Foundation donates medical, legal services to animal shelter facing closure

HOMESTEAD, Fla. (WSVN) -- Sixty dogs at an animal rescue center that may be forced to close its doors soon received the care they needed Monday.

The Clydey Foundation and a team of veterinarians and technicians brought their mobile clinic to Southwest Miami-Dade's Sabbath Rescue to help the canines, many of which had been abandoned by owners that have gone through foreclosure or evicted from their homes. "[Some] have been abused," said the foundation's Sharon Jacobson. "A lot were found on the street, so it's like a second chance."

Anesthesia is applied before each spay or neutering surgeries, with each taking between six minutes to half an hour. It is expected to take three days to complete the five dozen procedures, which have been fully funded by the foundation. "I'm hoping to keep that second chance alive with them by spaying and neutering them and hoping that someone will come up and adopt them," said Jacobson.

Robbie Coy has been rescuing and caring for dogs for more than two and a half years at the site, but has been doing so without a license. Noncompliance with that red tape could see Coy and the roughly 100 canines evicted from the property. "What they are doing is wonderful. We won't adopt out a dog that's not spayed or neutered, so them taking all the dogs that have not been spayed or neutered is going to catch us up, so that every dog on the property is available."

Jacobson remains neutral on the legal matter, preferring to turn attention to her patients and their need for permanent homes. "My heart went out to the dogs. I'm not taking sides. I'm on the side of the dogs, and I want people to know that they need to come adopt these dogs."

The foundation is also helping the animal rescue center resolve its legal issues so that it can remain open.

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