No animals have been sent to the local shelter since Shelly Godwin came on board as Gladewater’s Animal Control Officer.
That’s zero surrenders since late-September, says Gladewater Police Chief Kyle Ready.
“She has taken none,” he said proudly.
Godwin’s relying on other destinations instead. Earlier this month, she entrusted five mixed puppies to the North Shore Animal League in Port Washington, New York. This week, it’s an older furry fella who’s outbound for Oregon.
Vinny, an adult mix, is headed for a re-home center in the Pacific Northwest: “It’s an outstanding facility, just amazing,” Godwin says. His transport is donation-funded, courtesy of Decorate Ornate’s Stephanie Chance footing the bill: “That helps tremendously, too, to get sponsors for the animals that are going.”
More than a week on the road now, the 3-month-old pups have already had their fair share of adventures, and Gladewater resident James Beavers is eager to tell the story with kudos for Godwin.
It was initially a trio of newborn strays: “My buddy, he found them in a culvert. They were scared to death,” Beavers said, so he and Jeff Haley decided to do a good deed. “We trapped them and caught them; it took a week because they were wild.”
A raccoon tripped the trap first.
“We had to catch the dogs in a fishing net,” Haley said.
Per Beavers, “We took them to my house. Fed them. Took care of them. Now they’re nice and big and healthy and fat.”
Godwin soon rounded out the pack with another pair from the same litter.
“The other two were up the road,” she said. “They were a little skinnier and probably a little hungrier, so they came running to me for help. The little runt, I named him Bay-bay.”
After three rounds of shots (costs covered by North Shore) the little ones were ready to roll out Feb. 15: “Their transport was paid for by the facility that’s taking them. They’ll all be spayed and neutered and then adopted out. It’s a no-kill shelter up there.”
Godwin tipped her hat to the locals who were willing to foster the pups while she lined up their inoculations and travel plans.
She’s eager to finish more ACO stories with happy endings.
“We’re moving along. I’m excited. It just took a minute,” she said, now solidly on the beat in Gladewater. “I’ve had really good luck with re-homing at this point.
“I haven’t necessarily done any adoptions, but I have rehomed a lot that I picked up.”
Reach out to Godwin at 903-930-8465 to report a lost animal or stray.
