Help needed at animal sanctuary

Journey's End, a five-acre animal sanctuary, hides among the meandering roads of Glenwood, Fla. Abandoned animals often find themselves on the sides of these roads, but the sanctuary's founder and director, 81-year-old Florence Thuot, makes sure these creatures have a home.

"Sometimes I don't know what people are thinking, to desert an animal in that condition," Thuot said.

While finding homeless animals in the middle of this Volusia County town has become commonplace, help has been much tougher to find.

UCF students had once helped Thuot, and she would like to see them return in the very near future.

"Students would come in the summer months and help us. After the semester was over, we'd never see them again," Thuot said. "I have enough volunteers covering the chores; I just need people to interact, play and maybe take the dogs for a car ride. We have a pool here too. It would be nice to see the students again."

Thuot started the sanctuary in 1974 aided by her late husband. Over the years, the sanctuary continued to expand to 200 cats, 68 dogs, four horses, chickens and a few goats.

She has maintained a unique philosophy with her animals: no euthanasia, and no cages. Even though some of these animals are blind or were born with defects, Thuot allows each animal to live its final years in a real home.

Oscar Walters, from Lake Catherine, Fla., has been a regular worker and volunteer for a year. Walters doesn't seem to mind working outdoors in the heat and prefers to work with the larger farm animals.

"I drive here six days a week, and I do it only for the animals," Walters said.

Erma Long, from DeLand, Fla., is another caregiver who hopes to see students return to Journey's End.

"I remember some of the students from the university; we even had some doing a photography project once. Yes, it would be great to see them again," Long, a permanent fixture at the sanctuary for more than eight years, said.

She starts her daily routine with the morning feedings and then medicating the sick. When asked how can she remember who needs what? And who is who? She smiles and whispers, "It's on a computer file, but I can do it all from memory."

Journey's End has always relied on the passion of its volunteers to keep the place going, but there's one special project on hold for quite some time. Thuot points to a small patch of green grass adjacent to the house.

"The animals that lived their final days here are cremated. I've wanted a special place just for them so I can spread the ashes, a memory garden," Thuot said.

The dreams of a memory garden are forced to wait due to the reality of declining funds.

"We have a lot of veterinary bills and, just today, our washing machine broke." Thuot said.

Each animal at Journey's End has a story, including a pair of dogs who are extra special to Thuot: Skippy, who suffers from bone spurs and muscle deterioration in his hind legs, and Lilo, who has a deformed pelvic bone and is dependent on others for everything.

Thuot, always willing to lend a helping hand for these dogs and others, wishes for UCF students to return and lend theirs.

To volunteer or visit the sanctuary, go to journeysendsanctuary.org.

Donations are gratefully accepted and are tax-deductible. Mailed donations can be sent to Journey's End at P.O. Box 220163, Glenwood, FL 32722.