In 2014, authorities seized 92 dogs and 28 cats from Golden S Rescue in Anderson Co, SC. Charges brought against the rescue’s owner were dropped in exchange for surrendering the animals and an agreement to allow random inspections on the property in future. Last month, Anderson Co ACOs were conducting such an inspection when they discovered 53 dogs and 7 cats allegedly being cared for improperly. The rescue’s owner has been charged with 60 counts of ill treatment of animals, 54 counts of failing to provide proof of rabies vaccination and a charge relating to the possession of methamphetamine. Let the uh, rescuing begin:
After seeing the photos online, many people contacted the Anderson Co sheriff’s office to request an investigation into the handling of the dogs by ACOs. But it doesn’t sound like that will be happening:
Lt. Sheila Cole, a spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office, said she thinks people react to the photos without knowing anything about the case. “I think once we have explained to people that our officers were dealing with aggressive, unvaccinated dogs, they have been understanding of why they handled them the way they did,” Cole said in an interview.
If these ACOs received official training that instructed them to handle unvaccinated, aggressive dogs as is depicted in these photos, I’ll eat my hat. I don’t need to know anything about the case to know that what’s happening in those photos is wrong. The fact that it isn’t obvious to Anderson Co authorities is troubling. (Thank you to everyone who sent me links on this story.)
They apparently didn’t even get the memo as to what a catch pole was for. If you think a dog is aggressive enough to warrant use of it, why in the hell you then put your hands on him?!
And in what universe is carrying a dog by the skin on his back a proper training technique? You don’t even carry cats like that! Forget about the carrying by the neck.
If none of those animals arrived injured to AC, it’s nothing short of a miracle. But then, I’m sure any injuries would be blamed on the rescue.
That made me sick to look at…..training my arse! :)
The ACO in the middle picture is actually more likely to get bit by that unvaccinated dog than if he just tucked her under his arm.
More of the “we’re professionals, you don’t know what you’re talking about, mind your own business” BS.
The truth is that these guys are completely incompetent and their “handling” reflects little, no, or incorrect training. The fact that they don’t even know how to use their own equipment is obvious. There is absolutely no excuse for this type of abusive handling. The enabling of it by authorities over them is sickening.
Wonder how many of these pets will survive the “rescue”?
It’s completely obvious that they view these dogs as trash and are handling them EXACTLY as one handles trash. Just for this attitude ALONE they should not keep their jobs. They don’t give a rat’s ass about the welfare of these dogs (and cats) so the reason for an inspection can only be because the rescuer pissed off some turd in county government and they are able to retaliate by seizing – using idiots as their confederates in crime – these animals. What happened to the previous animals these thugs took? Were they killed or sold to line someone’s pockets, even if just by being funneled through some county entity? What are the plans for innocent creatures? “Can you say coercion?” “I knew that you could.”
As someone with actual training in restrain and handling of fractious animals…no, no, no, that is NOT how you handle an aggressive dog! For one, an aggressive, already stressed animal is going to panic with their body dangling like that and will likely thrash. Not to mention such a method gives you zero control over the animal and there is NOTHING providing them from biting you. You hold a dog like that if you WANT to get bit. The fact that the dogs appear to be dangling fairly calmly suggests that they aren’t all that aggressive to begin with.
As a retired veterinary technician with about 30 years of sheltering and rescue experience, I AGREE!!
All this week is National Animal Control Officer Appreciation week. Bet these guys will want to be thanked for the job they are doing. Why isn’t there a National Rescue Appreciation Week – they are the ones doing all the good work?
See: http://www.nacanet.org/?page=appreciationweek and
https://www.facebook.com/events/361728247320302/
Are all the employees of this agency grossly overweight?
Their weight is not relevant to their competence as an employee.
Did anyone say it is?
Maybe you didn’t mean it this way but calling people fat is frequently used as a shorthand for “lazy, greedy, gross, stupid, etc”. So in my mind it doesn’t make a difference if they are overweight or not because you can be a wonderful person or a terrible person no matter what you weigh. Just think about all of the media tropes of the villain or bumbling idiot who is depicted as fat and never a fat hero. Just something I thought of so I apologize if you weren’t going that direction with your comment.
Jamie, please read KittyPurr’s comment about the mama’s boys. That is what I was getting at. My intention was not to malign their appearance. It was to cut them to shreds because of the kind of people they are. I apologize if I did not make that clear.
So true, KateH. Poor, frightened, little dogs. I will never understand. I mean, I would think pure instinct — just the recognition of another life in need and completely reliant on you — would compel anyone to handle the dogs gently and speak softly and reassuringly. And these are not the actions of a deranged individual, which would be equally terrifying for the dogs, but more difficult to predict and prevent. This is institutionalized indifference … contempt … a shrug and “Yeah, whatever” from those entrusted to care.
I am a retired veterinary technician with around 30 years of experience in sheltering and rescue. You do NOT need to handle ANY dog like that, no matter HOW aggressive or potentially ‘diseased!! This is disgraceful and disgusting. If your animal control department is THIS uneducated in animal handling and restraint, I doubt they know jack all about animal cruelty or abuse. Who are THEY to be taking animals and claiming ‘neglect’ or ‘abuse’ against the owners when they are THIS inept and negligent in their own skills? Again, this is DISGUSTING!!
Ok – I’m from the south. All my life I saw mamas boys. Most of them were hugely broad butts.
So what I see here are the typical lazy (mama wash my clothes, fix my dinner, clean my room- until I get a wife- oh and bring me a beer) BROAD BUTT LAZY Southern Boys. Who have absolutely no desire to give a shit which is why they are in the no account government job they are in.
This and the arrogant ignorant attitude – you can’t teach me anything because we have ALWAYS done it this way and we don’t want any outsider to tell us different is the reason so much of the South is a disgusting cesspool of idiots.
Rant over. Poor doggies. Could not help where they were born.
Thank you, KittyPurr, for reading my mind and stating this is a much more clear manner than I did.
I was scrolling through the photos and that last one stopped me. I was struck by how sweet, mild-tempered, and docile that dog is. He’s most certainly in pain, and yet you can almost see his tail wagging from the expression on his face.
Imagine my surprise to read that someone was trying to pass this dog off as aggressive! I expected some terrible excuse, but frankly that’s a spectacular way to get one’s self on the wrong end of some teeth. It’s as if someone was producing a photo series of How Not To Handle Aggressive and/or Unvaccinated Dogs.
Shameful.