Few things other than your own child can bring the feeling of love and comfort into your heart like a good dog. A dog is a companion, a friend, and perhaps one of the best things a person can ever do for their own emotional well-being.
And that’s why this story is so incredibly painful to write. You see, I’m a dog owner and cherish my pit bull mix, Ginger, for what she is: A member of the family.
In rural Arkansas, two men from a lumber mill went to a remote wooded area to inspect it and see if they could harvest the timber. But what they found was beyond horrific: Dozens upon dozens of dead dogs. The dogs had been fed poison and then used as target practice for some sick and sadistic asshole.
John Magruder, the shelter manager for the Searcy County Humane Society, remarked that he was at a loss for what to say:
“I don’t really have any words for what it makes me feel like. I’ve worked with dogs all my life and I love them a whole bunch and I just don’t deal well with this, but I’m doing my best so I can save the ones I can.”
The local sheriff, Joey Pruitt, said it appears someone brought the dogs out there, fed them poison, then opened fire. He also remarked that he does not think the culprit or culprits were stealing people’s pets.
In addition to how the dogs were treated, the cruel bastard who committed this heinous crime didn’t even put the dogs out of their misery after they had been injured. Some were found still alive, suffering from the effects of the poison and/or gunshot wounds.
The final count shows that 57 dogs were massacred, with four miraculously being rescued from the scene. One of them, Magruder commented, came right up to him, seeking attention and love:
“He saw us, and that I had a bag of treats, and he took a treat and he was in the truck. He said, ‘I’ve had enough of this.’”
Those who wish to donate to the care of or adopt any of the surviving dogs can call the Searcy County Humane Society at 870-448-5579.
