TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — His name is Nado, short for Tornado, aptly named both for the cyclone squarely on his forehead and for his bountiful energy that keeps his new family on its toes.
Nado whirled into the world of the Allen family, after a chance encounter online.
Krystal and Jacob Allen had talked about adding a dog to their family, though they had very different ideas of what their future pet would be. She was thinking of the Great Dane, while he wanted a Siberian Husky. They both agreed, it should be a puppy. Still, Krystal was keeping an open mind, and was secretly surfing pet-rescue sites looking for adoptable dogs, when Jacob wasn’t around.
“One night he caught me,” Krystal laughs. “I was in the kitchen on my laptop, and Jacob walked up behind me, and asked what I was doing.”
Krystal fessed up that she’d been on the prowl for a pup, and Jacob asked to see what canine candidates she’d found.
“The second Jabob saw Nado, he said, I know that’s the dog I want,” Krystal said.
Nado, a 14-month-old Black Mouth Cur, was saved from a high-kill shelter by Furever Home Rescue, Inc., a 501c3 founded in 2020 by Carey and Claude Mariucci, retired, empty-nesters who chose to forgo buying a boat and relaxing, and instead invest in saving dogs.
The Allen family had several phone interviews with Carey prior to visiting Nado and then spent some time getting to know the pup before bringing him home.
“I was so impressed by Carey and Claude. They’re great people,” said Krystal, who keeps in touch with the couple and sends them photos of Nado enjoying his new home.
Of course, like many rescue pets, Nado’s background is a mystery, so the Allens aren’t sure what the first year of his life was like. But, they’ve quickly become experts on the Black Mouth Cur, a breed known for its rambunctious energy, a desire to please, and the strong bonds the animals form within families.
Since joining the Allen family, Nado’s put on nearly 10 pounds (they can weigh as much as 90 pounds), gets to join Krystal at her job each day and loves spending time at the beach.
“Over dinner prayers last night, we said thank you for sending Nado to us,” smiles Krystal.
Learn more about Furever Home Rescue, Inc. on the website, or connect with the group on Facebook.
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