# Horror story in Liberty, SC



## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

I am not involved in rescue, but do read the threads about the dogs needing to be rescued. I've noticed lately that SC, GA and to a lesser extent NC, seem to appear more often in threads as states having dogs needing to be rescued.
Is this because there are more active rescue groups trying to help? Or because the people in these states are less responsible so more dogs go into rescue?
I am really wondering because today as I was driving home, I heard on the radio that animal control in Liberty, SC had rescued 179 animals from ONE home (animals included birds, dogs and I don't know what else). They said there were dead dogs on the property and others near starvation. I only caught the end of the broadcast so know nothing else. But, my thought was, how could anyone have 179 animals, and why? (especially since they clearly weren't animal lovers). And what is going to happen to all of them?


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

The south is a hotbed for puppy mills, infortunately.


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

I live about 15 miles from Liberty. I'll see if I can get more info.

This was probably someone who started out thinking they were doing good and got in over their heads. A lot of dogs and cats are being turned into shelters and horses are being handed over to rescued because the owners can't afford them any more.

I believe ACC posts a fair amount of GA/SC/NC dogs because she gets a response. I know she mentioned that the CA dogs she posted had no replies. It has to be disheartening. I help when I can, but won't even look at one that is too far away for me to help.

Pickens County animal control is horrible. They have been sued and the locals have attempted to improve the conditions over there (probably 5miles from my house), but the director is not interested. I believe the quote was someting along he lines of "We are supposed to be a temporary holding situation, not a shelter"). I have been there and know a local rescue group that pulls from there. It is not a pleasant place.


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## AquaClaraCanines (Mar 5, 2006)

The South is rampant with neglectful people- mostly out of ignorance and cultural acceptance of keeping pets outdoors and so forth. Poverty, too.


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## Augustus McCrae's Mom (Aug 14, 2007)

Here's the article on it:
http://www.wyff4.com/news/21665199/detail.html

I just saw the headline last night before I went to bed that it was in Anderson (I guess they had that wrong). Liberty is a small town, and other than Clemson, I'd say Pickens County is mostly rural. I know a lot of people from my small home town that lived out in the country, and almost none of them had indoor dogs. The dogs were allowed inside, and slept there at night, but during the day, the dogs just run around wherever. I could never do that. Even now, keeping my dogs in crates, I'm still worried something's gonna happen to them. I think it is an issue down south that people just see animals as animals and not as part of the family.


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## Augustus McCrae's Mom (Aug 14, 2007)

Oh dear, from the article I posted: WYFF has learned that the home belonged to an Anderson animal control officer and an animal rescue worker.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I'm with Cape Fear Golden Retriever Rescue based in Wilmington NC, it's a combination of several factors. The economy in NC is very bad in some areas of the state-people have lost their jobs, their homes and cant' care for their animals. We have requests almost daily for Owner Surrenders. Area shelters are full of dogs being turned in by owners who can not afford to take care of them. The number of animals being put down in shelters is extremely HIGH and some of the shelters in NC are in absolutely horrible condition, especially those in rural areas. There is one county not far from me that doesn't even have a county shelter of any kind for any animals. This does not take into consideration the number of animals being dumped along the side of the road or out in the woods to fend for themselves and eventually starve to death.

There are a lot of very irresponsible pet owners too-pet overpopulation due to animals not being spayed/neutered. Backyard breeders, puppy mills, etc. People breeding dogs trying to make money to live on by selling pups. People who put ads on Craigslist or area yard sales websites trying to sell their animals to make money off of them. I contact the sellers always, I usually do no hear back from them or when I do they say they want a GOOD HOME for the dog not a Rescue-in other words whoever shows up first with the money in hand usually gets the dog.

The NC laws regarding animal abuse, neglect, and cruelty are so laxed too.


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> There are a lot of very irresponsible pet owners too-pet overpopulation due to animals not being spayed/neutered. Backyard breeders, puppy mills, etc. People breeding dogs trying to make money to live on by selling pups. People who put ads on Craigslist or area yard sales websites trying to sell their animals to make money off of them. I contact the sellers always, I usually do no hear back from them or when I do they say they want a GOOD HOME for the dog not a Rescue-in other words whoever shows up first with the money in hand usually gets the dog.
> 
> The NC laws regarding animal abuse, neglect, and cruelty are so laxed too.


100% what she said. I have been at the shelter to pull an animal and someone will come in to adopt a dog and they will argue with the folks at the front desk because they don't want the dog they are adopting to be spayed/neutered!


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Most of the shelters CFGRR deals with, offer Spay/neuter vouchers for adopted dogs-however, the shelter does not follow up with the adopters to see if the animal has been spayed or neutered either.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

> 100% what she said. I have been at the shelter to pull an animal and someone will come in to adopt a dog and they will argue with the folks at the front desk because they don't want the dog they are adopting to be spayed/neutered!


Sadly, I've attended rescue meet and greets where people have come up to lambast us because all of our rescues are spayed or neutered before adoption and we won't make an exception. They just don't get it!


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## fostermom (Sep 6, 2007)

Dallas Gold said:


> Sadly, I've attended rescue meet and greets where people have come up to lambast us because all of our rescues are spayed or neutered before adoption and we won't make an exception. They just don't get it!


They really don't. And I don't know how you can educate people like that.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

It upsets me to see PUREBRED puppies being advertised for sale in local papers or on websites, when I see shelter listings full of the same breed puppies or adult dogs in shelters that will die if not adopted. 

People are not aware of the thousands of animals that are put down in shetlers througout the U.S. daily or the dollar amount of their tax dollars being spent to do so or they don't care which is even sadder!


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