Kendall School Looking For Forever Homes For Vet Pets

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A South Florida high school which rescues dogs is in of a little rescuing themselves.

This summer Felix Varela Senior High in Kendall will undergo renovations. While it's great for the school, it's bad for the 80 or so dogs that live there in kennels as a part of the veterinary sciences program.

"Because the school is being renovated, the classroom itself will not be able to house them, and the kennels is being renovated as well," said veterinary teacher Yleana Escobar.

Many of the dogs at the school arrived as puppies; either found abandoned in the streets or surrendered by people who didn't want the dog. The dogs normally stay at the school until they are adopted. However, due to the upcoming construction work they have to be out by June 6th.

"A lot of them come trained. They are mostly house broken. They're brought in every day and they're taken out every night, so they're used to routine," said Gloria Rodriguez, a senior at the school.

Escobar and her students are asking the community to come to the rescue and adopt the dogs before eviction day. They've already found homes for about 40 dogs, but many of the larger dogs are left. If she can't find a permanent home for them, Escobar said she's will to work with people who only want to foster a dog for a minimum of three months.

"The worst case scenario would be that the animals would have to be boarded privately and that's an exorbitant amount of money for the rescue to bear," said Escobar.

Once the remodel is done, rescued dogs will be housed in upgraded kennels with new lights and air conditioning.

The school's magnet program is very popular. Each year about 800 students apply, but only about 100 are accepted.

Anyone interested in adopting a dog can contact the veterinary sciences program at (305) 283-7118. There will also be two adoption events at area PetSmarts. The first is Saturday, May 17th, at the 13621 S. Dixie Highway location. The second is Sunday in Kendall at 14025 SW 88th Street. There is a fee for dog adoption.