Homeless dog Rose saved by Waverly Hall couple

Rose has been saved.

The 10-year-old rottweiler mix, who was to be euthanized Tuesday, was adopted this morning by Len and Delores Jagoda.

The Waverly Hall couple showed up at the Columbus Animal Care and Control Center almost an hour before the facility opened at 10 a.m. Drale Short, Columbus' division manager of special enforcement, said the Jagodas and another couple arrived in hopes of adopting Rose. The other couple decided to let the Jagodas take the medium-sized dog, who ended up at animal control after her owner passed away last week.

"I'm ecstatic," Short said. "It's a great day for animal control whenever we can get one of our kids out of here."

Len Jagoda is an artist who focuses exclusively on animal portraits and sculptures. His wife works as a victim's advocate in the Columbus District Attorney's office. The couple, who owns a few horses and four other dogs, frequently takes in and cares for stray animals - mostly older canines.

Delores saw Rose's story on www.ledger-enquirer.com Tuesday and told her husband they had to adopt Rose.

"There wasn't any need to go through a thought process," Len Jagoda said. "We just knew we'd go try to adopt her."

Columbus animal control workers took the frightened dog June 24 after her owner died from natural causes. The 63-year-old woman lived alone in the Clay Drive Mobile Home Park, where she took care of stray animals.

Rose was first scheduled to be euthanized at 6 a.m. Tuesday, but animal control officials decided to hold Rose longer in case anyone wanted to adopt her. They invited potential "parents" to come to the facility this morning. Officials had planned to pick Rose's new parents through a lottery.

On Wednesday morning, Rose no longer seemed timid and scared. She lounged on the grass outside of PAWS Humane, next door to animal control, as Len Jagoda petted her. Their next stop was the veterinarian, where Rose would be checked for a bald spot on her back, most likely caused from a flea infestation.

"She may not grow her hair back, but so what?" Len Jagoda said. "She's not in a beauty contest. She needs to be happy, that's all."

"We just knew all she needed was a little love."