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There is a good bit of medical care needed for these pets, and some expenses have already started adding up. We sincerely appreciate every dollar donated to get these unchained pups a chance for life with loving families.
Pembroke Unchained
Before we tell this story, we want to take a moment to thank our supporters. Because of you, when this call came for help, we were able to immediately respond - we didn't have to make a desperate plea for emergency funding and wait until we had the support. You entrust us to do the right things, and your continued support made a significant difference in changing these lives.
On Thursday, January 10th, our rescue was contacted by a Pembroke resident concerned for a number of dogs on chains in a nearby neighborhood. She took the time to tell us about the situation, how many dogs she believed were in need, and what steps she had already taken including making contact with one owner who was willing to surrender them.
On Friday, January 11th, seven volunteers in three vehicles departed Camp Pawsawhile Retreat to meet up with our contact who escorted us and introduced us to the first owner at Home A. While two members of our team discussed with her the animals she was willing to surrender, the remaining team began evaluating the dogs and prepping the first vehicle for intakes. There were four dogs on chains while three young puppies and one older puppy roamed, not interested in getting anywhere near our volunteers. The owner stated she had already found homes on her own for two dogs, one of which was a small breed in desperate need of medical care. Despite our near begging for us to take all the dogs, she took the two and their chains and put them in her car. She signed her papers to give us the remaining six dogs then drove off.
While volunteers at Home A loaded the two remaining chained dogs into the first vehicle, our contact informed us that a home across the way, Home B, had at least two dogs on chains hidden by woods. Three volunteers and the contact went to that home to meet the owner while others remained trying to coax the free roaming puppies to rescue.
At Home B, our volunteers' resolve was severely tested. They were met with actually three dogs on chains, two males and a female. One male was incredibly sluggish, and the volunteers discovered that his chain had actually become embedded in his neck, slowly oozing infection and blood. A quite emaciated female had recently had a litter (we discovered through the owner she had actually had five litters already in her short life) and was still full of milk (the owner said the puppies had all recently been sold). The owner didn't have a real interest in releasing the animals to rescue, but our volunteers were persistent. He finally after about an hour gave in to let two of the dogs go, the female and smaller male, but was resolved to keep the male with the embedded chain. The volunteers struggled to get the dogs to the vehicle; they hadn't obviously spent much time out of the woods where they had lived and would flinch when arms went over them to help lift them into vehicles. The female was loaded with the other two females from House A into the main transport vehicle while the male was loaded into another. (Volunteers will spend the next week applying cabbage to the female's teats multiple times a day to treat mastitis.)
Volunteers continued at House A throwing cheese, cooing and doing just about everything ever done to lure puppies into the rescue van but to no avail. Meanwhile, our contact and director took a walk to Home C where two dogs were also living on chains. They knocked on the door and spoke to the owner, letting her know that we were there to help these other dogs and wanted to also offer rescue to her dogs. Unfortunately, she had medical issues that made communicating with her difficult, so a friend of hers worked to help us understand. She said no, she didn't want them taken, and she knew the property owner had issued a notice that all animals were to be gone by the following week but she wasn't worried. We left our card, told her we would be happy to take them whenever she was ready. As we left, her friend said he would talk to her because he thought it might be a good thing. We never received a call.
It's now almost two and a half hours into our rescue mission, and we've only been able to secure four dogs for rescue. We haven't given up though, and a single volunteer returns to Home B to once again negotiate for the release of the male with embedded collar. This time it works. Three volunteers work to carry him as he is struggling trying to walk on leash, and he is put in a vehicle to be transported immediately to our vet, Animal Hospital at Rice Hope, in Port Wentworth for care.
It's now three hours in and we still have four puppies we are trying to catch. Our director calls on Bryan County Animal Control to come out and assist with anything they may have to catch while the remaining transport team heads back to the shelter to start getting ready for evening care shifts.
Animal Control arrives but doesn't have any more luck. After 30 minutes, we realize we are quickly losing light and won't be able to do much in the dark. We tell our contact to keep us posted, we will come out and try again but have to take the animals we did rescue back to get them started on care. It was a very emotionally and physically exhausting four hours, but the lives in the back of the van make it worthwhile; it's one of the quietest transports we've ever had.
Upon return, the team begins medical care. During testing, it is discovered that each adult sans the nursing mom dog is heartworm positive. The two females that had not been nursing are scheduled for spays first of the week.
The next day, we are elated to find out that our contact has been able to get hands on one of the younger pups and the older pup from Home A. We make arrangements for pick up to get them to our rescue.
On Monday morning, our director returns to make another attempt with the puppies. They get close to the vehicle, but not close enough to get a slip lead on them. On the way out, she discovers that Home C now has a third dog on a chain. No one is home, so no forward progress is made for their rescue.
On Wednesday, we are notified that two of the dogs on chains from Home C were running loose and taken to animal control. We contact BCAC and have the animals tagged to come to CPR at the end of their hold period if they are (hopefully) not reclaimed by the owners.
On Friday, we are notified that the white with black spots puppy has been trapped by one of the Animal Control traps. She is taken into custody to start stray hold period in the event any resident decides to try and make a claim.
On Saturday, we are notified (very late) that the final black puppy has been trapped in the AC trap. Arrangements are made for him to go to AC the next morning and begin the stray hold period.
On Friday, January 25, the two adults and two puppies are formally transferred from Bryan County Animal Control to Coastal Pet Rescue. The rescue team makes one more drive through the trailer park to check for any additional dogs. Efforts to get the owner of the last remaining dog on a chain at Home C have failed. Calls to the property owner who initially said they would be evicting all the animals have not been returned. We can only hope that the owner has a change of heart and will reach out when she realizes the poor quality of life for the retriever, particularly as our temperatures continue to nose dive this winter.
1/27/19 AM: We have verified that the last remaining dog is still on the property and still chained. We have been told Animal Control is going out on Monday to speak with the owner. We will update with any information we are given.
1/27/19 6:30 PM: Our volunteer went back out and the owner was willing to surrender the final dog! She has been taken into a foster home and will start her vetting shortly.
We need to note that these dogs living on chains is not illegal. While there could have been a case made for at least three of the dogs for charges to be pressed under current State of Georgia codes for animal neglect, there is no tethering ordinance in Bryan County. So long as the pets had access to food, water, and shelter (which was questionable for quite a few), no laws were being broken. We did also have individuals reach out to the property management, Bodaford Property Management, without responses back. Again, it is not illegal, but they can set policies that demand better from their residents.
If you live in Bryan County and are upset by this situation, start talking to your county commissioners directly to get them to bring about changes. This is not an isolated incident in this county.
PHOTOS COMING SOON!
Dogs from Home A
No names were given with their surrender; names were picked by CPR
 | Minette |
 | Imani |
| Ramses | |
| Rian |
| Tefiti | |
| Maui |
Dogs from Home B
 | Scrappy |
 | Pongo |
 | Princess Grace |
Dogs from Home C
Since they were picked up as strays, we don't know their real names. These were the names Animal Control gave them.
 | Shorty |
 | Bruce* |
| Sheba |
*Bruce was actually owned by a different person located in another home in the backside of the park, we'll call it Home D. Bruce had frequently been a visitor to Bryan County Animal Control. A volunteer working with this rescue team actually paid his bail out for the owner to get him back on the first day of our rescue. It was very disheartening to see him end up right back in the same situation, though we are unclear why he got chained up at Home C briefly. But he is now safely out to rescue and looking for new digs.
News Coverage
January 28, 2019:
WTOC 6 pm News
Bryan County News
January 29, 2019:
WSAV 6 pm News
Fox 28 News at Ten
