Terrier taken in by Garrido Stray Rescue Foundation has 5 puppies; all are doing well a year later
by BRIAN NADIG
Last year two Jack Russell terriers were tied to a fence at the Portage Park Dog Park, 4100 N. Long Ave., and abandoned but thanks to volunteers with the Garrido Stray Rescue Foundation, the story has a happy ending.
The female terrier apparently looked a little oversized, and a week later five puppies were born.
The foundation then put out a call for help on its vast network of supporters. “They showed up, and we were on puppy patrol,” foundation co-founder John Garrido said at the Aug. 30 meeting of the Jefferson Park Neighborhood Association.
A one-year birthday reunion is planned for the puppies, named Pete, Windy, Vinny, Wilson and Enola.
Enola lives with Gia and Joe, the terriers found at the park. All of the puppies have been adopted.
The foundation deals with about 250 to 350 dogs a year, and about 89 percent of the lost dogs are reunited with their owners, Garrido said. The foundation has a network of about 19,000 followers on Facebook, and pictures and descriptions of found dogs spread quickly, he said.
The foundation also deals with abused and neglected dogs, estimating that it spends about $80,000 to $100,000 annually in veterinary bills, even with the discounts it receives from clinics. The foundation also has a court advocacy program that follows court cases for those facing animal cruelty charges.
Garrido said that lost dogs can be brought to a veterinary office or a police station where they can be scanned for a possible microchip, which provides contact information for the owner.
The foundation has a stray-hold agreement with the city’s Animal Care and Control and works closely with the 16th Jefferson Park) Police District when dogs are brought to the station, 5151 N. Milwaukee Ave.
At the association meeting, Garrido brought Neo, a Maltese mix, that was nursed back to good health and is ready for adoption.
Several association members said that they have adopted dogs from the foundation, which Garrido and his wife Anna formally established in 2017.
Donation and adoption information is available at www.garridostrayrescue.org
