopter. “I think he will probably be a great couch potato.”
An active border collie mix named Mogwai was walked by one of the I Heart Dogs staff, enthusiastically greeting potential adopters. Staffordshire terrier, Vito, had his tongue hanging out one side of his mouth and appeared to be smiling at everyone who walked by his kennel.
“He sees all of the other dogs and the people and he just wants to run around and play with everyone!” said the I Heart Dogs volunteer attempting to soothe him with some beef jerky treats.
Judy Hey says I Heart Dogs currently has about 80 dogs at the shelter and 30 placed in foster homes. Sometimes there are “foster failures” where the person fostering the dog really bonds with it and decides to keep it. Dogs are typically at the shelter for two weeks before they are posted as being available for adoption. This gives the staff time to evaluate the dog and to determine if it likes other dogs, cats, children and the type of home where it will thrive.
“Sometimes you have a dog who is a really good dog, but it needs to be the only dog in the home,” said Hey, who believes Somppi would have been thrilled to see an event like this that focused on the placement of big dogs.
Yankly said that while puppies are certainly adorable, there are some positives to adopting an adult dog.
“They’re generally calmer and don’t chew up as much of your stuff and they could be potty trained, depending on their background,” said Yankley. “They already have their personalities and you know how big they are going to be.”
Adoptable dogs and cats from I Heart Dogs can be viewed on Petfinder or by going to iheartdogs.org. Contact the shelter at bark@iheartdogs.org