If you ever wondered about the power of the internet, wonder no more. The pressure that readers across the nation – and the world – put on officials in Wayne County, North Carolina regarding the arrest of Tammy Hedges for rescuing and caring for animals during Hurricane Florence was relentless enough that all the charges have been dropped.
Ms. Hedges’ organization released the following statement:
We are very blessed that the charges against our founder, Tammie Hedges, have been dismissed. We remain optimistic that no other charges will be filed, and that this is the end to a terrible, terrible situation. We hope to devote time and energy to our rescue, Crazy’s Claws N Paws, and to our renovation of our dream project. We strive for a lifelong dedication to working with state and local law enforcement to make North Carolina safe for our animals.
We cannot begin to express our heartfelt appreciation for the outpouring of support, globally, for CCNP’s founder, Tammie Hedges.
We wish to personally thank RAINA NYLIRAM from Langhorne, PA for her generosity, foresight, and love for animal security by starting the first GOFUNDME account. Although we do not know you, we are sisters in the fight for animal welfare. If you are ever in our area, please make some time for CCNP!
ESOR SAFARI from Trenton, NJ, and WENDY MAY from NC, we’d also like to thank you! Your GOFUNDME charity is much appreciated as well. Please, if you ever are in the area, come visit with us!
This experience has unified rescues and has made our organization realize that not only do we need to be vigilant in our rescue efforts but, also in our legislative efforts to foster animal welfare laws that are conducive to actually helping owners, rescuers, and animals. (source)
Thank you, Tammy Hedges, for doing the right thing by those animals. I’m so glad these ridiculous charges were dismissed. I’m thrilled that I get to report such wonderful news today.
Let’s remember how freedom won.
I know that many readers of The Organic Prepper took the time to send emails to the officials involved in Ms. Hedges’ arrest and also made contributions to her legal defense fund.
Please know that your efforts made a difference.
By standing together and making an outcry too loud to ignore, freedom won this time around. By refusing to quietly allow the prosecution of a good Samaritan, freedom won. By calling out a government out of control, freedom won.
Please remember this in the future. When you see injustice, speak up. All our voices combined are very powerful. We don’t have to allow our rights to be trampled upon by greedy governments that want us to get “permission” for every little thing. But if we silently allow it, our rights will disappear one by one. I think it even makes us complicit.
Remember this.
The people do have power. We should use it more often.
I live in the backward state of NC, they are still living in the early 20 century. When I first read this it was no surprise. I use to live near Goldsboro, all of NC east of Highway 95, are still living in the late 1800 and are still pissed because they lost the war.
It’s that bad, huh? I had long considered buying retirement property in NC but I’m starting to wonder if it’s a good idea after all this.
I live in the western part, Burke County, the weather is good, homes are good prices. I have managed to put up with the crap. Thisis the kicker, Burke country is dry, you have to go to Morganton to buy booze.
I would not waste my time with these bible thumping hip-o-crates
the cops that arrested are must be real depressed that they dropped the charges
Normally, even when wrong government won’t back down because of their arrogance and ignorance. Someone must have finally seen how really embarrassing this was going to look for this peckerwood state if they charged – Fined – Possibly Jailed someone for actually trying to save some lives.
Here’s some more food for thought. The people who left and abandoned their animals in the first place, will / would they get charged for animal abuse? I mean what if this lady would not have taken the animals in, would they have just left them there to drown or whatever? How is that any different than say on a normal day if I just tied my dog to a tree and didn’t give it any food or water for a few days?
I am an animal rights activist myself, but to classify a Southern state as a “Peckerwood state” based on one case of animal abuse/neglect a clear display of racist profiling and ignorance. The media is notorious for reporting pieces & parts of a story, so until you know the “WHOLE” story, you may want to refrain from profiling an entire state as “Peckerwoods”.
Imagine a dog hit in the road and I resuscitate. Cop comes by, calls his captain and they have me brought in for charges- practicing veterinary without a license.
There you go! Wayne County, N.C.
(glad I don’t live there. I left Casselberry FL for the same reason- a police state.)
Lest you forget, in this “new Free America,” everything is illegal unless we say you can do it. And we won’t say you can do it unless you pay a little “permit fee.”
So get used to it. Oh, wait. You can’t get used to it. You haven’t paid the permit fee for that. Please step over to that window–yeah, that one with the line of people that runs around the block. You can obtain your permit there.
I need to know more about this before I have an opinion. Was the animal shelter truly available as the county officials said? Unless I can go there myself and see, I can’t pass judgment because it is unsafe to rely on the internet. Most hoarders think they are helping the animals they have, so her saying she was trying to help is not a reliable basis for a decision.