Bollinger County Stray Project

Report for Feb. 5 to 11

In last week's column, I talked about a cow I had processed. I also processed beavers, trapped by Don Calhoun, that have built dams in several drainage ditches. I had to turn away 10 beavers that went to waste while processing the cow. Then I realized I had done such a good job repacking the dog food freezers that I had more room.

Runt Moit called me one morning about a fresh roadkill, a buck on Highway C, just before Arab. He helped me load it, I bought ice at the Arab store, and then I went home to cut him up and put him on ice. I ground and packaged him the next couple of days and got 75 pounds of meat off of him for the dogs.

He had broken ribs on both sides and a broken right leg just below the shoulder. The impact surely killed him instantly. I used all of his meat, but much of it would have been wasted if it had been designated for human consumption. I also made one roaster of bone broth and fed it to all of the dogs on the property. Warm broth on their food. Talk about excited! They were like kids in a candy store.

Venison and beaver meat are really important for dogs on raw. It gives them a variety, which is healthier. Eating the same food meal after meal, day after day, is not healthy and, I would think, very boring.

With only a tiny space left in the one upright freezer, I decided to purchase another small freezer to fill with beaver meat. I purchased a 7-cubic-foot chest freezer from Sam's Club for less than $225. It's already packed with about 230 pounds of beaver meat.

I am 68 years old and do all of this for the dogs. It makes me happy to see them enjoy their food so much. It also makes me happy to know this meat is put to good use, and not wasted, because of the work I do to process it.

Dogs fed fully (or at least some) raw food are generally healthier than dogs on dry kibble. But there are right and wrong ways to feed raw.

Raw can be muscle meat, organs, raw chicken or small animal with bone, and excess eggs from your poultry. The danger of feeding raw is giving too much fat, too much liver, or fresh raw pork, too, that has not been freezer-aged before offering to the dogs first.

More on that later.

Dogs held for other rescues:

• Four Aussie-type mixed pups, abandoned in Bollinger County, are about 12 weeks old.

Returned to owner, placed in other rescues, foster or adopted:

• None.

Dogs with erlichia, special needs or euthanized:

• None.

Lost and found animals in area:

• Several dogs that are found or missing are listed on our Facebook page and also the two Bollinger County "What's Happening" pages. Don't have FB? Then call us so we can try to match lost pets.

Miscellaneous and contact info:

We were caring for 23 dogs and pups at our home Feb. 11. If you have a stray camping out in the yard, don't wait. Call us at (573) 722-3035 or (573) 321-0050.

MARILYN NEVILLE is director of Bollinger County Stray Project.