Cleveland, OHIn April 2015, Seven Hills Mayor Richard Dell’Aquila and his family were devastated by the sudden loss of their 7 year old dog, Zoe.
Knowing how much they were hurting, a family friend put them in touch with Becca Riker, a local animal advocate in Cleveland, Ohio, and owner of “Secondhand Mutts,” a dog adoption service that has placed hundreds of dogs in new “forever homes”.
The Mayor and his Wife, Judy, visited Becca’s Scranton Road facility in Cleveland, where they met Rocco (nka “Rocky”) an 8 month old bundle of energy and love. They fostered him for two weeks and soon decided to permanently adopt.
Mayor Richard Dell’Aquila, pictured with Rocky (L) and Zack (R), May 23, 2015
Mayor Dell’Aquila said, “We were very impressed by the caring attitude of everyone at Second Hand Mutts. Rocky had been previously fostered by a family with two small children, and they checked in with us frequently to make certain he was doing well.”
“We knew right away that Rocky was a sweet little guy who would fit in well with our family and with our other dog, Zack,” the Mayor said. “It’s worked out wonderfully. We have a new addition to our family, he has a new home, and he is helping us with unexpected the loss of Zoe, who was such a great friend.”
Secondhand Mutts seeks to provide their dogs with every resource possible to ensure they find loving forever homes and a fresh start. They are kept in a cage free environment to help them socialize with other dogs and receive a full battery of veterinary care before adoption.
