09/02/2026
Bart Cauley, since we’re apparently going to discuss this publicly, let’s at least discuss it honestly and with ALL of the facts.
First, you are not “out $125.” You are out $100.80, because we refunded $24.20 to you yesterday morning. When someone else stepped up and paid $25 toward Cowboy’s surrender fee, we returned that money to you.
Second, the idea that this rescue is somehow profiting off your animal is laughable. We charge $125 because that is approximately what it costs us to vaccinate, deworm, heartworm test, spay/neuter, and provide a rabies vaccination and certificate for ONE dog. That $125 does NOT include food, flea and tick prevention, additional medications, kennel space, cleaning supplies, utilities, staff time, transportation, or the countless other expenses involved in keeping that dog alive, healthy, and cared for until it leaves our facility.
So if you genuinely believe we’re “making money” off these animals, please come down and volunteer. Clean kennels. Wash bowls. Do laundry. Feed dogs. Give medications. Help with intake. Load animals for vet appointments and transports. Spend a few days seeing exactly where the money goes, and then we can have an informed conversation about how “profitable” animal rescue is.
And here’s another fact that seems to keep getting overlooked: WE DO NOT RECEIVE COUNTY FUNDING.
Our contract is with the City of Lucedale ONLY. We receive $0 from George County to take county animals, and we are under absolutely no obligation to accept them.
Yet we do.
We take them when we have room—and sometimes when we really DON’T have room—because somebody has to help them.
So yes, if you live in the county, asking for a surrender fee or some financial assistance toward the animal YOU are asking us to take is about all we can do until George County decides to fund animal services. We cannot continue being expected to provide a county-wide service with zero county dollars and then be attacked for asking the person surrendering the animal to help cover a fraction of its care.
We even offered to show you our veterinary bills so you could see for yourself exactly what we pay.
If criticizing the rescue that took Cowboy into an already overcrowded shelter after asking for the bare minimum in help makes you feel better, have at it.
But don’t leave out the refund.
Don’t leave out the offer to show you the bills.
Don’t leave out the fact that we receive ZERO county funding.
And certainly don’t imply that we’re profiting from an animal that will cost us more to care for than you paid us to take.
You’re entitled to your opinion.
You are not entitled to your own version of the facts.
