Locals Step In To Help Dogs Abandoned At Pott. County Dump Site

An illegal dump site in Pottawatomie County has become home for a group of abandoned dogs. County officials say they simply do not have the means to come pick the dogs up, but some have taken it upon themselves to care for them.

The dump site in Tribbey is constantly filled with debris and dogs. The four most recent additions have been there for nearly a month, and they are not the only ones.

Betty Wright first discovered the dogs while browsing dump sites for her scrap metal business. She has been bringing them food and water everyday as she and her family desperately seek help.

“I already rescued three dogs from here, but I can’t take them four,” she told a neighbor passing by.

Many families in the area own or have owned a dog they found at one of the countless local dump sites. They say it has been a problem for years.

“I called the sheriff,” Wright said. “They said they ain’t got the means to come and get them, and they gave me a number from Oklahoma City to call. I can’t get through.”

Sheriff Mike Booth tells News 9 his forces are stretched thin throughout the county. Without a dedicated animal control team, deputies are busy responding to higher priority calls.

Booth urges anyone who sees a crime like this to report it with as much information as possible. His office is now electronically mapping high-crime areas to direct his patrols, and he just hired a new environmental officer who will focus on illegal dumping.

Neighbors hope help comes soon.

“There are always dogs here,” said neighbor Lorie Malone as she drove past the site. “People are…it’s so sad. They don’t understand. They’re going to die.”

After Betty and her son left for the day, however, a glimmer of hope arrived. A young couple living nearby stopped to load up all four dogs to take them home temporarily.

Macalah Teague said, “I just love animals, and I don’t know why anyone would do this to a dog.”

The Teagues will keep the pups safe until they find a forever family. If you would like to help, contact Macalah at 405- 287-5956.