Animal sanctuary, dog owner dispute Great Dane’s fate

West Volusia Beacon
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Animal sanctuary, dog owner dispute Great Dane’s fate

BEACON PHOTO/MARSHA MCLAUGHLIN
At Journey’s End — Florence Thuot, founder of Journey’s End Animal Sanctuary, poses with a Great Dane whose condition, she said, improved significantly under her care, making her reluctant to return the dog to its owner.

By Jen Horton
Beacon staff writer

posted Jan 28, 2013 - 12:21:57pm

Florence Thuot was distraught Jan. 25 after learning her DeLand animal sanctuary, Journey’s End, would have to return a recovering Great Dane to its owner.

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office picked up the dog Friday.

Thuot said the Great Dane, which she estimates is about 10 years old, was rescued by Journey’s End after it was found on State Road 11.

“He weighed 92 pounds,” Thuot said. “He was filled with parasites, and has heartworms.”

The sanctuary got the dog veterinary help.

“He’s gained 25 pounds in three weeks,” Thuot said. “He’s being medicated for the heartworms, and we have him on laser treatment.”

Thuot thought the Great Dane might join the other rescued animals who are living out their final days at Journey’s End.

“He’s 10 years old; he’s not going to live that much longer,” Thuot said. “He’s in beautiful shape now.”

Generally, animals who come to Journey’s End are not adopted; they spend the remainder of their lives on the rural property.

As Thuot spoke to The Beacon, the Great Dane she calls Mr. Magoo was sleeping on a couch in the living room.

Thuot first learned about the Great Dane Dec. 29, she said, when someone called the facility about a Great Dane found on State Road 11. Thuot referred the caller to an animal emergency room, where the dog was kept for three days before coming to Journey’s End.

Thuot filed a found-animal report, and the Great Dane’s owners filed a lost-animal report, but somehow the connection wasn’t made right away.

Once the connection was made, the dog’s owner said, Thuot refused to return the animal.

The owner of the Great Dane said he didn’t want to comment beyond the fact that he and his wife want their dog back.

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office was called by the dog’s owner at 9 a.m. Jan. 25, and deputies picked up the Great Dane Friday afternoon.

“The police are here, and they’re going to take the dog,” Thuot tearfully reported to The Beacon.

She said she was reluctant to return the dog because of its condition when it was found.

“We give dogs up all the time,” she said. “It should be a happy moment.”

— jen@beacononlinenews.com

Reader Comments

The comments posted below are posted by readers, not by The Beacon staff. These comments express the views and opinions of the authors, and not the administrators, moderators or webmaster. The comments forum is governed by these rules. Please use the report abuse link if you find offensive comments.

Merlin | posted Feb 10, 2013 - 10:47:50am

I was a volunteer for Florence, I founded and created a Facebook page for the sanctuary it grew to nearly one thousand friends. Florence and the board of goons had the page deleted after I refused to turn the page over to them. I became very discouraged after two conversations with Florence when she stated I regret my choices and how my life has turned out as I found the statement shocking. The property is in horrid condition they have had one electrical fire this concerns me about animal safety. Florence is nothing short of a nut job control freak. I really wonder if the only reason she has not been shut down is the fact of her and her late husband where once animal cruelty investigators. Her facility should be inspected as to me they are nothing more than animal hoarders. Conditions are appalling. I have no axes to grind as I am not a disgruntled employee simply an abused former volunteer. I so feel for the little people in fur suits as they clearly need a home this just is not it.

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P. Galica | posted Feb 5, 2013 - 4:16:28pm

I have visited Journey's End & couldn't help but notice how crowded & dirty the facility is. It makes me sad to see many animals that could have had an opportunity to get "forever" homes & are being forced to live in such unsanitary conditions.

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robin | posted Feb 4, 2013 - 12:51:09pm

wow, thought it was just me...volunteered a lot of time and money for Flo...had to go to the bathroom one day and she made me use the cat house bathroom...disgusting...and yes, too many animals there...very sad...and no, don't go there anymore

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Past volunteer of Journey's End | posted Feb 2, 2013 - 9:10:39am

To: Keep looking-as far as donate , volunteer ,etc. for Journey's End. Been there, done that, got a T-shirt and a whole lot of heartbreak.

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keep looking... | posted Jan 29, 2013 - 12:48:56pm

The Great Dane owners need to be checked periodically to be sure they are not neglecting.

If there is a concern for Journeys End then people need to get out and help, volunteer, donate etc...not just lip service.

Ms. Thout probably means well and it's often a thankless task that quickly gets overwhelming

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Karma | posted Jan 29, 2013 - 8:30:02am

I think Florence Thuot and Maggi Hall should be put in the same prison cell for their abuse.

I want to thank the officer that made her give the people their dog back. She had no right keeping that dog from them. She is just plain crazy.

I used to donate to her, until I found out what she does with the money.....not spending it all on the animals. She will get hers one day. Karma will get you.

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Lila | posted Jan 29, 2013 - 8:28:23am

I also have visited Journeys End on several occasions and agree that it should be investigated. I have been a vet tech for years and saw very overweight dogs that seemed to have no exercise or enrichment.There is no reason they could not be adopted into homes where they could receive individual love and attention. The cats there are pitiful,severely overcrowded and many sick. There was hardly any litter in the boxes and their conditions were very dirty.The owner of the Great Dane had every right to call law enforcement to get their dog back.It is a known symptom of animal hoarders to think that they know what is best for all animals and to "collect" them even at the expense of the animals well being. I am surprised Animal Control has not monitored her facility better. What's the real story there??

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Concerned animal lover | posted Jan 29, 2013 - 7:47:30am

This sanctuary looks beautiful when you first go in, but if the county would look behind the scenes and see the abuse. Obese and neglected animals everywhere. The majority of these animals could be adopted, but she will not let that happen. Why should the beautiful little black kitten on her Facebook page have to spend the rest of it's life in that mess. Most of the cats have all kinds of problems, including upper respiratory which is passed to all of the others. It would be great if all of these animals had yearly well visits to a vet....but that does not happen.

I myself, and I'm sure others would like to know if any of these animals have shots. She is also mean to her staff. I am surprised she hasn't had a lawsuit against her for her actions.

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mary | posted Jan 29, 2013 - 7:14:02am

Florence Thout has been getting away with hoarding animals for a very long time. I know first hand that many very capable people have offered to adopt many of her animals. She will not allow them to be placed in caring homes because she is an animal hoarder.She has many more cats than she admits too and some are in very bad shape. She is horrible to volunteers and staff and should have been shut down years ago. Animal Control looks the other way and the Good "Ol Boys have covered for her for years. Those animals are used by her to make her seem like a saint. She does not allow the dogs to be walked and most are grossly obese.She screams at the dogs constantly. The only affecton the animals receive is from visitors that see the face she wants them to see.Wake up and shut her down!

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Justin | posted Jan 28, 2013 - 11:26:29pm

This woman is nothing more than a pet thief. This line says it all: "Once the connection was made, the dog’s owner said, Thuot refused to return the animal."

He was lost. Of course he's going to be malnourished. It's absolutely absurd that the owners had to get the police involved to force this woman to return the dog.

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Ryan | posted Jan 28, 2013 - 3:14:33pm

The place is over crowded, she doesn't adopt out when the unspayed cats have kittens or those that could find homes that could care for them. I've worked at a rescue where we have adopted out deaf animals and other quote " unadoptable" animals. The place is filthy, and most shelters and sanctuaries aren't. The dogs owner has a right to keep their animal.

Any dog lost for a week or more is going to lose weight rapidly due to lack of food, and heartworm and parasites are from fleas and mosquitos. The fact the dog is 10 speaks volumes for its true onwer that it is going back to, it wouldn't have reached that age if it wasn't well taken care of. Great danes are lucky if they reach 7 usually.

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