Talk, even briefly, with Bobbie Fowler and you’ll find yourself instinctively peeking over her shoulders in search of angel wings. While they’re not quite visible to the human eye, Prince knows they’re there. The stray dog, dumped by college students and forced to live six months on the street, now makes his home with Fowler.

The road from scrounging on the street to curling up on Fowler’s bed was not an easy one, but love conquers all. While still very skittish from his past, Prince is now a happy, healthy canine who “mothers” Fowler’s elderly dog, Sandy. Prince is a testament to the size of Fowler’s heart.

“My passion has always been animals – it’s my mission,” said Fowler, 61, a retired physical education and health teacher from Orono High School and current board president and treasurer of the Animal Orphanage in Old Town.

Her passion was stoked in 1992 when veterinarian Dr. Ronald Lott and his wife, Dixie, saw a “real need” for a shelter for strays and assembled a group of about 15 animal lovers, said Fowler.

“They proposed we get together and approach the towns of Orono and Old Town to take over the shelter,” she said. The shelter in place at that time was makeshift, with limited space for dogs and no room at all for stray cats. It was in need of solid management, she added. “I jumped on board with it and have been involved since day one.”

The Animal Orphanage accepts strays only and is committed to keeping the animals until they find a home.

“I don’t know what the orphanage would do without Dr. Lott and Dixie. They donate a lot of veterinary work,” Fowler said. “It helps so much financially to have them donating their services. And they really care. They’ve sat up all night with a sick animal I have taken them. They’re wonderful.”

The orphanage has one full-time and two part-time staff people, to whom Fowler gives high praise.

“My job is so much easier because of the dedication of the employees,” she said. “They go above and beyond.”

“There is nothing more rewarding than to see an animal placed in a home where they’ll be loved,” said Margaret Baker, 52. “Plus, reuniting pets with their owners is the best. We feel that they are part of the family.”

Fowler spends much of her time fund raising for the orphanage and organizing and coordinating events such as the 5K run/walk scheduled for April 25. Pets are welcome to join their humans provided they are leashed, she said.

“It’s really fun,” Fowler said. “The serious runners will be up front, then the walkers, then those with their pets. Everyone has a good time.”

When not dedicating her energy to the orphanage, Fowler spreads her talents around to other organizations. She volunteers with Special Olympics and Crossroads Ministries, ushers at Penobscot Theatre and for sports events at the University of Maine, makes birthday cakes for Bangor Mental Health Institute and is active with the Milford Congregational Church. She is also the first woman to join the Kiwanis.

“When they asked me to join, I was happy to be involved because they do so much for the community,” she said. “Now a lot of women are members and are very active in it.”

Her sense of giving is always in high gear, as is her attitude.

“I enjoy life, enjoy every day,” said Fowler, a two-time cancer survivor. “I always try to see the positive side. I think when people retire, or [are] older people, [they] should volunteer. It keeps life interesting and challenging to be giving of yourself. I think some people sit home and think, ‘Life is passing me by,’ but they need to get out and active in the world. It keeps you young. You don’t have time to get old.”

And of course her animals keep her young.

“I strongly encourage seniors to adopt pets,” Fowler said. “Pets make you focus your energy on them and their needs and not on yourself. Just be sure to have a plan in place in case something happens and you can no longer care for them. Make sure they will have a good home.”

Like Fowler’s.

For more information on the Animal Orphanage, or the pet run/walk April 25, call the orphanage at 827-8777.

Carol Higgins is communications director at Eastern Agency on Aging. For information on EAA, call 941-2865 or log on www.eaaa.org.