Dog transports save Southern dogs' lives

There are thousands of so-called Dixie Dogs who head north to find homes. Who ya gonna call to help move them?

Sarah and Rick McDonald of Bedford County for one. They are part of a little-heralded network where people find out who wants another region’s excess dogs and others volunteer to drive the dogs from Point A to B.

“A transport runs through Virginia every week,” says Sarah, who along with husband Rick takes one leg of a transport monthly.

The dogs are from Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas and the South in general, and they end up throughout the Northeast. The Christian Science Monitor in June reported that it is estimated that 90 percent of the dogs adopted in the Northeast come from the South. The reason: there is horrible dog overpopulation in the South due to a weak commitment to spaying/neutering. The Monitor notes that even with the transports, one shelter in Georgia still euthanizes 3,000 dogs a year.

(There are also humane societies in this region who regularly drive loads of local dogs to shelters in New Jersey for adoption there).

The McDonalds started participating in the dog transports in April by registering with the Best Friends Animal Society, a group in the West they had volunteered with when they lived in California.

After proving they had insurance and valid driver licenses, the couple’s contact information and location were entered into a database accessed by many different rescue groups. Any one of these groups can call upon them to drive one leg of a transport, which is usually about 80 miles with two or three dogs.

“The network is pretty amazing,” says McDonald. “We’re just the laborers. The coordinators are very dedicated volunteers.”

A recent assignment required the McDonalds to drive two Brittany spaniels named Kirby and Lily from Roanoke to Staunton. The dogs were from Tennessee and were heading to a rescue group in Rhode Island. The itinerary detailed the dogs’ needs, including the good news that both spaniels were friendly with people and other dogs. The handoffs take place in parking lots.

“We’ve never had a problem with the transports,” says Sarah. “No escapes, no problems with the people we’re picking up or handing off to.

“It just gives me a good feeling to help the animals. Transport is another step in saving another animal’s life. There is so much rescue work that needs to be done.”

Transporting, however, doesn’t prevent pet overpopulation or the resulting euthanizing of millions of dogs (thousands locally). There are inexpensive options to help people do their part in solving the problem.

For instance, the Bedford Humane Society (BHS) has received grants to offer convenient, low-cost spay/neuter services to Bedford County residents based on a sliding income scale. Fees for cats range from $5 to $43, and dogs from $10 to $53. An application and appointment are necessary. Call (540) 586-6100 or go to www.bedfordhumanesociety.petfinder.com to find out how you can help, or take advantage of the service. The next spay/neuter shuttle is Oct. 21 at Bedford Tractor Supply.

Area residents have two other options. Angels of Assisi in Roanoke, www.angelsofassisi.org (540) 344-8707, or South Central Spay/Neuter Clinic in Evington, www.endpetoverpopulation.org (434) 821-4922. Each has its own pricing.

Transport, says Sarah McDonald, “is a wonderful way to make a difference, even with one dog.” Yes it is. But it would be nicer still for all dogs if transports were unnecessary. Are we just whistling Dixie here?