European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 19, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse R i i eur care h re tithe Python s already take stories and photos by Effie Bathenia Nurnberg Bureau Gabriele Healy is looking for . Ordinarily her Job with army Community services in Nurnberg Germany is to find Foster Homes for abused or neglected children a not exotic animals. She is the Foster care program coordinator. But somehow she says her supervisors assumed she was also the person to take care of pets displaced by the persian Gulf deployment. So she also became the adopt a pet coordinator. Tat first Many requests came from soldiers who asked her to find Good Homes for their pets until they returned now Many Are for permanent placements. A Furth woman whose husband had been sent to the Gulf for instance called about . Quot she hated it and wanted to get rid of it desperately Quot said Healy. As it turned out Healy knew of a Man who had owned two snakes. One of the reptiles had died recently so she thought he might like . Quot when i told him of it he said yes yes. Yes. I want it a Quot Healy said Quot he called me 10 times that Day Quot. A n unfortunately by the time Healy reached the woman with the Python she had already Given it to someone else. Healy promised her heartbroken Friend though that she would. Keep his name on the list and find another companion for his Snake a Quot a a a a a a a. A so far she has found Homes for a h Alf dozen dogs and a few cats but she has a waiting list of More than two dozen people who want to provide permanent Homos to pets including fish and exotic Birds. In addition she works with the Nurnberg military Community veterinary clinic which has. A waiting list of people wanting pets mostly cats and Small dogs. German animal shelters have Many animals but officials Are reluctant to place them with americans whom they consider transient. In Many communities americans have a reputation for abandoning pets when they leave the. Country Healy said. So people in the military Community who want pets also turn to her. ,.a v a Healy said that placing a pet is. Similar to finding a Foster Home for a child she has to match the needs of the pet and the new owner. Often people want someone to keep them company she said. A ,. A 4-month-old White poodle named moby fit the Bill for Ann Bailey. Her husband William left with the 1st army div in december. A. A a a a a a a. Now a poof of White fur goes everywhere with her. Including to work at a car rental Agency moby sits in her Lap while she serves customers. A a Quot he needed a Home and i needed a Friend Quot said Bailey who like so Many others is coping with minding the Home front during the War. Quot he s a Lifesaver he s saved my nerves a Hundred . A a Quot Bailey is not sure what her husband will think of moby when he returns. For now the Doodle sleeps on her husband s Pillow. Mike a 7-month-old Boxer used to be called Apollo. Which says a lot about his character. Healy offered turn to Laura Koene who is single and an Active Jogger. Koene was delighted. When Mike knocked Over All her plants though she had to figure out How to get him out for walks while she was at work at the Darby recreation Center. Koene mustered her courage and asked her German neighbors if their Little girl could help out. Up until then she had t spoken a word to the neighbors. The German family was Giad to oblige even though Quot they. Were All afraid of dogs Quot Koene said. She wound up not Only learning More German but also making lots of friends. It s surprising Quot she said Quot How Many people Stop you on the streets to talk when you have a dog Quot Healy is still looking for a Home for lady a year old German Shepherd. She was going to come Back to the states until saudi came Down said her owner Gail Burns. Her husband John. Wit the 16th engr in went to the Middle East several weeks ago. A Burns who has had Back surgery recently lives in a third floor apartment where she also cares for Quot five or so Quot cats including Susie a Dippy sugar and Garfield. That s More than she can handle so she wants to find someone who can give lady love and attention. Quot besides lady has a personality conflict Witti Susie a Quot she said. Healy said that she has already found Homes for lady twice but they just Haven t worked out. Most recently lady was supposed to return to the ,Ted states with a Soldier and his family in Giessen however the weekend before a a a was to leave the Soldier received orders to operation desert storm ,. So Healy will continue to can around on lady s behalf a a and inquire along the Way whether anyone might know of in need of a Good Home Page 14 the stars and stripes a. A a / a a tuesday be amp flt
