Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, January 31, 1995 TAG: 9501310158
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The stray dog who for nearly two years roamed an area of Northeast Roanoke near the intersection of Orange Avenue and Gus Nicks Boulevard, dodging traffic and eluding animal control officers, was caught Sunday, lured into a cage baited with food.
``It's heartbreaking,'' said Becky Carter, a cashier at East Coast Oil gas station and convenience store, which had been Duke's hangout thanks to twice-daily feedings of hot dogs. ``Now we don't see him any more. He was just out here over the weekend playing in the snow, chasing snowflakes.''
Duke is in the care of Roanoke veterinarian Dr. Mark Finkle, getting shots, good food and a general once-over, said Al Alexander, executive director of the Roanoke Valley Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shelter.
``He's in good shape and is nice and friendly,'' Alexander said, adding that the dog was still a little wary of people. ``Our next goal is to get a good home for him.''
The SPCA is taking applications from people interested in adopting Duke - a name given to him by East Coast employees - until Feb. 10. The applications will be screened and, from that pool, a new home for Duke will be selected, Alexander said.
The adoption process is generally not so in-depth. But Duke ``will be subject probably to more scrutiny than usual because of special circumstances,'' said Waine Tomlinson, president of the League for Animal Protection, which is assisting the SPCA in finding Duke a proper home.
``A lot of people will want him and show some interest in him simply because of the publicity he's generated,'' Tomlinson said. ``Al and I and others involved will be screening him thoroughly.''
Duke's needs are special, Alexander said.
``He needs to be put in an environment where he's going to be wanted, loved and cared for - and not allowed to get out in the wild again,'' Alexander said.
Already, about a dozen people have called the SPCA shelter asking to adopt Duke, Alexander said.
People wandered into East Coast on Monday, asking about Duke, wondering why they hadn't seen him.
Carter told them he'd been caught.
``Three ladies came in here in tears,'' she said. ``They were afraid they were going to put him to sleep. One woman who was feeding him came in and just fell all to pieces. When I heard he'd been caught, I did the same thing. I had to go in back and collect myself.
``We're missing him already. We catch ourselves looking out the window for him.''
The SPCA shelter is at 1313 Eastern Ave. N.E. in Roanoke. The phone number is 344-4840.
Memo: ***CORRECTION***