Cruel Conditions, Say Citizens “I’m here for the dogs,” Kathy Cole (left) told Blackstone Town Council at its meeting on Monday, Jan. 26th. She was joined by neighbor Luz Koptchak and provided the Courier- Record photo of dog tied-up in sub-freezing conditions. Its water bucket had fallen over and part of its chain was frozen to the ground, limiting the animal’s mobility, she said.
WOMEN URGE COUNCIL TO TAKE ACTION
Blackstone officials are being asked to adopt a year-round no tethering law to more easily prevent dogs from being tiedup outside during harsh winter weather such as that of the past two weeks.
Kathy Cole of Pleasant Drive appeared before Town Council on Jan. 26th and said she’s observed several dogs tied to trees in the sub-freezing weather. “Three of the dogs are tied 24/7 — and have been for years!”
Mrs. Cole pointed out that it’s illegal in Virginia to tether dogs in temperatures below 32°. She said one dog’s chain on Dinwiddie Avenue was frozen to the ground and its water bucket toppled over. “And that dog was there from morning to night.”
Mrs. Cole’s request was referred to Council’s Health & Ordinance
Committee, chaired by At-Large rep Chris Page.
Page reminded Council that Blackstone’s animal control ordinance, which was amended shortly after he and other officials took office in Jan. 2023, includes a no-tethering provision when temperatures exceed 85° or drop below 32°.
“But you have to ENFORCE it,” Mrs. Cole said. “You can have all the laws you want, but if you don’t enforce them…Here I am, five days later, and those dogs are still tied to trees or 16 kennels, two of which will be reserved for puppies.
“But we can’t just throw our hands up and let the dogs stay tied to trees,” Mrs. Cole pleaded with Council. “We can’t do that…There’s a way to get this stuff done. We just have to figure it out.” as well as cooking and entertaining. She and Charlie continued dancing for over seven decades.
Barbara is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Chuck and Jeanette Miller of Culpeper, VA; son-in-law Colonel Don Masuret (Ret.) of South Elgin, IL; daughter-in-law Nancy Miller of Gordonsville, VA; daughter Amelia “Amy” Brandon of Dundas, VA; daughter and sonin law Elisa and Bob Dickson of Harrison, AR; daughter Nancy Leftwich of Midlothian, VA; and son Pete Miller and Sara Brighty of Haiku, HI.
She is also survived by three brothers and their wives in New Mexico, along with many nieces and nephews from coast to coast.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, February 7, 2026 at St. Isidore the Farmer Catholic Church in Orange, VA, followed by burial in the church cemetery. The family will receive visitors prior to Mass beginning at 10:00 a.m.
A special thank you to the nurses at Heritage Hall Nursing Home and Amedysis Hospice in Blackstone, VA. And to her devoted team of caregivers who went above and beyond: Dorothy Gardner, Jasmine Benn, Juanita Hayes, Wanda Eppes, Leslie Freeman, Marilyn Montgomery, and Danita Stephenson.
Mrs. Cole suggested ticketing offenders for every day of violation. Page agreed, saying, “Hit them in the pocket.”
Councilman Nathaniel Miller commended Mrs. Cole for speaking out. “I observed a dog being tied in the neighborhood this morning…Maybe we can get something done because it’s a DISGRACE.”
Page said he received calls of concern about a dog in the Academy Avenue area.
Mrs. Cole said two German Shepherds in particular are subjected to such harsh conditions, “They’re better off put to sleep. That may sound ugly and harsh, but that is no way to live.”
Mrs. Cole said a No Tether Law also would “somewhat” reduce the number of annoying barking dogs. “I have a neighbor that has a barking dog behind their house, and it’s unfuriating.” She acknowledged that dogs in a kennel also will bark.
Town Manager Philip Vannoorbeeck said that part of the problem is that Nottoway County’s shelter apparently declared itself “no kill” or something to that effect, which results in dogs staying at the shelter longer than the state’s required 10 days. He recalled a dog bite incident on Broad Street, where the dog owner was allowed to quarantine the animal inside. “The dog got back out the next day.”
Mrs. Cole’s neighbor, Luz Koptchak, also addressed Council. “How many of you own dogs? I’m sure your dog isn’t sitting outside in 22 degrees… It’s horrible to have dogs sitting outside in bad weather….We can make a difference — even if it’s just one dog.”
Nottoway Sr. Animal Control Officer Sheila Estes told the Courier-Record this week, “As I explained to Mrs. Cole, we will write tickets. We do not have the facility to seize the 40-some dogs that were reported to us by numerous concerned citizens. The most vulnerable — young puppies — we were able to get signed over and into rescue.”
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