By Darrell Kirk
Sounder contributor
In the quiet halls of the Orcas Animal Protection Society, a love story has been unfolding between two elderly Pekingese dogs and a devoted volunteer who has opened her heart to them.
This week, that story reaches a bittersweet conclusion as Frankie and Noodle prepare to leave Orcas Island for a specialized senior dog sanctuary on the Olympic Peninsula.
Nancy Ebert first encountered the two small dogs through the shelter’s volunteer program, but what began as simple dog walking quickly blossomed into something deeper.
“And there they were, and then I heard their story — how they’d come from people on the island who were total islanders. One died and one had dementia, and it kind of reminded me of my parents in their old age and their dogs and how much they loved their dogs,” Ebert explained.
The dogs arrived at the shelter through the Team Safe program, a vital service that provides temporary care for animals when their owners face medical emergencies. Frankie and Noodle were brought in by neighbors who had been caring for them when their loving owner became ill and had to leave the island.
“We have this program where if people have medical emergencies, their animals can be brought to us for safekeeping until arrangements can be made,” said Kristina Snyder, Executive Director of the Protection Society.
The shelter held the pair for 72 hours while attempting to contact the owners. When it became clear that the previous owner had moved off-island permanently, the dogs became available for adoption.
“In this case, there were no arrangements that could be made for them. So they are here until they find a forever home,” Snyder said.
Because the bonded pair needed to stay together, finding the right placement proved challenging, leading to their departure on Monday, Aug. 4, for their new home off island.
The Team Safe program is also utilized by law enforcement, emergency medical services and fire to ensure pets are safely delivered to the shelter until the owners can be reunited with their loved ones.
An unlikely bond
What makes Ebert’s story remarkable isn’t just her dedication to the dogs, but the joy she’s found in their companionship.
“They’re pretty infectious — I want a dog right now, but I’m going home to see my parents so I can’t really substitute that out because then I won’t get to spend time with my parents,” she said.
Despite being unable to adopt them herself due to her frequent travels to care for her aging family, Ebert became their devoted companion.
“I started taking them out, and I’m a total dog lover. I wanted a dog for a while and it kind of scratches that itch. I realized just how much I get from hanging out with them, which I think is like a friendship. They end up being your friend,” Ebert shared.
Her visits weren’t just walks — they were adventures.
“She also takes them for sleepovers. She’s taken them to friends’ houses for dinner parties,” noted shelter staff member Cheryl Stebbins.
Ebert’s experience highlights the incredible impact of the shelter’s volunteer program.
“We just love having volunteers who can take them out on field trips. We let them go out on day trips, overnight, just so they’re not here in a shelter all the time,” Snyder explained. “People can sign up for that with us. And they can come play with the dogs here on site. We have our big yard and our little yard where they can play. They can take them hiking up the mountain if they’re that kind of dog, and that kind of person.”
The benefits extend far beyond simple exercise. As Ebert discovered, these outings provide crucial socialization.
“It’s really good for them. They need this — it helps socialize them with other dogs, socialize them with people, so they don’t get too isolated. It makes them more adoptable, you know,” she said.
A new chapter begins
This past Monday, Frankie and Noodle began their journey to a specialized sanctuary for senior dogs.
“We found a sanctuary for old dogs over on the peninsula, and they have this beautiful haven for senior dogs where they’ve got small homes that are miniaturized houses for the dogs to live in. They’ve got their own yards — it’s just stunning,” Stebbins described.
The sanctuary, which focuses on end-of-life care, will provide the specialized attention the aging Pekingese need.
The vital work of the Orcas Animal Protection Society
The story of Frankie and Noodle illuminates the broader mission of the Orcas Animal Protection Society, which has been serving the island community for decades.
Stebbins, who recently celebrated her third anniversary with the organization, emphasizes the shelter’s comprehensive approach that extends far beyond housing animals.
“I think our spay and neuter program is probably the biggest,” she noted. “We’re a very small island, very closed environment. Cats can have multiple litters a year. And now we’re down to three to five litters that we’re aware of on-island this year. Which is much more manageable. We work pretty much exclusively with cats and dogs,” adding that the shelter does work closely with Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Friday Harbor for wildlife emergencies.
Perhaps most importantly, the shelter faces a significant volunteer shortage.
“We could use probably triple the number that we currently have,” Snyder said. “We’ve got shifts to fill. We need people who want to work at the front desk. We need help around here in the morning so that we’re clean and ready when we open. Dog walkers are always needed.”
The shelter particularly needs help with puppy socialization.
“When we have puppies in residence, we need people who can come play with them in the mornings and evenings, take pictures, and just be with them to socialize them, because they need this,” Snyder said.
What makes the Orcas Animal Protection Society special isn’t just its no-kill philosophy, but its integration into the island community.
As Snyder put it: “All of our stories always start out kind of tragic, but then have happy endings.”
The shelter serves as a safety net for the island’s most vulnerable animals while fostering connections between pets and people who need each other.
Ebert’s relationship with Frankie and Noodle exemplifies this perfectly.”
A difficult goodbye
For Ebert, saying goodbye won’t be easy.
“I know I have to say goodbye. I’m trying not to think about it yet. Of course, I’m going to miss them,” she admitted. “I mean, it makes me want to cry a little bit, but that’s okay.”
Yet she finds comfort knowing they’re going to the right place. The shelter staff share her mixed emotions.
“It’s bittersweet. We’re happy they have the opportunity to go, but we’re really going to miss them because they’ve just become part of our daily life over the last couple of months,” Snyder reflected. “I think it’s going to be hard on us, but I think it may even be harder on Nancy to see them go.”
For more information about the Orcas Animal Protection Society, visit https://www.orcaspets.org.
