On March 23 I came home from the hospital after cancer surgery on both arms with orders to rest. I got home from the hospital around 2 p.m. and at 3:30 my grandson, who is 10 years old, came in the door almost in shock.
The friend he was playing with has a large dog on a long rope. Jeffry went to pick up the basketball they were playing with. The dog jumped him, knocked him down and bit him on the back. He had an open wound with blood.
Well, grandmother was upset to put it loosely. The dog hadn’t had his shots and is in an open area with no fence, so he is vulnerable to a rabid fox, coyote, etc.
I immediately called the Animal Control. After the standard push this button for this on the telephone, I finally got a human on the phone.
I told him my grandson had been bitten by a dog and I wanted them to come and get the dog for the protection of my grandson’s health.
Well, can you believe that Animal Control told me that they would not come out and get the dog. He was not putting his staff at risk of being bit by the dog.
Well, my blood pressure skyrocketed. I asked him what does Animal Control do, sit at the desk all day and do nothing?
You see, it is my understanding that Animal Control has trucks that county taxpayers have bought for this purpose, we buy gas for the trucks and pay the salary of people who were hired to take care of strays, and dogs who bite people, and a vulnerable child should be at the top of the list.
When I moved to this county Bill Newman was the person in charge of Animal Control. His staff did a great job while he was there and we never had a problem getting dogs picked up that were abandoned in the rural areas of this county.
But now we are informed that they don’t pick up animals that might bite them. Folks, our tax dollars are being wasted. Why do we need Animal Control when they are not doing their job?
As a grandmother. I take this dog bite very serious; the response I got was next to nothing. I would like everyone who reads this letter to put in a phone call to the county commissioners and ask why our tax dollars are being wasted to pay the salary of people who won’t pick up stray animals for fear of being bit. It’s part of the job, people.
What if the fire department refused to put out fires for fear of being burned? What if the police refused to stop speeders for fear of being shot? We would be in serious trouble. Our tax dollars at work, including 50 years of taxes from this old grandmother.
LeGay Saul
Fayette County, Ga.
