To the editor:

With all of the bad things we hear about each day in our own lives and in the news, I wanted to share a really good and happy story and recognize a truly good citizen here in Suffolk.

Sue Woodward, a native Suffolkian, discovered four stranded beagles while driving along Route 460 recently. They were dirty, hungry, and cold.

Many people probably would have kept on driving. Sue stopped her car and — during the course of the next two hours — coaxed all four of these starving dogs into her small car.

The dogs were cared for at animal control (not in Suffolk) for a few days, but then Sue got the sad news that if the dogs did not find homes quickly, they would be put down. She worked day and night contacting rescue organizations up and down the East Coast and talking to everyone she could think of about these dogs to see if she could find loving homes for them. She just could not stand the thought of these sweet animals being euthanized.

As the days went on, Sue also offered to pay the adoption fee out of her own pocket for anyone who would care for these dogs. She also frequently went to the shelter (which is 40 miles from her home) to visit the dogs and ask animal control for a little more time.

She noticed during one of her visits that one of the beagles had made a friend in the shelter, so she decided that she needed to find a home for that dog, as well.

Through all of her hard work, Sue finally found loving homes for all five of these sweet dogs! Her parents also played a huge role in this, as they cared for the dogs for many days while they were recovering from kennel cough.

I really feel Sue Woodward should be recognized for all the effort, hard work and personal expense she took on to save these sweet dogs.

Let us all follow her example and remember that shelter animals desperately need our help. They are sweet and loving pets that deserve a chance at a happy life.

Please consider a shelter animal before going through a breeder. Many lives depend on it.

Susan Lawhorne
Suffolk