HOUSTON – Lost, abandoned, lonely dogs at the animal shelter. We all want to help them. We all want to save them.
But 28-year-old Amy Hadley didn't just want to help, she did much more. Amy rescued both of her dogs, Miley, a gorgeous, bassett hound and Bella, her beautiful, black labrador. Amy cherished her two dogs
"I don't have any children, so my dogs are like my kids to me", Amy says with tears in her eyes. But now, Amy's children, as she calls them are both gone forever.
You see, they broke out of Amy's backyard on May 7th. Two days later they were picked up by Harris County Animal Control.
Six days later, Amy finally found out through a neighbor where the dogs were. She literally raced to the animal shelter to get them as quickly as she could.
But for Amy it was already too late. Because just 5-days after being brought to Harris County Animal Control, both of her dogs, both Bella and Miley were gone.
Bella had been euthanized, Miley had been adopted-out to another family. A family that refused to give the dog back.
Amy was devastated about Bella, but surely she could get Miley back, right? Wrong.
Harris County Animal Control officials say because of overcrowding, their shelter is only built to handle 16-thousand animals, but right now, the shelter is holding 26-thousand, officials say they can't hold unidentified animals longer than 3 days or so, before they can be adopted to other people or put down.
What kills Amy, is that had her dog been lost in the city of Houston and picked up by the city's animal control, than Miley would still belong to her.
That's because in Houston, the animal shelter allows pet owners to get their animals back, even if they've been adopted out... as long as 30 days after the adoption.
Officials at Harris County say they cannot possibly do that due to lack of space and resources. How can you protect yourself and your pets from having this happen to you?
Harris County Animal Control officials say you need to do two things.
1) Get Your Dog Or Cat Micro-chipped For Identification
2) Even If Your Animal Is Chipped, Get Him A Metal Collar Tag With Your Name And Address And Phone Number.
As for Amy, she is too upset even to return to her home, without her 2 beautiful dogs. "I just want my dogs back. Please! I just want them Back."