Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 30, 1995 TAG: 9506300040
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DIANE STRUZZI STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
There were Shepherd mixes, at least one pit bull, a Himalayan cat and a Blotthound mix nicknamed "Buford."
In all, 21 dogs and 8 cats came in cages, refugees from the Roanoke Valley SPCA shelter on Eastern Avenue Northeast. As Tinker Creek took over the SPCA's parking lot, residents and local veterinarian hospitals heeded the call to evacuate 267 animals from the SPCA.
The animal hospital in Vinton opened its doors and cages about 8 p.m. Several hours later it averted its own water disaster.
Just as the staff got its new guests settled in for the night, the ceiling in the pharmarcy began to leak, said office manager Sonya Barton.
"My daughter said, 'Mama, water's coming from the ceiling and the ceiling is falling to the floor,'" Barton said.
The hospital's hot water tank had burst, spilling several inches of water in the pharmacy, lab and examining rooms. The animals were never in danger because of drains in each of the wards.
"I'm thankful I was here," Barton said. "If not I would have come in here this morning and it would have been a lot worse."
The water kept staffers busy with squeegees until about 1 a.m. Nonetheless, the hospital was open for business Thursday, silver and blue plastic buckets on the floor catching the sporadic drip from the ceiling.
The lobby was full, with dogs waiting for a grooming, a poodle with a hacking cough, a parrot in for a checkup.
In the rear yard was the small - well, rather large - treasure that caught the eye of almost every staffer: Buford, a 50-pound Blotthound, with velvet-like floppy ears and chocolate jowls.
"He's got them long ears and that sad face," said groomer Betsy Cook.
But much to Cook's chagrin, she won't be taking Buford home. She already has her own menagerie - six cats, three dogs, two pigs, two goats and six chicks.
"Everything I got someone else didn't want," she said. Besides, she said with a chuckle, "My husband would divorce me if I took Buford."
by CNB