MONROE COUNTY, Ga. — There is something Norman Rockwell-like unwrapping a puppy or getting a big dog with a bow on it Christmas morning.
The Bibb County Animal Shelter along with the Houston County Humane Society are closed through the holiday, but there are some dogs that want to meet you in time for Christmas in Monroe County.
Catherine Wood has followed a routine for decades.
"It's actually my mom's fault because she brought home a litter of puppies, and we nurtured them, we cared for them, we found homes for them when I was about 8 years old," she said.
Wood runs Rock On Rescue on her property, where there is still time for you to pick out a dog before noon on Christmas Eve.
Bella is a calm pointer.
"She is a great dog. She loves other dogs, she chases cats, and she is on heartworm treatment right now," explained Wood.
Then there's Luella, a red-bone hound dog that Wood describes as, "A great dog. She's young -- she probably was gun-shy, so she was turned into Monroe County Animal Control."
Luella is a lover, not a hunter, and that's the same for all of these guys who want to meet you, live with you, and call you their human.
"They would like to give love and get love back, and I think that's the thing right now at the holidays. People are off work and have family time, so it would be a great time to add an addition to your family," Wood said. "A lot of these dogs have come from bad situations -- they've come off a chain, so these dogs deserve a home."
That's true for some of the dogs, like Sadie, a beagle mix who has an almost-guaranteed happy ending. Catherine has relationships with rescue groups up north, so come January, they're all getting in the van.
"They go straight into foster homes in New York, for example, and they're on couches and laps and adopted pretty quickly up north," said Wood.
This year, Rock On Rescue will go down as adopting out over 850 dogs and cats
It's a great number, but a few more would make Christmas doggone joyous.
Wood explains, "I talk to a lot of people that they think they're rescuing a dog, but what they find is that the dog rescues them."
You can find Rock On Rescue on Facebook and make an appointment by noon Friday.
They will require a call to your veterinarian to make sure the dog is going to get good care.
Plus, there is $150 adoption fee.
They also require a fenced-in backyard.