A Place For Nugget The Puppy

Mickie Blair attracts homeless dogs.

She's mostly a cat person (good thing too, because she heads up most of the feline care and cat-saving operations at LifeLine Animal Project in nearby Avondale Estates) but homeless dogs consider her irresistible, too.

"They find me," she says, "no matter where I go."

One day last year she was picking up a community cat that had mistakenly been taken to animal control when she was approached by a man in the parking lot.

"Want a puppy?" he asked. "What kind of puppy?" Blair asked back, stalling for time while she tried to figure out where this exchange was leading.

The man explained that his sister had gotten a pup from a neighbor who didn't want it, but his sister couldn't keep the dog either.

Blair listened to his story and wondered where the puppy in question was. Then she noticed the bag in the man's hand. Inside the bag was a big-eyed three-week-old black puppy. Blair took the dog.

The puppy was so tiny that when Blair set it down next to the drink she'd bought from a fast food restaurant the cup made the pup look even smaller.

She starting calling the puppy "Nugget" and the name stuck.

Puppies that young are vulnerable to a multitude of ills. LifeLine vets took care of the puppy and Blair kept Nugget at her home until the little dog was old enough to get her shots and get her immune system built up.

Nugget loves people, has spent time in a foster home and is available for adoption. She would do best in home with no young children. She's fine with teenagers.

Blair suspects that Nugget, a sturdy small dog who is probably a schnauzer-mix, would prefer to be an only dog where she can loved and be loved as the center of attention. "She's a very fun dog," says Blair.

There's much more info on Nugget on LifeLine's website.

You can also ask questions or make or an appointment to meet Nugget by contacting adoptions@LifeLineAnimal.org.