b'Florida ranks number four out of the top five states in Company in Orlando customized the Kitomaster with a wrapwhich the most shelter animals are being killed. There is no that included Kitos portrait and the word ADOPT. The art-governmental oversight of reporting shelter statistics, so no one work was designed by Joey who added, I was inspired by thehastheexactnumbers.Reportshavebeencreatedtotalk whole adventure of our pack.abouttrends,buttheactualstatisticsareleftuptothe Kito came into the couples life quite by accident, kind ofindividual shelters. like a guitar that happens to appear in Joeys collection. TheJoeys career in the music industry dates back to 1973. He couple had gone to Hillsborough Countys Pet Resource Centerhas been a guitarist and vocalist for The Lint Rollers since 2008, with the intention of adopting another dog theyd read about ona garage band for indiscriminate grownups, playing music that the shelters website. That is, until Kito saw Patti.wont stick to your clothes. Through his company, Donovan There he was, just sitting in his kennel, said Joey. All ofAudio Designs, hes been making noise come out of boxes the other dogs were barking. But, not Kito. He looked as if hesince 1987. The company has donated services and time in had been waiting for uslike he just knew we were comingsupport of Lost Angels Animal Rescue, Animal Coalition of for him. Tampa, Friends of Hillsborough County Animal Services and Kito was on his best behavior for them as they completedthe Humane Society of Tampa Bay.the paperwork to adopt him. The perfect gentleman. Until heWeve always liked having dogs as part of the family, Patti came home and ate our couch, five remotes and my car keys,said. All of their dogs have come from municipal shelters. Four said Joey. of them were scheduled to be euthanized at Orange County He was just bored, offered Patti. We started obedienceAnimal Services.trainingimmediately.Kitowasalsoabitreactive,butwePattis okay with a stray as long as its not a guitar, said worked through it all. My sister had a rescue, Bella, and theyJoey, who named his Fender Showmaster the Kitomaster, after becamebestfriends.NowIcallhimtheambassadorofthe couples first rescue dog in their pack of five. I figured Patti our pack.would allow the guitar into the house if I named it after one of The rest of their pack included Dakota, everybodys friend,our dogs, he chuckled. and Benji. When they felt Kito needed a companion dog, PattiNaming this rare guitar with its tie dye finish was just the and Joey drove to Orange County Animal Services in Orlandofirst step in its evolution. I ended up replacing everything on it to adopt another dog on the euthanasia list. They named himto bring it up to par with my other guitars. Brand O Guitar Nanji, the African word for safe. He is exuberant, said Joey.Continuedgwww.TheNewBarker.com THE NEW BARKER 51'