Dear Diary, It is June 16, 2003. It's a coincidence that I was first
married at midnight June 16-17, 1971. As I look back at the years I can
say I am glad that they brought me to where I am today.

It has been a rewarding week. It's a marvel that no matter how much
effort things can take the endurance is there when it matters. I hardly
know where to start. As it usually goes I think of one thing that
becomes a springboard to another, and another.

Thursday June 5th's case of the neglected dogs has come along well. I
have filed a statement of facts, affidavit with the Justice court in
Pontotoc County. This afternoon I checked with the court and was told I
could notify the Sheriff's Dept. that the warrants for Janet and Scott
Pierce had been signed, and were ready to be served. I filed for one
count of starvation for the death of Bonnie Belle, a black Great Dane
whom Dr. & Deputy Mack Huddleston and I discovered dead at the end of
her chain beneath the pick up she had been tethered to.

Murphy, as I have named him was loose in the yard. He was a mess, but
had faired better. He suffered from hookworm infestation, and an ugly
case of flea caused dermatitis. Janet surrendered him to Project hope
for adoption.

Now I only have to pray for the right judge.

Saturday, June 7 I looked into the reported neglect of a horse in
Carroll County, and approximately 20 beagles, and other hounds in
Yalobusha County. Those cases too are coming along. Dr. Andy Bailey,
not our vet, returned my call this afternoon and is going to examine the
horse and right a report for me. I believe we will be able to convince
his "guardian" that he needs to be placed with someone that can care for
him. I am hoping not to have to go to court with the young, single
mother of 4, or 5 children.

I worked through days of frustration to get to the point that I'm at
with the hounds. I took photos of them on the 7th. Unbeknownst to me
their caregiver, and "owner" of many of them moved them to Panola County
that Monday. Monday, and Tuesday I worked cat "hoarder/collector"
cases. Wednesday I tried to meet with the Yalobusha County Prosecuting
Attorney, but there was a violent storm that shut down the power in
Water Valley, so we said that we would meet the next day. I went ahead
and delivered 6 newly abandoned 2-weeek-old pups to Patricia Norwood for
their care. She has been caring for three of the pups abandoned at the
Montgomery County Refuse Center (dumps). Patricia said that we just
missed a tornado that went through the area.
By Thursday I had set up an enclosure for the immediate care of the
hounds, and set out to meet a deputy to confirm the location of the dogs
for the seizure warrant. There was only one deputy on duty in that
district, and one in the other. They were working a school
burglary/vandalism case. They were making arrests.

Well, I called to tell the man that reported the condition of the dogs
that things were slow, but we would get the dogs. That's when he told
me they had been moved. Nothing like a challenge when you've gone this
far. With volunteer Gay Evaldi I set out for Panola County. I didn't
know if the dogs were there, but I know that their "caregiver/owner"
lived there.

I first visited the Sheriff's Dept. We are on great terms. I had
another disappointment, Mr. Foster lived in the City of Batesville, and
so I would have to go through the PD.

The first police officer that went out with us was what a term a "psycho
cop". He spent a great deal of time impressing us with his views on how
criminals should be dealt with. The good was that he believed that
animals should be humanely treated. Because Foster wasn't home yet,
and shifts were changing we dealt with another officer. He clearly
wasn't going to get involved if there was no warrant. Law enforcement
routinely accompanies us as a safeguard. We lucked out; another officer
overheard my request and said that he would accompany us.

It was a bit embarrassing when we went to 120 Johnson Street, and I
discovered that there was no Mr. Foster there. Actually it turned out
fine. The Sheriff's Dept. and just missed by a digit. Mr. Foster lived
at 110. Funny the young couple didn't even know he lived a few houses
away.

It went well considering I really wanted to see the dogs in our
guardianship. I had dreams of them laying on someone's bed instead of
in a pen so filthy that photos and words cannot convey the experience.

Mr. Foster had covered himself. He said that he moved the dogs because
he knew he couldn't care for them with them being so far away. His
intent to seek veterinary treatment axed the possibility of me seizing
the dogs. Next best thing. I gave him instruction to immediately
engage the aid of a vet, told him what he had to do for the welfare of
the dogs, and established permission, and appointments for following
through.

These precious dogs were but a few storms from a life worth living, and
now the best they would get would be a healthier life of servitude as
hunting dogs. My friends and confidants here think that it worked out
okay. I don't.

The two cat cases went well. The first case involved a woman who passed
away leaving at least 30 cats behind. Many of them have scattered.
Those who stayed around have been cared for by a family I met when I
first came to Mississippi. We were able to catch 9 of the cats. The
Kings will continue to feed the others until we can help them. Jackson
Friend's aided us with the cats.

Tuesday I traveled to Belzoni, MS. The Humphrey's County Sheriff
requested our aid with a woman who has tried to help so many cats that
it has gotten beyond her knowledge and ability.

Stephanie and her mother came from Jackson to help me. Stephanie is
with Jackson Friend's. When we met at the SO we spoke with the
"collector's" sister. She told us that it was unlikely that her sister
would cooperate with us. That if we had to get tough he would just hide
the cats, etc.

I generally have a gift for working with people who want to help
animals, but are limited. I believed that things could go well. I
asked the Deputy that was going out with us to tell the woman that we
had heard of her difficulty with her landlady, and that we wanted to
help her, and the cats that would be displaced if she were forced to
move. He did exactly as I asked, and the precious woman immediately
agreed for us to get involved.

We left with 24 cats, one who had her kittens that night - 4. We told
the woman we would return for the cats she couldn't catch. We set her
up so that she could catch the outdoor cats and care for them inside
until we came back. We have spayed two cats to take back to her, and
her other favorite cat is the new mother. When she has weaned her
kittens she will be spayed and returned.

This dear lady is so sweet. She isn't the sociopath who can't cope with
people and surrounds themselves with creatures they can control. She
truly is a precious woman without resources, and without the ability to
fully comprehend veterinary care. I am pleased that we have helped her,
and Jackson Friend's and MARL have helped the cats she tried to save.
Some of the cats were sick beyond recovery, but they won't suffer now.
This is nearly always the case when too many animals become dependent on
the same caregiver.

As for our wonderful sanctuary, it's fine. Despite the driving rain we
placed a pup this Sunday. Of course we got four that came along with
him. It's okay, wee are doing fine, have awesome foster homes, and with
the myriad of demands Tina and I had on us for the care of our animals
and the sanctuary this week, we did great.