Story Category: Regional News »

Members of a local 4-H Club, “Gone to the Dogs,” representing Charles and St. Mary’s Counties, recently met with Charles County Sheriff Rex W. Coffey and presented him with 300 dog leashes, enough for each patrol officer , to assist officers when they encounter loose or stray animals. 

Although capturing loose animals is primarily the responsibility of animal control, there are times officers encounter strays or lost pets and may be in a position to safely secure them. “Anyone who knows me knows that I love animals and fully support the efforts of the Humane Society and other groups who care for  animals. When the 4-H group told me about their idea, I was more than happy to meet them,” said Sheriff Coffey.  

Becky Ammar, a parent volunteer, said the idea behind the donation stemmed from an incident involving one of the “Gone to the Dogs” club leaders. According to Ammar, two dogs got loose from a member’s fenced-in back yard and were seen running near a busy roadway. A concerned citizen called police and animal control. Sheriff’s officers arrived first but had no means to secure the large German Sheppards. The officer managed to keep the dogs confined to a small area for several minutes until the owner arrived. The officer commented that if he had a leash or something to secure the dogs, it would have been much easier. The grateful dog owner returned home and shared her experience with her 4-H club. After a little brainstorming, the club came up with the idea to raise money to purchase enough leashes for each patrol officer to keep in their car so that if officers ever encountered a situation where they could safely capture a pet, they would have the right tools to help them. 

Sheriff Coffey said he was pleased to accept the leashes and was impressed with the thoughtfulness behind the group’s efforts.