FARMINGTON – Duke is one of the newest additions to the Franklin County Animal Shelter’s dog room – in a way, the staff said. Duke is a 5-year-old Doberman who came to the shelter as a private surrender because his owner couldn’t handle watching him getting picked on by her other dog anymore.

Duke’s whole life, literally, has been spent being bullied by the older, dominate female dog in his home. His body is peppered with white scars and he carries many deeper, unseen scars on his quiet soul.

Because of his intense fear of other dogs and the stress caused by being around them, the staff has opted not to keep him in their dog room. Instead, Duke is now a permanent resident of the shelter’s office until he can find a new forever home. He has his own little room where he can curl up and sleep, with a large window that allows him to view what is happening in the shelter’s lobby.

The staff hopes that this calmer and quieter setting will help Duke adjust more quickly to life at the shelter, but they know that going to a home with no other dogs (cats and kids are okay) would be more beneficial for him than anything they can do there.

Duke, they said, is a large baby as he weighs in at well over 100 pounds, and he needs someone with a heart to match. Duke has had a rough beginning and the staff hopes to make sure that it’s nothing but smooth sailing from here on for him.

Other new dogs at the shelter include a neutered male white shepherd with collar brought in from Livermore Falls, a young male chocolate lab/setter mix with collar brought in from Temple and a young male shep/smooth coated collie with two collars brought in from Livermore Falls.

The shelter has a new summer project started – a large, outdoor, fenced-in play and exercise area for the dogs. Dot Wentzell from the Alpine Shop in Rangeley has made a donation to get the project under way, and the staff will continue to accept donations to go toward construction.


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