Reporter-News Photo by Ronald W. Erdrich A female Great Pyrenees mix named Queenie who may have belonged to Hurricane Ike evacuees has found a home in the Big Country. The local animal shelter was unable to locate the dog's original owners.

After possibly being orphaned by Hurricane Ike, Queenie the dog has found a new home.

The 65-pound Great Pyrenees mix was brought to the Abilene Animal Shelter on Sept. 18 after she was found near Ovalo. A quick scan revealed an implanted microchip that was traced to her original owners in Galveston, which was devastated by the hurricane.

After several weeks of attempting to locate her owners and receiving no return calls from them or the Houston or Galveston humane societies, Queenie was put up for adoption on Thursday. A Stamford-area family, who declined to be identified, adopted Queenie late Thursday afternoon.

According to Alvin O'Dell, animal services program manager for the city of Abilene, there was a waiting list of five people interested in adopting the dog.

O'Dell noted that several dogs who resembled Queenie have been adopted from the shelter during the past few weeks.

With phone and mail service disrupted in Galveston, the chances of finding Queenie's owners were slim.

Animals at the city shelter may be put down 72 hours after arrival. Because of the hurricane, Queenie got a reprieve while shelter officials tried to locate her owners.