Macon-Bibb County Animal Welfare dog finds home after 3 1/2 years, legal hold dog

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A dog who spent more than half her life at the Macon-Bibb County Animal Welfare shelter finds home.

Macon-Bibb Animal Welfare sheltered Betty since July 2015. Deemed a “legal hold,” animal welfare held Betty until her owner went to court and was found innocent.

In 2016, the Cost Care Petition passed which orders pet owners to pay restitution every day their animal is sheltered by animal welfare.

Betty’s owner forfeited her because they were unable to pay the restitution.

“Not knowing when she’s going to be able to leave if they’re ever going to be able to leave. If they’re going to be adoptable by the time they are able to leave because staying in a kennel a 5×5 kennel for 3 1/2 years, I’d be mad,” Macon-Bibb County Animal Welfare Director Tracey Belew said.

Betty is in a foster home for the next two weeks. She will then move north to find a family.

Belew says they have more than 20 animals with legal holds.