A Utopia for Rescue Dogs: SGER is Something Special

Dozens of loose dogs met us at the gate when we arrived at South Georgia Equine Rescue.

River of Dogs

They were just the welcoming party. SGER does have 17 horses, but it’s the dogs who dominate. There are about 200 in SGER’s care (40 in foster homes) at the time of our visit in March of 2025. That’s twice as many dogs as when we visited in 2023.

The numbers may have gone up, but it is still a dog utopia with dogs playing, digging, dozing everywhere. As we walked in with Heather, the director, the dogs milled around us, sniffing Nancy and me up and down (I’m sure by that point we were a walking encyclopedia of TN/GA dogs for the discerning nose).

It was like walking through a river of dogs. Every now and again, Heather would scold a dog. Her ability to have ‘eyes in the back of her head’ was truly remarkable. It was even more remarkable that she knew all their names (and that the dogs knew their own names also and seemed to understand what she said to them). Heather called it a perpetual dog park, but it was much better than most of the dog parks I’ve been to.

The dogs who come to SGER have come from hard situations. Some are left abandoned at the SGER gate, others are pulled from struggling shelters, and many are medical lost causes. Heather shared story after story of dogs who had one limb or two limbs amputated, sick dogs, and, just like last time we visited, plenty of stories of dogs who had been shot.

Running Rescue Differently

Each volunteer seemed to have their own pack of dogs who followed them everywhere they went. As we unloaded supplies, Heather’s pack settled into the woods near where our car was parked and kept an eye on her, only leaving their posts to watch a bicycle come down the road.

We marveled at how the dogs were so happy and healthy. When you have this many dogs, baby pools are water and food bowls. It was incredible to see the dogs sharing from a huge mound of kibble in one pool. Caring for this many animals, is not cheap. In 2024, the rescue spent 265K on care, food, and hay.

There is no paid staff at SGER. All the care is done by volunteers and Heather. In some ways, these dogs have it better than the average dog – lots of space to roam and romp and hundreds of playmates, plenty of food, and at night their own space to sleep.

Every single dog on the property is crate-trained. As we talked, Heather made the point that being crate-trained is a critical life skill for every dog, and she’s right. If, heaven forbid, there were a weather emergency or a fire, or perhaps a move 45 minutes away, the dogs need to be able to calmly go in and settle into a crate.

What Happens When There Are No Municipal Animal Services

In places like Brantley County, where there are no animal services and no Animal Control Officers, police called to deal with nuisance dogs are likely to try to shoo the dog away and are just as likely to tell the homeowner that they can shoot the dog if the dog is bothering them.

Heather has grown frustrated with the animosity she has received from the local police department. They’ve made it a crime to pick up a stray dog, even throwing her in jail once.

SGER is planning to move out of the county to Jesup, about 45 minutes away. They will have more property there and already have a good relationship with the animal control in Jesup.

They are busy clearing land and renovating the house on the property. The move will have to happen in stages. I know how hard it was to move three kids, a couple of horses, and two dogs. I can’t imagine the logistics involved in moving 17 horses and 200 dogs.

Where Do the Dogs Go?

Dogs and puppies are adopted or sent to rescue. Like everywhere, dogs are moving slowly, but they are transporting 17 dogs to a rescue partner in Iowa next week. Normally, they have about ten adoptions a month.

Because she is so full, Heather is trying not to take in any more animals. And yet, we met Genesis, a sweetheart of a dog who has demodex mange. It’s hard to guess what breed she is or what size she should be, as all her bones were visible and she had no fur. Genesis had been at SGER for five days. There were also two puppies in a pen, who were abandoned this past week.

The need is endless in places like South Georgia, where too many municipalities don’t have animal services, and many that do turn dogs away because of managed intake policies. The combination of those circumstances is driving the increase in stray dogs all over.

How You Can Help

SGER gets no municipal funding and fully relies on donations and grants to operate (Heather receives no salary). If you’d like to support the work of SGER, there are many ways you can do that.

Amazon wishlist

Walmart wishlist

Kuranda bed wishlist

Or donate directly

You can read about our last visit to SGER here

Until each one has a home,

Cara

If you want to learn more, be sure to subscribe to our email list to get the latest stories and solutions delivered to your inbox. And help us spread the word by sharing this post with others. Visit our website to learn more.

You can also help raise awareness by following/commenting/sharing our content on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Tik Tok.

Who Will Let the Dogs Out: Stories and Solutions for Shelters and Rescues was published in January of 2025. It is filled with stories and ideas to help everyone be part of the solution. You can buy a hardback or paperback copy for yourself and/or buy a copy for a shelter or rescue through our website. It is also available on Amazon in paperback and ebook. We are looking for opportunities to share a presentation of the ideas in the book and facilitate conversations about how we can work together to find solutions for our shelters. If you have a dog-hearted group that would like to connect, contact Cara@wwldo.org.

To see our Emmy-nominated, award-winning short documentary, Amber’s Halfway Home, click here.

Did you know we have a podcast? I’m working at getting regular episodes up, including the audio version of the new book (narrated with additional info), and interviews with shelter heroes we meet. Find the podcast on Spotify and other podcast services.

For more information on any of our projects, to talk about rescue in your neck of the woods, or partner with us, please email cara@WWLDO.org.

And for links to everything WWLDO, including volunteer application, wishlists, and donation options, check out our Linktree.