Jul 27, 2019 4 min read

There’s nothing like coming through the door after a long day to a wagging tail.

Dogs, generally, offer unconditional love to their owners. In return, those who decide to bring a Fido and Fifi into their homes owe them proper care.

There have been several sets of animal abuse charges filed in our area as of late – owners who allegedly abandoned dogs without food or water, or left them outside in the sweltering heat. In some cases, the dogs suffered serious illness; in others, they died.

Thankfully, a 2017 update strengthened dog laws and heightened penalties for those who neglect their four-legged friends.

Libre’s Law mandates that a dog cannot be tethered outside for more than nine hours in a 24-hour period. On days where it’s 90 degrees or above, or 30 degrees or below, they can’t stay out for longer than 30 minutes.

In either case the dogs must have access to water and shade.

These things seem like common sense. But even more sensible is not adopting a dog if you suspect at the outset that you can’t properly care for it. Owning a dog is a commitment. For all intents and purposes, dogs are like toddlers that never grow up. They look to their owners for food, shelter, exercise and love. They don’t listen 100% of the time and they may require things (e.g. a trip outside at 3 a.m.) at the least convenient times.

And much like a toddler, a dog’s heart brims with love for those who provide those things.

We can’t imagine how sad it is for those who do love and care for their dogs, but find that they must give them up due to circumstances they cannot control.

Unfortunately, surrendering a dog under any circumstance in Fayette County is a struggle.

In August 2014, the state Department of Agriculture revoked the license for the nonprofit Fayette County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The North Union Township shelter that sat on Rankin Airshaft Road had been placed under quarantine and cited for keeping animals in unsanitary and inhumane conditions.

The Fayette SPCA’s board could’ve chosen to appeal the findings and fix the problems; instead, it chose to close.

It was a hit that left municipalities that contracted with the shelter for animal control scrambling to figure out what to do. Officials were ultimately forced to contract with outside agencies to handle strays.

Other nonprofit shelters have also since closed, and where the county once had 11 shelters, there are now two (Fayette Friends of Animals in Uniontown and They Deserve Better Dog Rescue in Smithfield) listed as open, according to a state licensure search.

In November 2018 and April inspections, the Smithfield rescue had a total of eight dogs. Fayette Friends, during December 2018 and March inspections, had a total of 90 dogs.

Sadly, those numbers are but a drop in the bucket of unwanted pets. Earlier this month, Fayette Friends’ shelter manager said operators had to turn animals away because they were at the maximum number of animals they could take by law.

To keep shelters from reaching that point, we would urge those who are considering a dog to take a good look at their circumstances before they adopt. Research the needs of a particular breed before bringing it into your home. If you can’t meet those needs, then don’t do it.

And if you find your home would be a great place for a new dog, we hope that you’ll consider adopting a shelter dog so that he or she can have a loving life.