It is the American Humane organization’s “Be Kind to Animals Week.” No one was kind to Lucy this week except the staff of the Tifton-Tift County Animal Shelter.

Lucy is a pit bull who is about three years old. Until last Tuesday, she lived in south Tift County with four other pit bulls about her age and three puppies. Lucy’s owner allegedly did not feed her or any of the other dogs. Desperate for food, Lucy had resorted to eating dirt and cigarette butts.

She could not go far to find food. Lucy was chained at her owner’s home with a 20-foot long heavy metal chain that weighed 15 pounds. She only weighed 33 pounds. The big chain was a very heavy load for such a frail dog.

Starvation is a long, painful agony that has to be endured minute by minute. Lucy was only about two to three days away from starving to death when, for once in her life, she got lucky.

One of the other dogs managed to get loose and while hunting for food ended up at a public facility. Frightened of the dog, the people there called Animal Control. The dog eventually led the Animal Control staff back to his home, where they discovered Lucy and the other dogs.

“Pitiful, pitiful, pitiful,” said director Regenia Wells of the conditions of the five dogs and three puppies. Wells said it was almost the worst case of animal abuse she had seen. In a case last year, the dogs were right on the verge of death and could no longer stand up or walk and had to be carried. At least Lucy was still on her feet.

“They had nothing, I mean nothing to eat,” Wells said. “The conditions were filthy. It was awful.” Wells called the police and code enforcement. She loaded up Lucy and the other dogs and took them back to the shelter where they were photographed and paperwork was completed documenting the abuse they had endured. On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the worst abuse, Lucy was rated a 9. On Wednesday, Wells filed eight counts of animal cruelty charges against Lucy’s owner.

All the dogs will be fed small amounts of food twice a day until they adjust to having food again. Speaking of Lucy, Wells said, “She probably had two cups of food and her little stomach was all poked out.” When the dogs get stronger they will be bathed and wormed, Wells said.

“Then she will need a home and someone who will be kind to her,” Wells said. None of the dogs will be returned to the owner.

It would be understandable if Lucy proved to me a mean dog — but she is not. She appears happy to be around people. Her big, sad eyes light up and she wags her tail. The truth is, she was just as starved for affection as she was for food. Out of her cage she is happy to investigate her new surroundings and explore her bigger, kinder world.

If she gets lucky one more time during “Be Kind to Animals Week” someone will come along and give her a real home. A place where she will belong.

To contact reporter Jana Cone, call 382-4321, ext. 208.