What I am about to share with you is not pretty. It is not a heart-warming tale, nor is it a tale of kindness overcoming cruelty or of hope where there is none. It is a tale with an uncertain ending and much suffering in the meantime.

A concerned woman brought two dogs into Liberty County Animal Control. Both were purebreds – one a Basset Hound and the other a St. Bernard. These dogs were not from Liberty County meaning that the animal control here could not take them. Frustrated, the woman was turned away with the two strays still in the back of her SUV.

In an action not at all uncommon in these very common situations, the dogs were dumped in Liberty County. Undoubtedly, the woman opted to leave them where they would have at least a sliver of a chance instead of returning them to their original residency of guaranteed suffering.



Which county did they come from? They came from the land of animal cruelty itself – Long County - a wasteland for the unwanted creatures of a county whose officials don't seem to care enough to act, a place where the solution to a stray is often a shotgun.

They were discovered on Kelly Drive by a shelter employee. She called a friend at animal control, who then quickly came to help her get them. Of all places, they were found on the porch of a church. It was as though they were waiting patiently for someone to come for them. Perhaps when leaving them, the woman had prayed for divine intervention on their behalf. Or perhaps they found their own way there, drawn by some gentle force in search of salvation.

Very docile, they soaked up the petting and followed obediently to the waiting car that then transported them to their death row cells at animal control where they were then gratefully fed and given water.

How does this harm Liberty County? Think about it. When people bring Long County animals to Liberty County Animal Control and are turned away, few return back to Long County with those creatures. Most find themselves booted out the car door just as soon as they are out of sight. Long County's overpopulation problem becomes Liberty County's overpopulation problem.

These hungry animals come to roam our streets and find themselves in our front yards.  Few are vaccinated and few are spayed or neutered. This leads to the spread of disease and the spread of litters. This leads to animal attacks, car accidents and other tragic events. In milder situations, it leads to turned over trashcans, destroyed property, noisy nights, feces on your lawn and at those unexpected moments – on the bottom of your nice new shoes.

Don't get me wrong. I am not saying that having dogs around is a bad thing. Anyone who has known me for even a brief period of time knows that I certainly don't think that. However, I am of the firm belief that they don't belong wandering man-made streets. They belong spayed or neutered in homes as companions. It's a safer, more humane situation all around. It isn't the dog's fault that your pretty green grass happened to be right there beneath his ready behind – it is the fault of the human who failed him in the first place.

We have taken dominance of this world and these creatures are at our mercy. It is our responsibility to step up to the plate and do what is necessary to make our co-existence as peaceful as possible. Being dominant does not mean that all other beings must be made into victims. It does not allow us the right to be bullies. It gives us the opportunity to rise above and show our power through decency and compassion. It gives us the chance to be good. I know we are capable of that. Let's prove it.  

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Fortunately for the Basset, it is being picked up along with another of it's breed by The Basset Hound Rescue of Georgia. Sadly, the St. Bernard has not been spoken for and his only salvation may be that of a death-delivering needlepoint.

St. Bernards were bred to be rescue dogs. According to Wikipedia, The Saint Bernard is known for its loyalty and vigilance and is tolerant of both children and animals. Because of these traits, it has become a family dog. They also make good watchdogs, as their size can be startling to strangers, though their temperament is mild.

If you have ever seen a St. Bernard (the Beethoven films), you know that they are enormous dogs. You know that this is not what they are supposed to look like. Especially after they have been gaining back weight, but this is the truth of Long County:






If you are interested in saving this four year old girl, please contact me via myspace

Or better yet, contact Liberty County Animal Control directly:
279 Briarwood Circle (off of Airport Rd.)
Hinesville, GA 31313

912-876-9191 (leave a detailed message and be sure to reference the case 806-019)

Please note: Although they share the same address and similar names, Liberty County Animal Control and Liberty County Humane Shelter are NOT the same thing!