This is in response to recent articles concerning Fairfield County Animal Rescue in Winnsboro. I would like to comment that David Brown and his entire staff and Janice at the Adoption Center have done an outstanding job for Fairfield County and animal rights. Many moons ago the Shelter in Winnsboro was a death sentence for 95 percent of dogs and cats that made it to those facilities. I’m 66 years old and remember the horror stories.
I have owned and operated Bug Tussell Animal Shelter as a state charity since 2003 in Longtown. We have maintained our sanctuary here for all of God’s creatures and they live out a good and happy life here. My son and I haven’t had a vacation in over 15 years, but we wouldn’t trade off for our love of animals. It’s hard, through all seasons, and sometimes food is low and you have to search and beg for food. We are very low now and have called other wealthy counties around us and no one helps. We play doctor when one of our animals is sick and we have had no fatalities yet.
One doctor has been especially good to us supplying meds and real emergency surgery. Most vets in this area, if you are a person on a fixed income or poor, your pet doesn’t count without a credit card. Emergency vets, forget it. That’s for rich folks only.
Like I mentioned, Fairfield County has David Brown and his staff and they have made us much better than what we once were. Janice does a great job at the Adoption Center and we all work together.
Horses were one thing the County was not equipped to handle. I understand there is now an equine vet on call and that’s great.
Fairfield has an activist group and they do good things and could take projects on like horses and other large or exotic animals. It always ticks me off that you have to make decisions with a Board. Animals don’t have time for B.S. Put your money where your mouth is and just do it.
When Shirley Locklair ran Hoof & Paw, before she passed on, she and I got together every week by phone or in person. She was my best friend and when I needed cheering up or needed help with the animals, she was there. Sometimes she helped this shelter when I needed it the most. She just did it and it was between the two of us. We never needed to have a board meeting. We just did it for the animals. She really improved the welfare of animals in Fairfield County. She appreciated David and Janice and she would have solved this most recent crisis. So folks, don’t criticize the problem till you get your hands dirty.
We need to fix and improve our kennels and fencing here, but God will fix it in his time; I do believe that.
Bruce Elrod
Bug Tussell Animal Rescue Shelter
Ridgeway
