by David Morgan, Lawrence County Executive
Mahatma Gandhi, an advocate for love and compassion toward all living things, once said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” I believe the same is true for communities.
We’ve made great improvements in the way we treat animals in Lawrence County. In the last four years we’ve implemented a spay/neuter program for low-income pet owners; opened a new, larger, shelter with the City of Lawrenceburg; and expanded animal control services outside Lawrenceburg’s city limits.
With approval of Lawrence County’s 2025–26 budget, oversight of The Doggie House Animal Shelter transferred from the City of Lawrenceburg to the Sheriff’s Department. The county’s 50% financial commitment remains unchanged, but the Sheriff’s new budget includes an Animal Control Officer and a dedicated animal transport vehicle.
Sheriff John Myers took on Shelter operations because he cares about animals and knows how many calls his department receives about them. He also knew he could depend on Shelter Director Ginger Morgan, who was hired by the City of Lawrenceburg in April 2024.
Ginger is my dad’s youngest sister, but that was not a qualification for the job. Her skill set was more than enough, and if you can forgive a little bragging, I’ll tell you about her background.
Ginger was always drawn to animals, and they to her. Horses and donkeys at her Uncle Pete’s Hope, Arkansas farm always approached her first, and he said she “ruined” his working dogs with too much attention. Uncle Pete and childhood visits to his farm are still among her fondest memories.
In 1980 she moved to Memphis and earned a B.A. in Communications from the University of Memphis. She was employed by an advertising agency, but her passion was working with dogs.
“I had always had small dogs, then my sister’s Rottweiler had a litter of puppies. I visited and one jumped in my lap, so he found his home. I taught Pete to be a therapy dog, and he and two of his friends were the first three allowed in St. Jude’s. At home he acted like a typical dog, but when we put on his vest, he knew he was going to work. Pete was a special dog.”
She opened Pete’s Treats, a pet gift shop that grew from a craft market booth to a full-fledged retail store. Its operation and steady work as a pet sitter allowed her to follow her passion full-time, and volunteer at the Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County. She was recognized as its Volunteer of the Year in 2001 and 2003.
“I walked dogs for the Humane Society for years. I also ran marathons and organized a walk to benefit the Humane Society. I had trained Pete, so I helped train some of the dogs there as therapy dogs.”
She became the agency’s Executive Director in 2004. During her tenure its assets increased from $7.9 to $11.3 million, capacity grew to house 400 dogs and cats, and she implemented a program that allowed incarcerated women and youth to teach obedience skills to shelter dogs.
She also spearheaded a relief program for dogs and cats displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Gustav. The Humane Society took in 90 cats and 170 dogs; several dogs and a surprising 75% of the cats were eventually reunited with their owners.
In 2008 she was named one of “50 Women Who Make a Difference” in Memphis/Shelby County.
That was also the year she met Luke Robinson, whose life took a sharp turn when he lost one of his dogs to cancer. “He didn’t realize dogs could get cancer,” Ginger said. He was devastated, sold his possessions, and walked from Austin to Boston to raise awareness and money.
Ginger had also lost a loved one to cancer – Uncle Pete. She organized a fundraiser for Robinson’s stop in Memphis and discovered a way to combine two causes she cares deeply about. She and Robinson co-founded The Puppy Up Foundation, which raises funds for cancer studies that benefit pets and people. Many cancers that both get, including breast, lung, bone, and pancreatic cancers, are similar. Comparative oncology examines those similarities, their progression, and response to treatment and prevention.
Her duties included organizing Puppy Up Walks in 65 cities with over 18,000 participants. They were the foundation’s primary fundraiser and helped raise over $2 million. “Then 2020 happened,” she said, “and people stopped gathering.” Puppy Up Walks dwindled dramatically and have not fully recovered. Ginger remains Executive Director and Board President and is featured in its introductory video at www.puppyup.org.
She chose to live the next stage of her life in Lawrenceburg. Most of her (our) family is here, and crime in Memphis had gotten too close to home – she could hear gunfire at night.
Ginger is very happy overseeing operations at The Doggie House but is concerned about its overpopulation. The current count is 121, and the majority are “county” dogs. The city usually brings in one at a time; the Sheriff’s Department often brings multiples from hoarding and cruelty cases. Last July a group of 18 were brought from a hoarding case. In the past five weeks, 22 have arrived from these situations.
Some of those dogs are only available to foster while their cases go through the legal system, but most are ready for new homes. The adoption fee is $75, and covers vaccinations, microchipping, and a discount on spay/neuter. This will be dropped to $20 the entire month of August, national “Clear the Shelter” month. Friends of Lawrence County Animals (FOLCA), which raised funds for the new shelter and items outside its budget, and manages Lawrence County’s low-cost spay & neuter program, will help with Saturday adoption events next month. Photos and other details about available dogs can be seen at PetFinder.com.
Black and primarily black dogs can be adopted free of charge every week on “Black Dog Fridays” because they are often overlooked. “I believe it’s because their features – their eyes and expressions – don’t show up as well,” Ginger said.
Her goal is for dogs to improve mentally and physically during their time at the Shelter. When its population is at a reasonable level, she hopes volunteers can get more dogs out for walks in the nearby Mitzi Sweet Dog Park and that she can organize basic obedience training. Her greatest reward is successful adoption stories – happy dogs with good families, living their best lives.
I have to add that animal services are among the most challenging for local government because the need is constant and always changing. We’ve expanded our efforts and hope to continue in that direction but rely heavily on the public to make animals’ lives better. Some people have done that work for decades and need our help and support. Donations are welcomed by Friends of Lawrence County Animals, Care for Critters, and The Doggie House Animal Shelter. All can be found on Facebook.