In the last week, officials from the Christian County Regional Animal Shelter announced on social media the locating of a male dog stray — found on the 11300 block of Old Fruit Hill Road in Crofton.
His shelter name “Gabriel,” he was not made available for adoption due to his health. Emaciated and malnourished, a large, bulbous tumor covered the right side of his nose.
On July 18, he was humanely euthanized. Unable to stand on his own and struggling to breathe, leaders opted to provide end-of-life care — his malignancy left untreated for too long.
Tuesday morning, and at the behest of a couple magistrates, CJ Hale brought Gabriel’s battered, faded collar — and dropped it on the podium in front of Christian County Fiscal Court.
A founding steward of non-profit Haven 12:10 Animal Sanctuary, Inc. — responsible for canines, felines and equines — Hale noted she was uniquely positioned to observe growing concerns of animal cruelty and abandonment in Christian County.
She laid no blame on current municipalities, especially as a former local dispatcher, but added that the sheriff’s office, fire/EMS and shelter — where she sometimes volunteers — have little power to fully solve these issues alone.
Hale first learned of Gabriel’s plight when a former co-worker frantically called her about his arrival to the area. The dog didn’t belong to any Crofton residents, and had most likely been dropped off in an advance medical state — with little regard to his life.
With no one readily available to retrieve him, Hale said she postponed her own adoption event at PetSmart for two hours in order to answer the need. Unable to walk, she had to physically put him in her truck.
Could intra-agency efforts, or an animal task force of some kind, be in the future for Christian County? For now, Hale can only hope.
She also called the animal abuse a multifaceted, complex social issue.
Judge-Executive Jerry Gilliam confirmed to Hale that he and Sheriff Tyler DeArmond have a meeting planned soon with another unnamed community member with similar concerns.
Furthermore, “Ethan’s Law” recently came into effect in the Commonwealth — making the conviction of dog and cat cruelty a Class D felony. The legislation was inspired by advocacy through a dog named “Ethan,” who from abandonment and the brink of death, was nursed back to life by the Kentucky Humane Society.
In 2023, the Animal Legal Defense Fund named Kentucky among the five worst states for animal protection laws.
