Stadalsky: Lovable Lemont the dog still in need of a home
By Kris Stadalsky writestuff56@comcast.net March 22, 2013 3:52PM
Lemont | Submitted photo
Updated: April 26, 2013 6:09AM
I’ve been working with Cache Creek Animal Rescue in downstate Illinois on a couple of stories and I just have to tell the story about a sweet little dog who needs a loving home.
I’m not the pet of the week column and I know there are many dogs out there in need of families, but this is a great story about a dog and the police officers who have a soft spot for him and other rescues.
Lemont, as he was first named, was found by animal control in the village of Lemont. He temporarily lived at the police department while waiting for his owners to claim him. Nobody did.
Village employees and police officers in Lemont have adopted so many dogs over the years so they wouldn’t be euthanized that no one had room to take Lemont.
Police officer Brian Schmitz became particularly attached to the little guy. Lemont is not what you’d call a pretty dog. He’s little, a bit on the scraggly side, has a round head, flat ears, one blue eye and one brown eye. He’s about 3 years old and housebroken.
“He’s not the cutest dog, but he has the sweetest personality,” said Julie Schmitz, Brian’s wife.
Julie is a pet groomer for PetCo in Shorewood. She helps when Cache Creek brings their dogs up for adoption events from Anna, Ill. She and Brian have adopted several dogs from the rescue.
As I have mentioned before, Cache Creek is one of a limited number of animal rescues that finds homes for the not-so-beautiful dogs, seniors and ones with special needs (they also have cute puppies and purebreds).
Because no one could adopt Lemont up there, he made his way to Cache Creek. He’s been brought to PetCo several times during adoptions, but no one has found it in their hearts to take him in.
Officer Schmitz makes it to PetCo on those days to give Lemont some love and take him for a walk, Julie said.
Lemont has made the 300 mile trip from Anna to Shorewood several times in hopes of finding the right family.
The other part of this story is that the Lemont Police Department has donated an old ambulance to Cache Creek. It’s their way of giving back to the rescue that takes their strays and finds them homes. Unclaimed dogs used to go to be euthanized.
It’s been a dream of the rescue center to have a mobile spay/neuter unit to take around to counties. It could also be a mobile veterinarian clinic, said Donna Hawk of Cache Creek.
Lemont officers and the village not only donated the ambulance, but they had it painted up with lettering and paw prints. It sits ready to take on the road once the shelter has enough funds to run and staff it.
Right now Cache Creek is scrambling to raise money to rebuild its rescue center downstate. The multiple buildings are falling apart, there are soft spots in the flooring and they’ve been flooded several times.
The employees have been holding fundraisers, like Kendra Linder’s 300-mile walk from Anna to Shorewood, bake sales, 5K runs and more. They need to raise between $50,000 and $100,000 (their original goal) to build a safe facility for the animals and to stay in business.
People don’t realize what a problem there is with stray dogs, Julie said. “Because of Cache Creek, they go to a no-kill shelter.”
But back to Lemont, who has sort of been re-named Brian after Officer Schmitz. Lemont sounds so regal, like he has a trust fund waiting for him, said Jennifer O’Riordan of Plainfield, who volunteers for Cache Creek by writing grants and doing PR. O’Riordan has also adopted three dogs and a cat from the shelter.
Whether you call him by Lemont, or Brian, or Lemont Brian, he is a loving little guy with some odd features who would make just about any family happy.
Watch for more upcoming fundraisers for Cache Creek and check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/cache.creek.5 or their website at http://cachecreekanimalrescue.com/home.
Reach Kris Stadalsky at writestuff56@comcast.net.
