Feb/March 2009 Adair Co. Kentucky
Article: Howery Pleads Guilty To Animal Cruelty
Although this is not my first participation with a large scale rescue or bust, I must say this was by far the most emotional rescue I have helped with. On Friday Feb 20th at 12pm I got a call to come to the Green River Animal Shelter earlier then we scheduled because they were expecting a situation and they needed every cage open. RePets locked the doors and rushed to help the shelter in any way we could.
Upon arrival at the shelter I was told that all animals currently at the shelter would be euthinized to make room for the court case dogs. I lost my breath, looked around at their scared faces and made some calls. I only had minutes to move almost 100 animals out of that shelter. I knew I could count on my staff at Repets and Lorri at BGWCHS to help me, but I only had my cargo van, that only holds up to about 36 dogs. The RePets team, Megan with Country Critters, and Hannah from BGWCHS jumped in their cars/vans and arrived help to take back as many as we could. We were able to load 55 dogs/cats before they were euthanized. Everything happen so fast, we couldn't get them loaded as fast as the cattle trailers came in. Theres was nothing we could do to save them all.
Between 2pm and the next morning at 1 am many cattle trailers arrived at the Green River shelter full all breeds and sizes of dogs, cats, goats, pigs and other animals I couldn't see exactly what they were because of the darkness. The dogs were so scared. The live cats were in wire dog crates with dead cats reaching out to us begging for food. The goats were wedged on the back of a truck, the pot bellied pigs were in wire dog crates. When unloading the trailers most of the handlers were rough and had no compassion for the horrific condition the animals were in. The dogs were dragged by out of the trailers with choker leashes and put where ever they could find a place to put them. There was no organization, the shelter wasn't prepared for something like this and because the mood was so stressed the dogs fought each other and their handlers in self defense. Sarah and I tried to rush and unload as many animals as we could so the men that were being rough wouldn't have a chance at them That shelter can house about 60 dogs somewhat comfortably. There were about over 300 dogs to find a place for, they were scared, hungry, and miserably sick. The felling among the humans was frustration, helplessness, anger, and disgust and rage for the entire situation.
Most of the dogs were outside with no protection from the very cold weather. Every dog and cat that came in was starved and needed medical attention. We were ordered not to vet the animals. We couldn't do anything for these sick and suffering animals. With a feeling of anger and helplessness, I called on some of my rescue friends for supplys, Lorri with the BGWCHS for help and the HSUS to make them let us vet these suffering animals and move them to a more appropriate shelter. After a few phone calls were made we were given permission to ease the suffering as long as it was donated funds, as the county would not spend any money to help these poor babies. We were not allowed to move the animals from the premises till the following Monday leaving them to suffer in the cold outside that weekend. These animals were sick, they were hairless, and they were starved so they had no body fat to keep them warm. We were so frustraited that we had no way to protect them from the cold. Other Shelters, Rescues, the HSUS and area communities come together and brought money, food and supplies. It was heart warming to see so many people want to help. However the cold weather was a force we couldn't fight. With no place to put the animals and with not being allowed to bring the animals into the warm shelter or use the donated dog houses, straw and wood chips, the helpless feeling was still thick in the air causing the volunteers that truly care about the suffering animals to become angry and defensive.
On Monday Feb 23 We got the call that the animals were released from the case and we could begin moving the dogs to safer and warmer locations. Because the dogs were still contagious to both humans and pets, we didn't allow people to adopt these animals but instead begin to allow approved rescues and shelters to take them so we were assured that they would be properly vetted. Without Deana from the BGWCHS we would not have been able to move so many into rescues. She spends hours each day getting animals safely out of shelters and in to a no kill rescue situation. She was able to make contacts and animals started to move. The Bowling Green Warren County Humane Society took most of the dogs. A few of the other shelters came and got the animals that originally belong to them. Rescues came and took a few, a cat rescue came and took all the cats that were left. Some rescues met transporters in Bowling Green to pick up dogs/cats after BGWCHS started their vetting. RePets took 25 dogs and 6 cats and volunteers transported dogs to other shelters and rescues that were far away. As a TEAM together we were able to get the number down to 74 and much to my personal relief as well as the animals left at the shelter the HSUS arrived in Ky on March 2nd and was able to help us remove the last of theses sweet babies.
All the dogs were moved to Bowling Green to a temporary shelter at the Fair Grounds for proper vetting and to get them ready for their big trip. The HSUS organized several vets to be there waiting for them and they assessed their conditions. It took about 2 hours to finish vetting, and feed the animals. I watched the animals eat their breakfast, bark a few words to their buddies a few crates down, and settle in to sweet little fur piles for a safe nap they so richly deserved. As things started to calm down, and the volunteers grabbed a slice of pizza, I started feeling emotions I had been holding back from the past week, I forced myself to be strong, I pushed on because I felt that I had to protect the ones left at the shelter so they were not harmed by handlers that were less then experienced with working with traumatized, scared and suffering animals. I walked among the sleeping dogs to check on each and every dog, I had bonded with them and they trusted me. I wanted them to know it was ok now, I wanted to make sure everyone got enough to eat, and I wanted to make sure every dog could see that my love for them has not ended. The emotion was so strong that I could no longer hold it in and my heart cried the tears I have held in for 10 days. I cried because I knew they were safe, I cried because for me the worry was over, I cried because the stress, and restless nights would now be lifted, and I cried because I realized when they took theses dogs off, I would never see them again.
That Chapter of this tragedy is closed. It is time to help the ones at RePets and in the area shelters to recover and find them homes. I am asking for you to look at these animals. Try if you can to imagine what they have been thru. If you can help at all, thru volunteering, donations or even spreading the word about them so we can find them homes and raise money to vet them, and buy supplies to care for them.
From the bottom of my worried heart thank you for your time, compassion and anything you can possible do to help us help these animals.
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