Everybody

likes a story to have a happy ending.

While

the end of this one has not yet been written, at

least it has a happy middle. The story and

picture that offended some readers two weeks ago

- as they should have - were Chapter 1

of a potential heartbreaker.

Two

dogs were abandoned at a Peachtree City residence

without food or water when their owner moved. A

neighbor alerted authorities who impounded the

starving animals and began their rehabilitation.

One

is a great Dane pup, now about six months old, at

the peak of her nutritional needs for growth. She

reportedly weighed about 33 pounds when picked

up. The other is a pit bull with an unusually

benign personality.

In

Chapter 2, the dogs were in limbo, their lives in

the balance as animal control officers at Fayette

County's animal shelter worked with local

veterinarians to bring their weight back to

normal. It was a slow process. And until the

owner had his day in court, officials could not

actively seek to place the animals in safe

adoptive homes.

The

owner, Brian Kovach, pled nolo (no defense)

before State Court Judge Fletcher Sams and got 12

months probation on each of two counts of animal

cruelty, plus a $1,500 fine, as well as court

costs and restitution to the animal shelter.

According to assistant solicitor general Lura

Landis who prosecuted the case for Fayette

County, the sentence, to be served consecutively,

is the maximum for a misdemeanor.

The

case was clinched when Landis simply showed Judge

Sams pictures of the dogs taken by animal control

officers. "The photographs were just

awful," Landis said. According to a Citizen

photographer, present in the courtroom, the judge

blanched, turned the photos toward the defendant,

and said, "Are these your dogs?" Kovach

admitted that they were.

It

is customary to probate a first offense, Landis

said, but probation "gives the judge a hold

over him for two years. What was important to me

was to get those dogs away from [Kovach]. Part of

the plea negotiation was that he give up the

animals. The judge has a wide latitude and

discretion," and can enforce any requirement

"reasonably connected to the offense,"

Landis said.

In

this case, that includes a character development

course designed to teach Kovach about actions and

consequences, plus 40 hours of community service.

The

next chapter brings welcome news. Both dogs are

in foster homes, gaining weight, and their

rescuers are confident that good adoptive homes

will be found. One has pledged to keep hers if he

can't be placed elsewhere. Animal control officer

Donna Evans was eager to turn the abused dogs

over to rescuers from north Atlanta. Why? A

public facility like the Fayette County shelter

can't effectively screen would-be adopters of

animals in its custody, but private rescue

organizations can and do.

"Monday

after court, I came back and called rescue,"

Evans said. "They came down Monday afternoon

and took [the great Dane]. We found somebody who

does pit bull rescue, and released him to them.

Once the dogs have been spayed or neutered,

rescue will check out possible homes for them,

and make sure they offer a suitable

environment."

Powder Springs woman, "Rebecca," is

fostering the great Dane puppy, but asked The

Citizen not to publish her last name. She has

occasionally been harassed by animal abusers

whose dogs she was keeping. She had high praise

for the actions of local officials whom she

credits with saving the dogs' lives.

"Fayette

County is indeed the savior in this

situation," she said. "My hat's off to

the DA and prosecutor for making this man

understand." Rebecca described what she saw

in the photo that moved the judge: The great Dane

"is on a chain that was twisted in knots

around a pine tree out of reach of food or water.

She can't reach either her shelter or the bowl

that was empty anyhow, her head outstretched. I

saw that picture and I cried."

When

she came to Fayette County to pick up the

almost-skeletal tall pup, she named her Miss

Liberty. "Rebecca" is a member of

Paulding Volunteer Animal Rescue, an organization

that accepts all breeds from shelters throughout

the Atlanta area and finds temporary homes for

them while pursuing permanent adoption. "We

have pet adoption at PetSmart in Kennesaw on

Saturdays from noon to 6," Rebecca said.

"Our adoption fees reflect our expenses, and

can be very high. People don't understand the

kind of care [a dog] requires. Everybody's

heartworm tested, spayed or neutered, vaccinated,

and dewormed, and one visit to the vet is

covered."

Rebecca

got into pet rescue somewhat accidentally when

she took in an abandoned "big fat black

Lab" who, within a week, multiplied.

Eventually she found homes for all nine animals

(the mother was spayed first), but accepted two

more to foster. Today, besides fostering Miss

Liberty and several others, she owns six dogs,

most of them not candidates for adoption because

of their advanced age.

The

full-time volunteer is adamant about fencing:

"People need to tell me what kind of home

they're going to provide. If you want a pet and

want to make the commitment, you have to make the

investment. Fencing is a safety net - I know

my guys are safe. They're not outside

unattended." And Miss Liberty?

After

the first draft of this story was already

written, Miss Liberty was adopted by a young

Marietta man and his fianc�e who have another

rescued Dane.

"They're

keeping the name I gave her and she's adjusting

beautifully," said Rebecca. "The place

is fenced, but she's really an indoor pet. In

fact, he won't leave her outside because she's

black and could easily become overheated.

"I

wish I had a thousand more like him," she

said, then added, "No, make that a million

- and we wouldn't need pet rescue any

more."

Dana

Crane of Kennesaw took the pit bull and named him

Silver, honoring Silver Lashley of the Fayette

animal shelter.

"I'm

looking for a home for him," she said,

"but if I can't find one, I'll keep him.

He's my ninth one and he seems as happy as can

be. He's just a sweet boy, gorgeous, probably the

best dog I have here right now."

colleague who shows pit bulls told Crane that

Silver is absolutely purebred. She said the dog

seems especially fond of men, surprising

considering his treatment at Kovach's hands, but

doesn't know how he would be with children. He is

housebroken and now weighs 56 pounds.

Crane

describes herself as "an animal person"

since childhood, and lives in a small house on a

completely fenced acre-and-a-half lot. She works

full-time for a veterinarian "to pay dog

food bills," since she tends to keep the

dogs for which she cannot find permanent homes.

Her neighbors are forbearing, and "have

never complained after five years of my living

here," she said.

For

information on Silver and other rescued animals,

Paulding Volunteer Animal Rescue has a web site

at www.pvar.org .

To

adopt a dog leave a message at 770-445-7294.

Crane offers her home number for inquiries about

the pit bull - 770-419-8358.

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