March 29, 2011; Source: York Daily Record | Jamie Robin Collins is apparently someone who likes to take matters into her own hands. Last August, acting as a representative of the Tipton, Penn.-based nonprofit group, Dogs Deserve Better, Collins took it upon herself to save eight dogs from a Georgia shelter where they were scheduled to be killed.

Collins’ heart was in the right place, but unfortunately she has not been able to pay for the more than $3,500 worth of fees incurred on her rogue journey. Now Collins is facing theft charges according to court papers.

"To stick them in boarding facilities between Georgia and Pennsylvania, and assume we're going to pick up the bill without approval, is unacceptable," said Marie Belanger, the national area representative coordinator for Dogs Deserve Better.

Collins originally thought she’d be saving four dogs, but then another four needed saving so she made arrangements for them too. According to her lawyer all eight dogs have been safely adopted.

There is a metaphor somewhere in this story. Haven’t we all been stretched beyond capacity? And haven’t we all said ‘yes’ when we know our budgets couldn’t handle the extra load? If being too compassionate is a crime, well then, Collins is guilty. On the other hand – and I don’t know Collins personally – but her act has a certain heroic quality doesn’t it?

$3,500 doesn’t seem like a lot of money to raise to help with these charges does it?—Aaron Lester