Lexington Park, MD — For 25 years it’s always been about the animals. So when St. Mary’s Animal Welfare League held a birthday celebration for that milestone event, it goes without saying that one of the organization’s rescue successes would be the center of attention.

The 25th anniversary celebration Nov. 15 was held at Toyota of Southern Maryland, a big benefactor of the organization. And there right in the middle of everything was Percy (shown at left with Rick Mauer), a rescue Bichon.


Percy’s story was told in a video presented at the event. Percy had lived his first four years entirely inside in a urine and feces-infested room. He had been abused on a daily basis. A group of dedicated volunteers dubbed Team Percy rescued him and the professional staffs at Mid-Atlantic Animal Specialty Hospital (MASH) in Huntingtown and All Kinds Veterinary Hospital made him whole physically and psychologically for the first time in his life.

Percy eventually wound up in the foster home of Rick and Starla Mauer, who recently contacted Team Percy that Percy had indeed found his forever home with them. The following poem was read to the Maurer’s before they were presented with an award:
“You can’t find loyalty, they say
You found it in Percy, enjoy it every day
You can’t find friendship, tried and true
Well just the same, you found it too
You tool a chance, and on the spot
Got love and faith and an awful lot
And all in all
The chance you took wasn’t so small
You got a single trusting heart
That gave devotion from the start
Adopt a dog and it’ll be true
Those things are special for all of you.”

Peter and Mary Kay of Toyota of Southern Maryland were recognized for their contributions including covering the adoption fee for SMAWL’s Pet of the Month program.

Awards were also handed out to:
• Corporal Elizabeth O’Connor and Deputy Share Cameron of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office and St. Mary’s County Animal Warden Officer John Miedzinski for their cat rescue from a dark and dirty drainpipe;
• Pax River NAS Executive Office CAPT Scott Starkey, SMAWL volunteer Sean Wahoff, Patuxent River Naval Air Museum Docent Wes Hester, museum, volunteer Lisa Horton and SMAWL board member Julie Palangi for the rescue of a cat from a static display at the museum.
• Animal Control Officers Miedzinski and Joy Wilson with the Partnership in Paws Award for being long-standing partners in SMAWL’s rescue efforts.
• Kim Holt with the People for Paws award for launching her Facebook page, Pets in Need.

Awards were handed out by SMAWL President Katie Werner.

Master of Ceremonies for the event was Dawn Hale-Campbell. She said, “Today we celebrate this work, the work of our founders, our own work, the support of our wonderful sponsors, and especially the work of those outside the bounds of SMAWL – professionals charged with a  duty and responsibility to ‘the people’ in some way every day who have demonstrated that same care and commitment to animals. Rescue requires a network, a strong one.”

Food for the event was supplied by Quality Street Catering. Beer and wine was [provided by Patuxent Wine and Liquor

Contact Dick Myers at dick.myers@thebaynet.com