Editor,

I read an article in The Banner about the Logan Dog Pound “doing away” with dogs almost as soon as they get them. My issue with the Logan Dog Pound is trying to get them to come out and pick up a dog.

For those of you who don’t know, let me tell you how the Logan Dog Pound really works. The workers will make a home visit to warn you about a complaint from your neighbor that your dog is barking all night keeping them awake. But, when YOU call the dog pound and explain to them that you was woken by a “death cry” from a dog that happened to show up in your yard and its lying there on its last breath and you need them to come and pick it up, you are told they are too busy.

Here’s my story. On Friday, April 17, I called the Logan Dog Pound around 8:30 a.m. when I was woken by this “death cry”. I left a message on their answering machine with my name, phone number and a brief message of my situation. An hour later, when no one returned my call, I called back. I spoke to a man, whom I advised that I called earlier and left a message and then went into great detail about the problem at hand. I had a stray dog lying in my yard unable to move, moaning continuously and I needed them to come and pick it up.

I was told that on Friday’s they euthanize dogs and they would be too busy to come by and pick it up. I explained once again the dog was dying, it wouldn’t need to be euthanized it Just needed to be picked up so that it wouldn’t lay there and die in my yard. I was then advised that the man who drives the truck that picks up the dogs was at the hospital and when he returned he would have him call me. Using the caller ID, he repeated to me my name and phone number and asked me if that was correct. I advised it was. He asked directions to my home, I gave the directions.

No one called me back, nor did they come and pick up the dog. So, I called again around 3:30 p.m. and then again around 4 p.m. No one answered the phone, thanks to the caller ID, nor did the answering machine come on for me to leave another message.

At this point, I was frustrated. So, I called the Logan County Sheriffs Dept. for some help. I explained my situation and was advised that since the Logan Dog Pound was put in to handle all situations with animals, the Sheriffs Dept. no longer handled any calls that came in involving animals. The officer did advise me that the Logan County Commissioner’s Office was over the dog pound. He gave me the number and suggested I call there.

As you can tell thus far, I had been given nothing but the run-around. But, I called the Logan County Commissioner’s Office hoping that some how I could get someone to understand my situation and offer some help. Wrong!

The lady I spoke to at the Logan County Commissioners Office was the most ungrateful person that I could possibly talk to. I explained, for the third time, my situation with this dog lying in my yard no longer moaning, but barely breathing. I explained that I had called the dog pound and was told they were to busy to come get the dog. I explained that I called the Sheriff’s Dept. and was told they no longer handled calls that involved animals. I told her I was advised to call there because they were over the dog pound. “Its almost quitting time, there is nothing I can do” she stated.

However, she did offer to take my name and phone number and said she would have the workers at the dog pound call me on Monday. Monday! Did I just hear her say she would have them call me on Monday? Its Friday, the dog is lying there on its last breath and they want me to wait until Monday.

I told her I couldn’t wait until Monday. I needed them to come out today. It wasn’t like I lived 50 miles away. I live no more than 5 miles, if that, from the dog pound. She went into how there are only two men that work there. They are extremely busy. They don’t work on weekends and there is no after hour or emergency services. OK, you need to look into providing these services for situations as mine that may come up.

I came to realize that no one was willing to help. So, I gave up. I was more frustrated now than I was to start with and I was close to tears. I was being forced to leave this dog to lay and watch it die. Thanks, for nothing!

I have lived in Logan County all my life and I had never realized, until this very day. that the county had such poor services. Not only was this a disgrace to the community, it was a disgrace to me and my daughter to have to endure watching this helpless animal take its last breath.

Sadly, the dog lost its battle with life. However, instead of leaving it lay until Monday, my husband dug him a grave in our yard and we not only gave him a proper burial, my daughter gave him a name, Archie.

I wish I could say this was the end of my story. However, on Monday, guess who showed up on my doorstep to pick up a stray dog? None other than the Logan Dog Pound. Hello! You’re three days and a frustrated citizen too late.

I hope no one has to endure what my family endured this very day. I also hope this letter opens up the eyes of every person I talked to that day and each of them realizes they were in the wrong. Archie, may you rest in peace!

Julie Gibson

West Logan