At a bankrupt stable in Dunedin near Happy Tails Dog Park an angel has been caring for two abandoned dogs. Her name is Penny.

Penny, who has a horse at the stable, found Julio and Mo, two Labrador retrievers — one yellow and one chocolate, possibly pure bred — who needed some care. She has been keeping the two 80-pound dogs fed with what money she has, making sure they stay healthy with flea and heartworm prevention for six months.   

The 2-year-old pups have been living at the barn for some time. The original owner says, that they already have four dogs and cannot keep any more and has given Penny permission to find Julio and Mo new homes.

For now, the dogs still sleep in a barn stall or in holes they dig beneath the barn to stay cool.

Both dogs are up to date on their shots from Dr. Masters, but they have not been neutered.

Understand that Penny is not the dogs' owner. She is their angel, a true "animal person," who's caring for Julio and Mo as best she can. She says that the dogs are alone most of the time, and she wants them to be loved. That is why she contacted a local rescue to help find them a new home. Even in these hard times, her heart is as big as the sun.

My hope is that there are more people out there who will stand up for animals like these. Without humans, some of them would never make it. 

Without Penny, I doubt Julio and Mo would have made it this far.

How you can get involved:

If you're interested in helping Julio and Mo, send a message to columnist Shelly Maslak's Patch profile for more information.

To help other Dunedin dogs in need, try:

• Dunedin Doggie Rescue
• Humane Society of Pinellas
• Suncoast Animal League
• SPCA Tampa Bay