Local animal shelter raises funds to buy sanctuary

By Amber Jurgensen | gargoyle@flagler.edu

A pack of misfit dogs meet you at the gate when you enter Goliath and BeBe’s World sanctuary in Madison County, according to Michelle Mackie who is in charge of dog adoptions.

One of these dogs is Franny, who has three and a half legs after her mother chewed the bottom part of one leg off. With the property being in foreclosure, over 300 animals like Franny will be homeless.

“Goliath and Bebe’s World started in St. Johns County and the ordinances changed here so they needed to move. They had a benefactor, Lydia Cladek, who is under investigation by the FBI now for a ponzi scheme. So the property is actually in foreclosure now,” Fran Charlson, a volunteer, said.

Cladek’s scheme used investors’ money to buy high interest used car loans and then pay those investors as much as 18 percent, but then the payments stopped, according to First Coast News.

“We need money for operations and for possibly buying that land if we’re given the opportunity,” Charlson said. “And if we’re not buying that land then we’ve got to buy other land, because otherwise 320 animals are going to get euthanized and I for one am not going to let that happen.”

With ten-year roots in St Augustine, Goliath and BeBe’s World is volunteer-based and non-profit, housing dogs, cats, a tortoise, crows, pigs, goats, sheep and much more, Mackie said.

“About 75 percent of the animals still come from St Johns County, Duval County and now Clay County because we’ve started targeting Clay County. About 98 percent of our animals get adopted out from here,” Charlson said.”Goliath and Bebe’s world is the oldest animal sanctuary in this area.”

Goliath and BeBe’s World showcases adoptable animals every Sunday at Pet Supermarket from 11am to 4pm.

“It’s a beautiful piece of property,” Mackie said. “It’s just a menagerie of these misfit animals… This is the only place for them and they’re happy and they’re healthy and they’re well cared for.”

Goliath and BeBe’s World has several events coming up to raise money to save the sanctuary including a silent auction, garage sale and their booth at the flea market at SR 207 and Hwy 95, which has been a success.

“We’re all here to work together and it’s a good thing,” Mackie said.

Goliath and BeBe’s World is also linking up with Help for Paws, in which St. Augustine pilots pick up animals who are going to be euthanize, by putting on a golf tournament at the Royal St Augustine Golf Course.

“There has been a lot of community support,” Charlson said.

Goliath and Bebe’s World is a no-kill animal shelter was founded in 2001 by Nedra Wooley and Joyce Walker after they rescued two abused and ill animals, Goliath, a Great Dane, and Bebe, a kitten.