Memphis News Story

Here is footage from a news story I called in to ABC 24 after the Memphis Animal Shelter euthanized a very sweet and loving Red Nose Pit Bull I found an adopter for. After my adopter filled out the paperwork, they told us to wait while they ran a background check and arranged a home visit. We waited patiently, but it never happened, and when I went back to the shelter, worried about the dog, I found he had been put to sleep. We were given two contradictory reasons (signs of illness, and later, aggressive behavior), but no one could come up with proof or written records for either reason. This pit bull had an extremely mellow and sweet disposition. We temperament tested him, and he was neither dog nor people aggressive. As far as illness is concerned, I have my doubts about him being sick, since the vet does not remember him and there is no medical record to prove that he exhibited symptoms of illness advanced enough to warrant euthanasia when he had sponsorship and an adopter.

The shelter has supposedly improved since the widely publicized cruelty investigation in October, but from working there this past month, I saw very little change. We need massive reform!

You can read the full description of the story here, as well as see original footage of my handling the dog here.

RIP, you sweet and beautiful creature. We will do everything we can to fight for justice -- for you and all the other dogs who have suffered your same fate.

Lady Gaga

These are photographs

of Lady Gaga, our new foster from Liberty County Animal Control.

SARN member Shawn Ridgeway is currently fostering Maggie, a gray kitten who was abandoned at LCAC. Also, Lucky, the white and brindle American Bulldog in the picture with Gaga, was safely transported with the help of New Beginnings Animal Rescue and SARN from Georgia to Tennessee in late November. He is now currently living with a loving forever family in Memphis.

Current Adoptable Pets in Hinesville, GA

THANK YOU, STUDENTS!

I want to thank all student volunteers for their hard work and dedication throughout the 2008-2009 school year! We had many new members join and play a wide variety of roles -- adoption day volunteers, posters and promoters, transporters, fosters, adopters, petsitters, etc. Each and every action was equally significant. THANK YOU!

We will resume SARN efforts in September. I look forward to our group growing in the future, and I will be in contact with all of you when we're ready to get back to business.

Have a relaxing summer!

Updates and Success Stories

Today was a successful day at Savannah Animal Control. We were able to get three dogs out. Sascha, Nina, and Nellie all went to loving forever homes. They are pictured below.























I will be going to Hinesville this Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm. They have SO MANY kittens coming in, so we really need to get our foster network active. Is anyone interested in taking in a kitten or two? Or, if you're staying for the summer, perhaps you would like to foster a puppy?

There is room in my car, so please contact me if you are intersted. Liberty County Animal Control always needs more volunteers!

Make this weekend a meaningful one and do a little volunteering. I promise, you'll have fun and it will help alleviate some of the stress from your approaching finals!

ALSO: Special thanks to all the SCAD volunteers who came out to Chatham AC last Sunday for the adoption event. All of those dogs appreciated their baths! Sadly, some were euthanized in the following days, but I hope you realize that you made their last days a little brighter by getting them out of their cages and into the sunshine.

TWO VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

MORE SARN "HAPPY TAILS"

These animals have all been pulled out of high-kill environments and placed in foster or forever homes:




































































































Saturday: Weekly trip to Hinesville to work at Liberty County Animal Control and assist with adoptions. If you are interested in fostering or adopting a cat, kitten, puppy, or dog, I encourage you to come down as well. We have plenty of babies who need to get off death row immediately.

Time: 9am - 2 pm

I have room in my car for 3 other people, so just e-mail me at becca_johnson1@hotmail.com if you're interested.

Sunday: Adoption event at Savannah Animal Control from 1-5 pm. I really need volunteers out there to help potential adopters, photograph new pups for postings, and give baths to the dogs with a hose and a nice bucket of soapy water. I'll bring some flea spray, too. This way the dogs will look more presentable and will feel more comfortable in their cages.

Time: 1-5pm

Please contact me if you're interested in getting involved. This does NOT require a trip out of town.

___________

Update: Adopt-A-Thon

We have seven student volunteers traveling out to Hinesville on Saturday. Some will be working at the Adopt-a-Thon with the dogs, and some will be handling the kittens and cats back at Animal Control.

There is still room in our two cars, so if you're reading this and would like to join us, please let me know!

THANK YOU ALL for stepping up to the plate and helping out! I am looking forward to tomorrow very much!