PHENIX CITY, AL (WTVM) -
A Phenix City man said
he's afraid to go out in his own front yard; and it's not because of the
convicted felons living just steps away from his home at the Russell County Prison.
Michael Nichols has lived
on South 4th Street in Phenix City for more than 20 years. He said it was a
little more than two years ago, his home became his prison.
"I'm scared I'm going
to go up to one, and it's going to attack me."
Nichols explained, since
the Russell County-Phenix City Animal Shelter was built almost 3 years ago,
people dump their unwanted pets at the shelter after-hours. "People come [by]
on Saturdays, knowing the shelters closed, and drop animals off. They just throw them out of their car,"
said Nichols.
One night, Nichols said he
had to pick up a rock and throw it at dogs that were being aggressive towards
him and his family.
"We came outside and
they started coming at me and my wife, growling. We started backing off and I noticed they
still were coming so I picked up the rock and threw it at them. I guess I might have hit one because they took
off running," Nichols said.
He later went back outside
to see if the dogs were still there and that's when he says he found a kitten
mauled to death.
"If they can maul
kittens, what's going to stop them from doing it to a child?" Nichols says he's
repeatedly called Phenix City police for help but they brushed him off.
"Phenix City will not
install cameras to get their license plate to arrest them. When I notice them
dropping the animals off, I just can't go running with a piece of paper and
pencil and try to write down license plate numbers; it's too hard."
We spoke with the Shelter
manager, Michael Harrison; he said he was not aware of the problem. Harrison said the shelter
is always willing to take any unwanted animals and people don't have to throw
them out.
"There's no fee and
no fines. You just have to have proper ID. You have to live in this county.
This shelter only accepts from Russell County and Phenix City only."
Michael Nichols said
cameras are still needed to catch people in the act. We checked into the law in
Alabama and found out, leaving an animal at a shelter after hours is against
the law and is considered abandonment.
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