Jan. 13—In late Dec. 2023, Samantha Faucette was on her shift at a Berea gas station when she saw a dog outside in the parking lot.

“She was in the middle of the parking lot with a flea collar on so tight I’m surprised she could breathe,” said Faucette. “She was infested with worms worse than I’ve ever seen. It was awful.”

Faucette was moved by the little dog, a Sheltie named Alfie, who turned out to be blind and deaf. She took Alfie inside, wrapped her in a blanket, and cared for Alfie the best that she could.

She took to a Facebook group to seek advice and assistance.

“A lot of people have given me advice on deaf and blind dogs, and a few people have even donated money”, said Faucette.

She has received $160 in donations that have provided Alfie with food, treats, a halo harness, and other supplies.

Unfortunately, this story is not unique, as Facebook groups have been seeing more and more instances of locals asking for donations and advice to handle abandoned and stray animals.

Faucette has seen this happening online and posed concerns about the general state of animal welfare in Madison County, claiming that instances of animal abandonment and mistreatment have increased.

“Dumping animals has gotten a lot worse. I want people to at least take them somewhere where they are in a safe spot, not in the middle of a parking lot”, she said. “People have become pretty heartless towards animals.”

Animal welfare professionals speak up

Faucette is not alone in her concerns for animal welfare, nor in her assertion that the situation is getting worse.

Kentucky consistently ranks very low in the U.S. State Animal Protection Laws Ranking Report, which is published annually. For at least 12 years, it was ranked last; however, it was risen slightly in recent years and was ranked 45 in last year’s released report.

Amanda Bowling of KY Hopeful Paws Rescue said that their operation, which serves the entire state of Kentucky, has seen an increase in the demand for their services, taking in 100 more dogs in 2023 than 2022.

“We see abuse all the time. That hasn’t changed,” she said. “We’ve seen a lot of people have to give up their animals because of being evicted, and that’s all across the state. It’s super unfortunate what’s happening out here.”

This time of year can yield higher surrender and abandonment rates due to the holiday season, explained Madison County Animal Shelter Director Katie Stewart.

“You do see, a lot of times, people getting puppies for Christmas. With that comes two scenarios,” she said. “We’ll get somebody who got a puppy right around Christmas time; they likely got it for free on one of these free rehoming sites. It ends up getting sick, and then they bring it to us and they’re like, ‘Well, can’t you fix it?’ because they’re not properly vetted.”

The second scenario, explained Stewart, is when people get a new dog as a gift and surrender their old dog.

“It sounds barbaric, but it really does happen,” Stewart remarked.

Spring is when the community will likely see a rise in abandoned and stray kittens, explained Stewart, which is complicated by the fact that cats are taken by the shelter on a “case-by-case basis.”

“We’re pretty strict about what cats we do and do not accept…Cats that we take in have to be indoor, and they have to be litter box trained. We do not take in feral cats or cats that have just been found wandering,” said the director.

Casey Potter of Black Cat Animal Rescue, who also serves the community as a veterinary tech, agreed that “it’s definitely getting worse” locally.

She remarked, “It seems like every time you can save one, there’s five more to take its spot.”

The veterinary tech has personally witnessed numerous occasions where people who are unable to give puppies away for free will abandon them, often times leaving puppies infected with Parvo and infested with worms on the street. She noted that these conditions can be expensive to treat.

Potter often posts pleas for assistance online, asking for more people to volunteer to foster animals in their home.

The Madison County animal shelter is also housing 70 dogs in a 65 kennel facility.

Stewart said that “people are likely getting desperate and resorting to other means” since there are less options available to surrender pets.

“A lot of shelters, like Estill County, for example, used to have boxes where you could just leave dogs after hours, and that was totally normal and acceptable. I think even Madison County at one point used to have something like that. Now that that is sort of an outdated principle. Now, that is no longer an option,” Stewart explained.

While their dual purpose as a shelter and animal control space means they can accept stray dogs at any time during regular business hours, the Madison County Animal Shelter has only been able to take “a handful” of owner surrendered animals due to lack of kennel space.

“Most of the dogs we get in are strays or they’re brought in by animal control. We’ve got over a dozen dogs right now that we’re holding as evidence for various neglect cases…We legally have to hold those…So our kennel space is really limited,” said Stewart.

Potter asserted that the issue boils down to a lack of individual responsibility, saying, “It comes down to irresponsible pet ownership. They don’t spay or neuter, and they let their dogs have litters and they don’t even have money to feed, you know, 10 dogs.”

She also said she will offer help to community members she meets, but they do not always accept assistance.”There was a couple who were giving away puppies at the Berea Walmart and I offered to help them spay/neuter their animals but they declined the offer”, said Potter.

What can be done?

As someone who recently saved a dog off the street, Faucette posited two solutions that she feels could help improve animal welfare in Madison County.

Firstly, she feels that veterinarians should incentivize individuals assisting animals instead of only offering discounts to rescues.

She said, “I wish more vets had discounts for people who rescue also instead of just established rescues. I’ve called around and there isn’t any vets that give discounts for rescue animals unless you are a rescue.”

Faucette also personally advocates for stricter animal neglect laws, as she believes people seldom face consequences for the mistreatment of animals.

Both Stewart and Potter recommend spaying and neutering pets to prevent unwanted or unexpected pregnancies, keeping populations low.

Stewart added, “I think it’s important to consider, especially puppies, that this is a big decision, because you’re making anywhere from a nine to 20 year commitment. That’s a big deal.”

She imparted some advice for those considering pet ownership.

“If you foresee yourself moving in the near future, consider if you’re going to be able to pay the pet deposit of new place. Consider the reality of finding a place that will allow a dog, especially if you have a breed that is larger, like a Rottweiler or a German Shepherd,” she said.

Stewart further explained that “probably 80% of people looking to surrender their own dogs are moving and can suddenly no longer keep their dog.”

Individuals can also collect supplies and donate their time to local rescues and shelters.

According to Stewart, the shelter will go through approximately 900 pounds of dog food every month and always need cleaning supplies and cat litter.

For Black Cat Animal Rescue, volunteering typically means fostering an animal in-home. However, the rescue coordinates and pays for vetting and supplies. An application is available on their website.

“I try and make it as easy as possible for fosters. They have this animal in their home and take care of the day-to-day, and then I provide all the supplies that they need, so they don’t have to spend any money,” said Potter.

At the animal shelter, volunteers can take on a variety of roles. Stewart will interview volunteers to help them find a position within the shelter they enjoy.