Mount Pleasant Magazine July/August 2017

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R E S C U E
Coonhounds are the unsung breed of the South. Dur-
ing peak times of the year, their days are spent procuring
bird bodies, clutching feathered mallards in their jaws and
pointing at quail. They brave the elements and clock long
hours in the woods, all to ensure that a successful day of
dinner fetching is complete. Explorers by nature, their noses
lead them to adventure. At the end of a hunting season,
it isn’t uncommon for them to be discarded. While many
hunters treat their dogs like family, a number of these dogs
find themselves homeless after a successful
season is through.
Each January, at the close of hunting
season, shelters brace themselves for an in-
flux of abandoned dogs. In some cases, the
hounds are left helpless, on the roadside, to
fend for themselves without food or water.
That’s where advocate and dog-saving pow-
erhouse Kelly Postell comes in. In 2010,
she started Carolina Coonhound Rescue
to give these loving, neglected dogs a voice, and, since that
time, she’s saved thousands of canines from falling victim
to unfortunate circumstances. Between responding to
calls from concerned citizens who have found abandoned
puppies and traveling to rural shelters to save dogs from
euthanasia, her schedule stays full.
“This is a problem in all states that still allow dogs to be
used in hunting for game, especially for deer,” said Kelly
Postell. “It’s hard to know just how many are abandoned
since there are other reasons why these dogs end up in shel-
ters, like being picked up by unsuspecting people when they
are found on the side of the road during a hunt or simply
straying too far from the hunt area, but it does happen.”
Every single year, her mission grows bigger – to save even
more dogs on a larger scale. Providing them with medical
care, food and shelter is all done with the help of citizens
opening up their wallets and homes for this unique breed
synonymous with life in the deep South.
“Our biggest need at any given time is money and fos-
ters,” said Postell. “We don't have a shelter facility, and we
rely on fosters to house the dogs. We don't discriminate
on health needs for the dogs we take in, so many are quite
expensive to get to an adoptable state. More fosters equals
more lives saved.”
From the cobblestone streets of downtown to the sandy
shores of Sullivan’s Island, many local families have stepped
up and taken these dogs in. Whether it’s adopting them
for good or simply providing them with a safe place to stay
temporarily, the local community continues to show up for
these animals in a big way.
“We have a few fosters and several adopters in the Mount
Pleasant area and are always happy for more,” said Postell.
“Coonhounds make excellent family pets and are way more
than just hunting dogs.”
By the time a dog finds its way to Postell and her team,
they can often be in a pretty dire condition.
“In 2016, our vet bills surpassed $50,000, with an average
of about $600 going into each dog to get it to an adoptable
state,” said Postell. “Some individual dogs cost us well over
$2,000 alone. We rely on donations from the community
to continue to help these dogs that very few other organiza-
tions can or will help.”
The real passion for Postell comes with wit-
nessing the incredible transformations these
dogs undergo. From scared and malnourished
to engaging and plump, it’s amazing the turn-
around that occurs once these beings are given
the right amount of care and compassion.
“I am particularly in awe of all of the
amazing people that are actively involved
in The Carolina Coonhound Rescue,” said
Postell. “Without them, these dogs would
be dead. It's stressful and heartbreaking a lot of the time,
but it's also so great to see the dogs that we can help thrive
in their family environments.”
By Kalene McCort
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THAN JUST A
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