“Inside the Firehouse” Invites Brazos County Residents to Learn About Fire and Emergency Services

(ROCKDALE, TX) – Brandywine Valley SPCA (BVSPCA), the largest animal welfare organization in the Mid-Atlantic, serving three states and Washington, DC, has accepted 52 dogs voluntarily surrendered by Dogtown Ranch Sanctuary Rescue and Rehab (Dogtown Ranch) in Rockdale, Texas. Dogtown Ranch has drawn significant public attention, and BVSPCA is the organization stepping in to help with this large-scale effort, working in coordination with the Milam County Sheriff’s Office. BVSPCA is providing the dogs with full medical check-ups and the care they need, with the goal of placing them in loving homes. A team of more than a dozen BVSPCA staff members traveled to Texas to work on site, including CEO Adam Lamb, who was joined by Aimee Sadler, founder of Dogs Playing for Life, which is now affiliated with BVSPCA. Together, the team worked to assess and transport the dogs to a temporary shelter where they are caring for the dogs and preparing them for their next step toward adoption. “The Milam County Sheriff’s Office is grateful to coordinate with Brandywine Valley SPCA on their efforts to bring additional care and resources to the animals at Dogtown Ranch and Sanctuary,” said Milam County Sheriff Mike Clore. “Dogtown Ranch voluntarily surrendered 52 animals to the BVSPCA, which has transported the dogs from the property and will work to find them forever homes. Our office will continue to monitor conditions at Dogtown Ranch and Sanctuary and will respond to new, credible, and verifiable evidence of animal cruelty or abuse.” A leader in the no-kill movement, BVSPCA helped make Delaware the first no-kill state in the nation. BVSPCA brings its veterinary resources, progressive sheltering policies, network of shelter partners and commitment to helping animals in need, wherever they are. In Texas, BVSPCA worked with partners to set up a temporary shelter facility while the dogs receive care. One dog was found severely underweight and barely responsive. BVSPCA rushed her to an emergency vet, where she is receiving care as she fights to survive. “Our focus is on these dogs – getting them the medical care and attention they need and helping them find homes,” said Adam Lamb, CEO of Brandywine Valley SPCA. “We’re grateful that we were able to negotiate a voluntary surrender to get the dogs on the path to a brighter future. We want to thank the Milam County Sheriff’s Office and our Texas shelter partners for working alongside us on this lifesaving mission.” This rescue effort comes on top of Brandywine Valley SPCA’s daily work caring for animals, and the organization is on track to care for more than 30,000 animals this year. Deploying a team to Texas to provide urgent medical care and temporary shelter comes at a significant cost. “This is an important mission, and I am so proud of our team for answering the call to help these dogs,” Lamb said. “But we can’t take on an effort of this scale without our community and everyone who has been advocating for these dogs. We’re asking for your support now through donations, so we can care for these dogs immediately while continuing to care for the hundreds of animals in our shelters.” Donations to support BVSPCA’s lifesaving work can be made at bvspca.org/DogtownRanch. Financial support helps provide medical care, transportation and daily needs for these dogs and other animals in its care. Texas shelters and rescue organizations interested in helping place the dogs locally can reach BVSPCA at bvspca.org/DogtownRescue. BVSPCA will share updates as the dogs progress in their care. Got a news tip? e-mail us at news@wtaw.com, text us at (979) 695-1620, or reach out on Facebook or Twitter/X.

Texas A&M 150 Festivities are slated to kick off on Friday. Because of inclement weather, the Sesquicentennial Opening Ceremony will no longer take place on the steps on the Williams Administration Building. It will now take place indoors, in Rudder Auditorium. Time: Friday, October 2, 2026 4:00pm Program | 5:00pm Reception Location: Rudder Tower | Auditorium 401 Joe Routt Blvd. Free parking is available in the West Campus Garage (WCG). Shuttles will run from WCG to Rudder starting at 3:00pm. As of right now, the 9:00pm Yell Practice and pyro/drone show is still on as scheduled. Got a news tip? e-mail us at news@wtaw.com, text us at (979) 695-1620, or reach out on Facebook or Twitter/X.

Three people were arrested after they were found inside a condemned apartment building. The complex in the 200 block Marion Pugh Drive is scheduled for demolition because of black mold. College Station Police were called to the property just before 10:30am Monday after a caller reported seeing people going in and out of units at the abandoned complex. 36-year-old Aaron Michael Brewer, was found inside one of the units. He had a small bag containing a white powder that field-tested positive for cocaine, and a bottle containing 13.6 grams of the prescription drug of gabapentin in another person’s name. Brewer allegedly told officers he knew the complex was abandoned and had property inside the unit. Brewer was arrested on charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance (Penalty Group 1, under one gram), Possession of a Dangerous Drug, and Criminal Trespass. He remains jailed on $13,000 bond. It was his 16th time in the Brazos County Jail. Officers located two more people inside a nearby unit. 36-year-old Eryn Elizabeth Tacker and 44-year-old Randall Keith King, II gained access to the unit by taking keys from the abandoned front office. Tacker was charged with Criminal Trespass and forfeited bond on an arrest for Possession of Marijuana in August of this year. She remains jailed on $5,000 bond. King was charged with Criminal Trespass and is free on $3,000 bond. It was King’s sixth time in the Brazos County Jail. He was arrested earlier this month for Driving With an Invalid License. Got a news tip? e-mail us at news@wtaw.com, text us at (979) 695-1620, or reach out on Facebook or Twitter/X.