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Hernando Today

Going To The Dogs

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By TONY MARRERO

Published: February 16, 2008

Sheriff Richard Nugent expected the embarrassment, and it arrived as predicted.

Nugent found out Friday afternoon that his kennelmate for the next 24 hours would be a "loving," black and white Border collie mix rescued from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

"As a matter of fact, a little too loving," Dennis Schoch, a staffer at the Humane Society of Nature Coast, told Nugent on Friday afternoon. "Grab his neck and push him down. After the second time, he won't do it again."

Nugent, sporting blue jeans and a black "West Point Dad" T-shirt, tossed his black leather overnight bag, monogrammed in gold thread with "Sheriff Rich Nugent," on top of the fenced kennel. He unfolded his camp chair emblazoned with the U.S. Army logo and took his position inside.

"Rocky and I are going to come to an understanding real quick," Nugent said. "That's not appropriate."

A few moments later, another shelter staffer brought in a bounding Rocky.

And Rocky proceeded to, um, get to know the county's head lawman.

"Rocky, no," Nugent said in a firm voice.

The second time, Rocky calmed down.

Nugent is one of some dozen "kennel captives" who volunteered to spend at least 24 hours in a kennel alongside a dog in need of adoption at the Humane Society, a no-kill shelter at Wiscon and Mobley roads.

Others, including executive director Joanne Schoch, will spend a full week in the canine confines, around the clock, until Feb. 22.

The event, dubbed "Heart to Heart," aims to raise money for the perennially full shelter's new building fund.

For a donation, well-wishers can provide snacks, radios, even a massage and television to the kennel dwellers. A "walk" costs $1 a minute with a five-minute minimum. To slap a leash on the wrist during the walk, it's $5 a minute.

Clear plastic dog houses are affixed to the front of the kennels for contributions. Nugent, who will be in the kennel until 3 p.m. today, had $180 even before the gate closed behind him.

Adoption specials will run all week, including those canines cohabitating with the humans.

Tralynn Barbee, a 12-year-old Spring Hill resident and volunteer for the shelter, is sharing her kennel with four mixed-breed puppies named Slick, LittleGirl, Tebow and Gator.

"I think I'm going to enjoy this very much," said Barbee, adding that she offered to join in to "bring attention to all the people who don't take care of their pets."

"You are the people who are making a difference in these animals' lives," Joanne Schoch told the volunteers during a pep talk Friday afternoon.

Tonight, visitors are invited to Schoch's 56th birthday party. There will be food, music and dancing at the event that runs from 6 p.m. to midnight. No gifts, she said, only a donation for the building fund.

Nugent admitted that, though he'd escorted plenty of prisoners to the pokey, he'd "never been in a cage before."

He noted, however, that compared to the living conditions his son Ryan is enduring right now while stationed in Afghanistan with the U.S. Army, a night in the kennel is a mere "inconvenience."

Still, with 23 hours and 45 minutes to go, he looked skeptically at Rocky.

"I wonder," he said, "if he ever sleeps."

The Heart to Heart fundraiser runs through 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, at the shelter, located at 7200 Mobley Road. Times are 11 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 11 a.m. to midnight on Saturday; and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Call 796-2711. Log onto the shelter's Web site, www.hsofnc.com and check out the view of the kennel cohorts from the Web cam.

Reporter Tony Marrero can be reached at 352-544-5286 or lmarrero@hernadotoday.com.

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