#CHSWalksTheDog: Carolyn Murray
An Animal Advocate You Can Count On
Wednesday | November 2, 2022 | Riverfront Park
Welcome to #CHSWalksTheDog, a blog series that brings together notable Charlestonians, with shelter dogs in need of a home, in iconic Lowcountry locations thanks to the talents of volunteer photographer, Heather Moran.
In the age of social media and the 24-hour news cycle, few things are more refreshing than knowing you can trust the person delivering your news. Throughout her three-decade broadcasting career, WCBD News 2 Co-Anchor and Charleston Animal Society Board Member, Carolyn Murray, has consistently shown dedication to her community and her calling.
Despite winning dozens of accolades for her work breaking some of the most important stories in our state’s history and interviewing Presidents, policy-makers, and cultural icons along the way, Carolyn has never lost track of the empathy and humility that she built her career off of. These traits have been exemplified by her deep love of animals, with her joining Charleston Animal Society Board of Directors back in 2019.
Carolyn, her husband Jimmy, and their daughter Reese, who is in her junior year at Johns Hopkins University, share their home with their rescue dog, Mike, and cat, Kirby. Both animals are Charleston Animal Society Alumni, with Mike being adopted at the age of 7 in 2018 and Kirby joining the family this past July. Carolyn and her family have a special place in their hearts for animal rescue and senior pets like Mike.
Last week, the #CHSWalksTheDog team met up with Carolyn in North Charleston’s beautiful Riverfront Park, bringing with them three adorable dogs who have spent far too long waiting for someone to come adopt them. Day trips out of the shelter can provide long-time residents a break from being in a kennel, allowing them time to decompress and to be stimulated with the sights and sounds of normal life. We also hope that showcasing our longest residents in a different light – outside the shelter walls – might allow a potential adopter to become interested in them when a family sees more normal canine behaviors exhibited on a calm leash walk through the city.
Carolyn was so kind to each dog she socialized with, showering them with compliments, belly rubs, and kisses. First up was Lenny, a 5-year-old black lab-mix who has spent well over 90 days at the shelter. Lenny can come off as overly-excited and high-energy when meeting through the kennel door, which is part of why he has struggled with finding an adopter in spite of his jolly and calm demeanor outside of the kennel. Carolyn complemented Lenny on how gentle he was on the leash during their walk along the Cooper River.
After Carolyn said goodbye to Lenny, it was time for her to meet our longest-stay canine, Miss Pettigrew. This 2-year-old silver furred staffie has spent over 110 days in our care. Miss P, as she’s lovingly referred to by staff members, needs to find a home that has no other animals or small children in the home. Though many can see this as a restriction, anyone who has spent any time with Miss P will tell you that she’s playful and sweet enough to deserve all of your attention. Carolyn walked her over to the lawn outside of the Admiral’s House, where Miss Pettigrew promptly began to roll around in the grass and play, clearly overjoyed with the chance to spend time with a new person outside of the shelter.
Finally, we brought out Morton, a 2-year-old, tan, pittie-mix with a goofy personality that has won the hearts of our staff and Carolyn alike. Carolyn gushed over his wrinkly face,manners, and habit of stopping to roll through the sweetgrass that lines the pathways of Riverfront Park.
“I just know you’re going to make someone very lucky one day!” Carolyn told Morton.
We were honored that Carolyn allowed us the opportunity to shine a spotlight on the dogs who need it the most. Her unending compassion and empathy have made her a special member of our community and a treasured partner to our organization.
Please visit CharlestonAnimalSociety.org/Adopt to learn more about the dogs we featured in this week’s blog and follow Carolyn’s example of kindness by adopting.
If you are a Charlestonian influencer or business who would like to take part in a future edition of #CHSWalksTheDog, please email Will Howell, Digital Marketing Manager, at [email protected] today!
