The People Who Will Not Let the Dogs Die
Out to the west of Nashville, after a long slog on US 40 and several smaller highways that took us through Paris and Pillowville, we arrived in Greenfield. Our destination: the police station. We’d come to meet Tabi, officially the records clerk for Greenfield Police Department, unofficially—the keeper of the dog pound.
Tabi is a friendly, cheerful soul, despite the situation she faces every day regarding the fifty-nine dogs in her care. She greeted us and invited us to follow her to the city pound, just a few blocks away. It was under the water tower, next to a few unmarked run-down pole buildings, but out of sight of the highway (so as not to be an eyesore for the people who have abandoned these dogs).Six kennels sat on a concrete slab under a small corrugated roof. Five were filled (one must be kept empty at all times in case a police officer needs a place to put a dog). Each had an igloo dog house or a hollowed out plastic barrel for shelter.
“They’re out here? All the time? Even in storms? Even in the winter?” I asked.Tabi nodded and explained that these kennels were much better than the old kennels, which she pointed to across the road. Literally under the water tower, was a small clutch of falling apart kennels, with rusting chainlink and barbed wire, that looked more appropriate for rabbits than dogs.
“How long have these dogs been here?”Tabi rattled off the stats on each dog, several had been living in these kennels for more than a year.
Tabi is a friendly, cheerful soul, despite the situation she faces every day regarding the fifty-nine dogs in her care. She greeted us and invited us to follow her to the city pound, just a few blocks away. It was under the water tower, next to a few unmarked run-down pole buildings, but out of sight of the highway (so as not to be an eyesore for the people who have abandoned these dogs).Six kennels sat on a concrete slab under a small corrugated roof. Five were filled (one must be kept empty at all times in case a police officer needs a place to put a dog). Each had an igloo dog house or a hollowed out plastic barrel for shelter.“They’re out here? All the time? Even in storms? Even in the winter?” I asked.Tabi nodded and explained that these kennels were much better than the old kennels, which she pointed to across the road. Literally under the water tower, was a small clutch of falling apart kennels, with rusting chainlink and barbed wire, that looked more appropriate for rabbits than dogs.“How long have these dogs been here?”Tabi rattled off the stats on each dog, several had been living in these kennels for more than a year.
What about the young, blond pitbull that just arrived? I scratched his chin and laughed later as we watched him soaking in his own personal baby pool, cooling off from the ninety-degree heat. He was six months old. Will he still be here in a year, like Claude and Maude, siblings who also arrived with Tabi at six months of age?
Today we are headed west again. This time we will travel with Trisha and see the situation through her eyes. I wish that Tabi’s situation was rare, but I’m pretty sure in this part of our country, her dogs are the lucky ones.If you’d like to help Tabi, Amber, and Karin4Kritters, you can send donations directly through thewebsiteor buy something for them thru their Amazon wishlist.What they need most is the stuff they go through daily – bleach, paper towels, puppy pads, Kongs, scrub brushes, treats. I asked what would make the biggest difference and they told me that what they really need are kennels. The ones they have are scrapped together from donated kennels people were throwing out. The dogs get loose, but they don’t go anywhere, they know where they are loved.Thanks for reading. More tomorrow.Cara
Today we are headed west again. This time we will travel with Trisha and see the situation through her eyes. I wish that Tabi’s situation was rare, but I’m pretty sure in this part of our country, her dogs are the lucky ones.If you’d like to help Tabi, Amber, and Karin4Kritters, you can send donations directly through thewebsiteor buy something for them thru their Amazon wishlist.What they need most is the stuff they go through daily – bleach, paper towels, puppy pads, Kongs, scrub brushes, treats. I asked what would make the biggest difference and they told me that what they really need are kennels. The ones they have are scrapped together from donated kennels people were throwing out. The dogs get loose, but they don’t go anywhere, they know where they are loved.Thanks for reading. More tomorrow.Cara
