Bollinger County Stray Project July 1-7

Usually after the 4th of July fireworks we have a lot of calls for lost pets and about strays. Not so this year and thankful for that!

However, there are several dogs dumped again, including four pups that look about 10 weeks of age. They were dumped along Hwy 51, near Hwy M. A Good Samaritan who was working at the time, picked up two of them and took them to a lady near by that she knew would help them. In fact that family found them both homes.

The other two ran into the woods and could not be caught.

The two rescued were so thin and may have been dehydrated too from the sounds of it. They look hound mix with ears medium length and thinner muzzle, short fur like a hound too.

Another lady called me last week with eight dogs she needed to “get rid of” because she could not afford to feed them. I asked her questions to figure out how this happened to her and my other phone rang. She never called me back.

Not sure if she was angry I asked how it happened she had so many dogs. Maybe she lost hope when I told her it was probably going to be difficult to re-home that many dogs in a quick manner (or at all in this economy).

You have to TRY to find help, and again, you have to start looking before it becomes an emergency like she said it was for her that day.

I posted a stray last week that was a dot in a photo. The photo had low pixels and so enlarging the photo to get any quality detail was a substandard result.

It resembled a hunting dog, a sable breed that looked in frame like a Walker hound would. However she told me it had longer fur in the ear area. That sounds like a Saluki, a very fast hunting dog that always looks starved.

That dog was severely starved or a very thin Saluki.

Another black Shepherd type mix with mahogany brindle on the face and legs was found. It was posted recently about 8-10 miles from where found last week.

Photos matter. Getting the photos, then quality photos matter.

Dumping matters too. Would you dump one of your kids? Maybe some people would.

Dogs held for other rescues (2):

n Two Aussie/Great Pyrenees type mix pups that were abandoned in Bollinger County, now age 8 months.

Return to owner (0), placed in other rescues or foster (0) or adopted (2).

n Two black and tan puppies found as strays also found homes.

n Black with brindle, older, intact male wearing a brown leather collar, between Hwy 318 and Hwy 51 on Hwy CC

n Hound or Saluki dog with curly fur around ears, found near River Valley Camp Ground< Hwy 34 and Co Rd 203.

Dogs with erlichia or heartworm (0), special needs (0), or euthanized (0):

n One of our personal dogs has developed Pyroderma of the skin, a bacterial infection. That is puss under the skin layer. I will write about this next week. It is a serious condition. If you don’t get to the root cause of the infection it can be a re-occurring or never ending, chronic condition.

Lost, found, and pets needing homes:

n Blue pit male, wandering the streets of Marble Hill, solid blue head, limited white markings. Told the owner lives :”in the woods” and the guy’s kids picked up and moved, leaving the dog loose in the city of Marble Hill. Dog is very thin, bones sticking out. Trying to find a rescue.

n Several dogs listed on our Facebook page also on the two Bollinger County “What’s Happening” pages, that are found or missing. IF you don’t have FB call us so we can try to match lost pets.

Miscellaneous and contact info:

We were caring for 18 dogs and pups at our home 7/7/24. If you have a stray camping out in the yard don’t wait. Call us at (573) 722-3035 or cell (573) 321-0050.

MARILYN NEVILLE is director of Bollinger County Stray Project.