Published Saturday, August 28, 2010
Abused dogs need homes
The Newnan Times-Herald
In mid-July, Coweta County Animal Control rescued around 20 abandoned dogs from squalid conditions.
The dogs' owner has been charged with multiple counts of cruelty to animals, and the dogs are now up for adoption.
The dogs, of all shapes and sizes, became available for adoption on Wednesday.
Despite being deprived of food and water, and living in terrible conditions, "they are very, very sweet," said Donna Rossi of Shelter Rescue. "There are so many of them ... I would love to see all of them adopted because they are so sweet," she said.
As of Thursday, nine of the 20 dogs have been adopted. One family drove all the way from Cumming to adopt one of the dogs.
Several of the dogs have lost large amounts of hair, but that is because of a flea allergy, not mange, said Major Steve Orr, manager of the Coweta County Animal Shelter.
"A lot of people think it's mange when it's not," said Coweta Prison Warden Bill McKenzie, who is also shelter director.
Now that the dogs have been treated for fleas, their hair is already growing back. They're plumping up, too. "They've come a long way," Orr said.
Many were just about skin and bones when they got to the shelter. They've been on a special diet, said Lt. Henry Freeman, animal control field supervisor.
"Their condition is just general neglect," Freeman said. "With proper food, vet care, and a little bit of love, they'll be fine. They'll make somebody a good dog."
All the dogs have been checked out by the vet contracted with county animal control. She tested them for mange and heartworms, and the dogs have been vaccinated and dewormed.
Some of the dogs did test positive for heartworms, said Rossi.
The vet report on each dog is available to adopters.
"They're here, they're ready, they're just waiting for somebody to come give them a home," Freeman said.
The adoption fee is $20 for dogs, plus $5 for the vaccines, deworming and vet check. Puppies and cats are $15, plus $5, and kittens are $10, plus $5. Animals get vaccinated for common illnesses but do not receive a rabies vaccine at the shelter.
Coweta Animal Control heard of the problems at 28 East Hill St., in East Newnan, on June 11.
Freeman said he got a call some animals had been abandoned. He went to the house and no one was there. There were two dogs in the fenced backyard, but they seemed to be well-fed, watered and healthy.
However, there were two dogs on the front porch. One was in a steel crate, and one was in a small dog carrier. There was no food or water in the containers, and there were feces "all over the bottom," Freeman said.
Those two animals were impounded and taken to animal control. A card was left on the door informing the resident, Sabrina Brooks, about the issue.
Freeman said he went back a few days later but no one was home.
On June 25, Brooks went to the shelter to check on the two impounded dogs. Freeman asked her if she had any more dogs, and, according to Freeman, Brooks told him she had two Chihuahuas and was giving them away. He issued her two citations for the two dogs that were impounded.
Freeman said animal control has had contact with Brooks over the years. She was an independent dog rescuer, and people would bring her animals and she would try to find them homes. She also did some grooming in her home, Freeman said.
On July 15, animal control received a call from Brooks' landlord, who lives in Florida. He stated he was sending someone to clean out the house. The landlord told Freeman there were dogs in the house, and he was wondering what could be done.
Freeman explained to him that, under the fourth amendment, animal control can only go onto property if it has good cause to think animals are in distress.
Freeman contacted the Coweta County Sheriff's Office to work with an investigator and get a search warrant. But before that could happen, on July 17, they received a call about several animals running loose in East Newnan.
The dogs had apparently gotten out when the man who was supposed to do work on the house arrived. Freeman and a deputy were able to catch 10 of the dogs.
Because officials still didn't have a search warrant, Freeman couldn't go in the house to get the remaining animals, but he did leave food and water at the back door. He delivered more food and water that following Sunday.
July 19 was Brooks' court date for the original citations. She did not appear in court and a bench warrant was issued.
Investigator Elaine Jordan with the sheriff's office was able to obtain a search warrant that same day, and she, Freeman and David Olmstead finally got to go into the house.
"It was one of the worst I had ever been in," Freeman said.
Though everyone had sprayed themselves with insect repellent before going in, Freeman said he got about 200 flea bites. The smell of urine and feces was "so strong you couldn't say in there five minutes," Freeman said.
In addition to the dogs, there were two cats in the home. There was a broken window in the house, which allowed the cats to come and go as they pleased. Freeman thinks that's why the cats didn't appear to be in as bad a condition as the dogs.
When the dogs got to animal control, "they just devoured the food," Freeman said.
"It was a very emotional thing," Freeman said. "I know people don't believe it, but when you go in and get animals like this out of a house like this, it is a very emotional thing."
According to Jordan's report, she's taken out warrants on Brooks for 16 charges of animal cruelty.
As of Thursday, Brooks has still not been located by authorities.
Freeman said animal control is trying to work out a process whereby it can get search warrants without having to go through the sheriff's office, which can take too much time.
"If you've got a bad thing going on -- you've got to get in there today," he said. "By the time you get your warrant, usually the animals are gone," he said.
The Coweta County Animal Shelter is open for adoptions Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The shelter is located at 91 Selt Road, off Hospital Road near Piedmont Newnan Hospital.
For more information, call 770-254-3735.
Photos of many of the animals at the shelter -- both those up for adoption and strays that are still " on hold" -- can be viewed at www.petharbor.com
