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Three-and-a-half years ago, Betty pawed into Macon-Bibb’s Animal Welfare in Bibb County, Georgia, and, until recently, was stuck there without the hope of finding a forever home.

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According to WMAZ, the dog was brought to the shelter as evidence for a dog fighting case. In cases like these, according to the ASPCA, dogs “are still the property of the person or people from whom they were rescued until a court rules otherwise. This means that the animals cannot be placed in a new home until the animals are legally forfeited”

In three-and-a-half years, Betty’s case still hasn’t gone to court, which has left the dog stuck at Macon-Bibb’s Animal Welfare, unable to be adopted by anyone.

Her luck changed in 2016, when Georgia passed cost of care legislation. Under this new legislation, animals stuck in shelters because of animal cruelty cases are allowed to be adopted out, if their owners cannot pay to have a shelter care for them.

Under cost of care legislation, and with help from the county attorney’s office and animal enforcement team, Betty was officially relinquished to the shelter, which allowed Macon-Bibb’s Animal Welfare to adopt her out.