By SALLIE SATTERTHWAITE
sallies@juno.com

Everybody likes a story to have a happy ending.

While the end of this one has not yet been written, at least it has a happy middle. The story and picture that offended some readers two weeks ago — as they should have — were Chapter 1 of a potential heartbreaker.

Two dogs were abandoned at a Peachtree City residence without food or water when their owner moved. A neighbor alerted authorities who impounded the starving animals and began their rehabilitation.

One is a great Dane pup, now about six months old, at the peak of her nutritional needs for growth. She reportedly weighed about 33 pounds when picked up. The other is a pit bull with an unusually benign personality.

In Chapter 2, the dogs were in limbo, their lives in the balance as animal control officers at Fayette County's animal shelter worked with local veterinarians to bring their weight back to normal. It was a slow process. And until the owner had his day in court, officials could not actively seek to place the animals in safe adoptive homes.

The owner, Brian Kovach, pled nolo (no defense) before State Court Judge Fletcher Sams and got 12 months probation on each of two counts of animal cruelty, plus a $1,500 fine, as well as court costs and restitution to the animal shelter. According to assistant solicitor general Lura Landis who prosecuted the case for Fayette County, the sentence, to be served consecutively, is the maximum for a misdemeanor.

The case was clinched when Landis simply showed Judge Sams pictures of the dogs taken by animal control officers. “The photographs were just awful,” Landis said. According to a Citizen photographer, present in the courtroom, the judge blanched, turned the photos toward the defendant, and said, “Are these your dogs?” Kovach admitted that they were.

It is customary to probate a first offense, Landis said, but probation “gives the judge a hold over him for two years. What was important to me was to get those dogs away from [Kovach]. Part of the plea negotiation was that he give up the animals. The judge has a wide latitude and discretion,” and can enforce any requirement “reasonably connected to the offense,” Landis said.

In this case, that includes a character development course designed to teach Kovach about actions and consequences, plus 40 hours of community service.

The next chapter brings welcome news. Both dogs are in foster homes, gaining weight, and their rescuers are confident that good adoptive homes will be found. One has pledged to keep hers if he can't be placed elsewhere. Animal control officer Donna Evans was eager to turn the abused dogs over to rescuers from north Atlanta. Why? A public facility like the Fayette County shelter can't effectively screen would-be adopters of animals in its custody, but private rescue organizations can and do.

“Monday after court, I came back and called rescue,” Evans said. “They came down Monday afternoon and took [the great Dane]. We found somebody who does pit bull rescue, and released him to them. Once the dogs have been spayed or neutered, rescue will check out possible homes for them, and make sure they offer a suitable environment.”

A Powder Springs woman, “Rebecca,” is fostering the great Dane puppy, but asked The Citizen not to publish her last name. She has occasionally been harassed by animal abusers whose dogs she was keeping. She had high praise for the actions of local officials whom she credits with saving the dogs' lives.

“Fayette County is indeed the savior in this situation,” she said. “My hat's off to the DA and prosecutor for making this man understand.” Rebecca described what she saw in the photo that moved the judge: The great Dane “is on a chain that was twisted in knots around a pine tree out of reach of food or water. She can't reach either her shelter or the bowl that was empty anyhow, her head outstretched. I saw that picture and I cried.”

When she came to Fayette County to pick up the almost-skeletal tall pup, she named her Miss Liberty. “Rebecca” is a member of Paulding Volunteer Animal Rescue, an organization that accepts all breeds from shelters throughout the Atlanta area and finds temporary homes for them while pursuing permanent adoption. “We have pet adoption at PetSmart in Kennesaw on Saturdays from noon to 6,” Rebecca said. “Our adoption fees reflect our expenses, and can be very high. People don't understand the kind of care [a dog] requires. Everybody's heartworm tested, spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and dewormed, and one visit to the vet is covered.”

Rebecca got into pet rescue somewhat accidentally when she took in an abandoned “big fat black Lab” who, within a week, multiplied. Eventually she found homes for all nine animals (the mother was spayed first), but accepted two more to foster. Today, besides fostering Miss Liberty and several others, she owns six dogs, most of them not candidates for adoption because of their advanced age.

The full-time volunteer is adamant about fencing: “People need to tell me what kind of home they're going to provide. If you want a pet and want to make the commitment, you have to make the investment. Fencing is a safety net — I know my guys are safe. They're not outside unattended.” And Miss Liberty?

After the first draft of this story was already written, Miss Liberty was adopted by a young Marietta man and his fiancÈe who have another rescued Dane.

“They're keeping the name I gave her and she's adjusting beautifully,” said Rebecca. “The place is fenced, but she's really an indoor pet. In fact, he won't leave her outside because she's black and could easily become overheated.

“I wish I had a thousand more like him,” she said, then added, “No, make that a million — and we wouldn't need pet rescue any more.”

Dana Crane of Kennesaw took the pit bull and named him Silver, honoring Silver Lashley of the Fayette animal shelter.

“I'm looking for a home for him,” she said, “but if I can't find one, I'll keep him. He's my ninth one and he seems as happy as can be. He's just a sweet boy, gorgeous, probably the best dog I have here right now.”

A colleague who shows pit bulls told Crane that Silver is absolutely purebred. She said the dog seems especially fond of men, surprising considering his treatment at Kovach's hands, but doesn't know how he would be with children. He is housebroken and now weighs 56 pounds.

Crane describes herself as “an animal person” since childhood, and lives in a small house on a completely fenced acre-and-a-half lot. She works full-time for a veterinarian “to pay dog food bills,” since she tends to keep the dogs for which she cannot find permanent homes. Her neighbors are forbearing, and “have never complained after five years of my living here,” she said.

For information on Silver and other rescued animals, Paulding Volunteer Animal Rescue has a web site at www.pvar.org.

To adopt a dog leave a message at 770-445-7294. Crane offers her home number for inquiries about the pit bull — 770-419-8358.