Three of the seven "half-grown" dogs that have been discarded down a Southern
Hopkins County Road, to die or be killed.
Dog Dumping...."A Dog-Gone Problem"
by: Bobby McDonald
This abandoned pup, is one of seven on a rural county road, that
needs to find a home, before it dies or becomes a part of a pack of
wild dogs, that destroy livestock and wildlife.
A Reilly Springs woman is begging friends and families to come to the rescue of a group of seven neglected dogs, that have been abandoned on Hopkins County Road 1441, near the Wood County line, south of the Reilly Springs Community. "On Monday, June 17th, a Sheriff's Department Deputy discovered a man and a young girl dumping approximately 25 dogs, on a desolate country road," advised Erin Glenn, a nearby resident. "He attempted to get the license number of the truck they were driving, but dust from the vehicle prevented that from happening."
Meanwhile, the dumped dogs were milling around the road, looking for food and water, and attempting to discover their surroundings. After learning about the situation, Glenn drove down the road and found only nine of the "half-grown" puppies lying in the road or in the nearby woods. "They look to be about 4 - 5 months old and are really friendly dogs," expressed Glenn. "But, they had no food, no nearby water, and the temperatures are over 100 degrees. They were lying in the shade and hungry."
Glenn notified other friends and they have been providing food and water for the abandoned animals. "I assume the older dogs ran off, and now there are only seven of the pups, left at the scene," advised Glenn, on Wednesday. "The older dogs more than likely have joined a pack of other dogs and may be chasing or attacking livestock, and foraging through trash, to stay alive. As for the two missing pups, I assume they've probably been gotten by coyotes or possibly killed by other dogs!"
Concerned people have left dog food for these abandoned animals, hoping that a home can
be found for them, before they starve.
The seven remaining pups, six red and one red and tan, look to need worming, have more than likely not had any shots, and will starve, if someone doesn't adopt them.
"I just can't stand to see them starve to death, because some irresponsible person didn't take care of them, and provide for their care," continued Glenn. "I can't believe people will dump animals on the side of the road, knowing that they will likely starve, be hit by a vehicle, or join a pack that destroys livestock, and will end up being shot by the livestock owner. It is much, much kinder to have them euthanized, than leaving them to suffer, a slow death of dehydration and starvation."
Friends of Glenn's and others, have provided a sack of dog food for the stray pups and Glenn is looking for homes, for the animals.
These animals are just a small part of a growing problem in Hopkins County. Many unwanted pets are being dumped on county roads and the animals are dying or becoming a part of a growing problem to livestock owners, who find the dogs chasing their cattle, killing baby calves, and destroying other livestock.
"We have goats," expressed a nearby landowner. "And, we have to keep them inside a barn, at night, or they will be killed by these packs of stray dogs! They're just dogs that people have allowed to grow-up and got tired of them, and then dumped them out on a county road!"
"No one likes to euthanize a cute little puppy," continued the landowner. "But, that cute little pup, grows up to be a big dog, and when it's turned-out, on a county road, it must find food where it can, or starve to death. That's the problem that could have been solved, with simply having the parentage of the pup, spayed or neutered, in a responsible manner, long before this problem 'got out of hand!' Pet owners need to learn to be responsible and not contribute to this growing problem in rural Hopkins County!"
Abandoned dogs, on rural county roads, continues to be a problem for landowners and livestock owners,
that could be solved with responsible spaying and neutering of pets.
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