Bishop Animal Shelter To Celebrate 12-Year-Old Dog’s Birthday

BRADENTON, FL – It’s not often an animal shelter gets to celebrate a 12-year-old dog’s birthday. Then again, the Bishop Animal Shelter is known for doing things differently.

The private, non-profit animal adoption shelter will host a birthday party for Mia the bull terrier on Friday, Nov. 11. The shelter considers Mia, who has lived at Bishop for five years, so friendly that she accompanies the staff on outings to meet school groups.

“She’s never met a stranger and her happiness is contagious,” said animal care specialist Kristen Little.

Members of the staff also joke that Mia is “12 years young” because she has the energy of a 3-year-old dog.

“Whether it’s a birthday, ‘bark-mitzvah’ or adoption day celebration, a dog party brings out your playfulness,” said Samantha Domis, the public relations coordinator for Bishop. “Mia’s birthday party is all about brining awareness to the importance of adopting senior shelter animals.”

While the home-like building on the Bishop Animal Shelter’s 40-acre property may look like it was once a residence, it was built specifically to house unwanted, stray and abandoned animals. And as much as the shelter staff loves their longtime resident, they hope Mia will be able to spend the rest of her life in a forever home.

Bishop Animal Shelter is a non-profit organization that receives no funding from local, state or federal tax dollars.

To see Bishop’s adoptable animals, visit www.BishopSPCA.org or call (941) 792-2863 for more information. The shelter is located at 5718 21st Ave. W. in Bradenton.

Images courtesy of Bishop Animal Shelter