The Wee Beans Turn 1

Seven black tails wagged fiercely as their owners found the face and lap of Summerfield resident Maureen Flaherty, who sat on the concrete floor of the Greenbrook Adventure Park pavilion Sept. 14.
Flaherty, better known as “Nanny Mo,” reached out to pet each pup as it climbed and lobbied for her attention during a party celebrating the puppies’ first birthday.

The pups — collectively nicknamed the “wee beans” — were born Aug. 17 and Aug. 18, 2013, to a cocker spaniel rescued from the Miami Dade Animal Control. The pups were born at the home of Flaherty’s neighbor and fellow animal-rescue volunteer, Joani Ellis. Seven of 12 puppies survived, and Ellis hand-delivered each and gave it a different color collar for identification.

Flaherty began fostering the pups when they were about 3 weeks old.

It was the youngest group of pups Flaherty, a volunteer with Safe Haven Animal Rescue, had ever fostered without a mother to nurse them. Their mother, Curly Sue, needed medical treatments.

Flaherty, who selected the homes for the puppies, has kept in touch with the adoptive families over the last year and organized the pups’ birthday party.

“I love for the babies to see their siblings again,” Flaherty says. “I wanted for them to have that opportunity to see each other and for the adoptive families to meet each other.”

Human guests enjoyed sandwiches, pizza and cupcakes, while the pups ate special dog treats.

PUPPY PROFILES: The Wee Beans
Mina
Owners: Doug and Kerrieann Gourley
Resident of: River Club
Color: Lime green

Blue
Owners: Brooke Guy and Allen Rummel
Resident of: Sarasota
Color: Blue

Josie
Owners: Cassye and Linda Gardner Resident of: Sarasota
Color: Pink

Molly
Owner: Annie Close
Resident of: Bradenton
Color: Purple

Maggie
Owner: Glenn Brady
Resident of: Lakewood Ranch
Color: Orange

Pipa
Owner: Eric and Maegan Collin
Resident of: Sarasota
Color: Turquoise

Yeti
Owner: Tim and Jennifer Weghorst
Resident of: Bradenton
Color: Red