V. Hugh Lewis II/Jefferson Jimplecute
The removal of over 60 dogs from a Marion County animal shelter created regional attention, and a bit of confusion.
Dude’s Second Chance Rescue (DSCR), operating out of the closed Rendezvous Bikini Bar at the intersection of FM1968 and FM726, and owned by KT Pugh, contacted Animal Rescue Corp (ARC) of Gallatin, Tenn., for assistance over the last several months. ARC supplied DSCR with funding for utility bills, air conditioners, vet bills, temporary lodging, and, ultimately, removal of over 60 dogs as DSCR closed according to a press release from ARC.
“[ARC] first learned about KT’s and Dude’s Second Chance Rescue when she was in another county helping out a hoarder,” said ARC’s executive director Tim Woodward. “We were sent a FB post and thought we’d see what we could do without taking all the dogs. We helped KT out initially with lodging and some vet bills. Then a couple of weeks later we got another call saying they had few volunteers and no funds.”
Woodward said they agreed to take 2-3 dogs which had severe health issues, but the calls kept coming.
“We kept getting calls over time and when the heat set in, she asked for help. So we sent money for air conditioning and paid her utility bills,” Woodward said. “We agreed to take nine dogs to help lighten her load and sending some volunteers to help her. We ended up sending a transport and brought back 19 dogs – more than we intended. And thought, ‘maybe now we’re done’.”
Full with other cases, per the press release, ARC initially responded with two prior deployments to rescue 21 dogs and sending care supplies to help with interim care of the animals, including pet food and an air conditioning unit.
According to Woodward, after about a week, he got another call telling him DSCR had received a 30-day eviction notice, and their daughter had a severe medical crisis, which was leaving the dogs without a caretaker.
“A supporter got in touch with us, and offered a contribution to help out,” he said. “I verified the situation, and we sent a transport and volunteers to get the remaining dogs.”
Woodward said he’d much prefer groups work together in areas, but that he was told there were no other groups, only a “dog pound was in the area. I was told they’d exhausted every possible avenue, and they couldn’t place any more dogs in foster care. So, we called around, cleared space and were able to come remove the last 30 dogs.”
When rescuers returned for the third and final deployment, they found 39 dogs inside and outside the facility housed in a variety of pens, cages, and kennels. Some tarp-covered wire cages outside held up to five dogs while inside dogs were exposed to high ammonia levels and kept in dirty makeshift kennels with urine-soaked straw, per the press release.
ARC transported all of the dogs to ARC’s Rescue Center in Gallatin, about 30 minutes east of Nashville. Each dog rescued in “Operation Lost Hope” is receiving a thorough veterinary exam, appropriate vaccinations, and any necessary medical treatments before they will be matched and transported to trusted shelter and rescue partner organizations in high-adoption areas that will ultimately adopt them into loving homes, per Woodward and the press release.
FOJA offered to help with the cats back in May, but were refused, according to FOJA’s Sharon Goolsby. Goolsby also stated that Dina Carol and other FOJA volunteers had offered to help but were turned way. Pugh even went so far as to have a Criminal Trespass (CT) order issued against one volunteer who kept showing up and offering to help.
FOJA noted the press release from ARC, which, according to Woodward, was trying to be sensitive to Pugh and DSCR, caused confusion among area news media and individuals who thought FOJA was the organization involved.
“Just naming a ‘non-profit rescue organization’ caused some people to think we were involved and it was another case of what happened with Dixie Humane Society,” Goolsby said. “We tried to help her, but kept getting rejected. I’m just glad the situation is resolved and the dogs are in good hands.”
“I sincerely apologize for creating any confusion or concern about the situation and it being about [FOJA],” Woodward said. “We much prefer to help people work with their local rescues and shelters. We were told there were not any in the area.”
The Jimplecute reached out to Pugh, but had not received a response by press time on Wednesday.
Since 2010, Animal Rescue Corps (ARC), a national animal protection nonprofit, has provided large-scale animal rescue for communities that lack resources to address abuse In addition to emergency rescue, ARC offers education and shelter relief. ARC’s mission is to end animal suffering through direct and compassionate action and to inspire the highest ethical standards of humanity towards animals.
Friends of Jefferson Animals has agreements for some funding from both the City of Jefferson and the Marion County Commissioners Court.