Laurens County Sheriff’s Animal Control Celebrates Remarkable Year of Life-Saving Success
December 10, 2025
The Laurens County Sheriff’s Office Animal Control Division has announced a milestone that staff describe as “nothing short of miraculous,” marking one of the most successful years in the history of the county shelter.
After years of working at and often beyond capacity, 2025 brought a surge of community support that transformed outcomes for the animals who entered the shelter’s doors. According to the Sheriff’s Office, 601 dogs were taken in this year — and an unprecedented 447 of them found rescue placement, adoptive families, fosters, or other safe outcomes. That equates to a 74.38% live outcome rate and a 128% increase in successful rehoming compared to 2024.
For comparison, in 2024, the shelter took in 835 dogs and successfully placed 272, a live outcome rate of 32.57%. The nearly doubled number of lives saved this year reflects a dramatic shift that shelter staff credit entirely to volunteers, rescue partners, donors, adopters, and the broader Laurens County community.
“These numbers aren’t just statistics,” the update reads. “They are wagging tails. They are quiet car rides to freedom. They are families opening their doors. They are scared dogs learning to trust again. They are lives — real, precious lives — being saved.”
Shelter staff highlighted the community-wide effort that made this year possible — from residents sharing posts on social media to rescue organizations pulling dogs on short notice, from donors supplying food and medical support to adopters who opened their homes to animals in need.
Despite the celebration, the shelter noted that challenges remain. The facility continues to operate over capacity, and the need for fosters, volunteers, adopters, and rescue partnerships remains urgent.
Still, for today, the team paused to reflect with gratitude.
“We see you. We appreciate you. And we are so deeply grateful,” they shared. “Thank you — from the bottom of our hearts — for giving these dogs a chance they never would have had without this community.”
The Sheriff’s Office encourages residents to continue supporting the shelter’s mission: adopt, foster, donate, volunteer, and share adoptable dogs on social media.
Tough days remain, they noted — but together, Laurens County is proving what is possible.
“Because together… we are saving them.”
