For more than 20 years, Mandie Curty has built a career around giving animals the opportunity to heal, find homes, and become beloved companions. A Franklin County native, she has personally owned approximately 50 rescued animals and helped many more reach families throughout the community.
Her path into veterinary medicine began after she earned a degree in business and economics from Rhodes College in Memphis, returned home, and married her high school sweetheart. In 2003, Curty began volunteering with the Franklin County Humane Society, which had recently established an animal shelter in an old hog barn in Belvidere.
At a monthly meeting, she met a veterinarian who was helping improve the animals’ health and chances of adoption. The veterinarian needed someone to manage the business side of her practice and offered Curty a position at Animal Care Center.
“With my education and my passions, I felt like that was the opportunity of a lifetime,” Curty said.
She continued organizing adoption events and fundraisers and serving on the Humane Society’s board of directors until 2012. Meanwhile, the knowledge and hands-on skills she gained at Animal Care Center strengthened her ability to support rescue organizations. Her business education and compassion for animals became what she calls a “life-fulfilling career.”
Her love of animals, however, began much earlier. Her family nicknamed her Ellie Mae after the animal-loving character from “The Beverly Hillbillies.” Baby birds, ducks, turtles, and even June bugs captured her attention.
“I have always carried a deep love for animals,” she said. “I could not wait to grow up and have a bunch of animals of my very own.”
Today, that childhood hope is her reality. Curty’s home and farm include dogs, cats, a pig, a miniature donkey, a tortoise, and several chickens, all of which were either adopted or rescued.
Wrinkle, an 11-year-old shar-pei mix, enjoys camping trips and sleeps beside Curty’s son. Black Betty, an 85-pound goldendoodle, needed a new home after becoming too large and energetic for her original owners. Pearl, a 4-year-old pug, is the newest arrival and makes the family laugh.
Each animal reflects Curty’s willingness to look beyond age, medical conditions, behavioral difficulties, or an uncertain beginning.
“It is the potential I see in each one,” she said. “Cats and dogs are extremely resilient, and time gives even the worst cases the chance to shine.”
That belief guided a major rescue effort in 2012, shortly after Curty became a business partner at Animal Care Center. A client needed help with 14 small dogs left behind when an elderly relative died. The shelter was full, and without another option, many might have been euthanized.
The hospital accepted the dogs, although the scale of their needs soon became clear. They had parasites, fleas, heartworms, dental problems, poor nutrition, and little socialization. Some were terrified or displayed fear aggression. The team provided medical treatment and sought homes for them. Not every dog survived, but many were adopted and remained patients at the Animal Care Center for years.
Lydia, the final dog from that group, stayed with Curty because her fear made adoption unlikely. She lived to be older than 15 and formed a deep bond with Curty and her other animals.
“I am so grateful we took the risk and had the resources to rescue those babies,” Curty said. “Thinking back on all the lives touched by that decision makes me happy and proud.”
The work brings joy, but Curty is honest about its emotional and physical toll. Veterinary professionals may move from celebrating a healthy puppy to treating a critically ill cat within the same day. Sometimes, despite doing everything correctly, an animal cannot be saved. Remaining emotionally self-aware is essential to avoiding burnout.
Still, she sees how animals help people heal from trauma, learn responsibility, find entertainment, and form lasting memories. She also emphasizes preventive veterinary care, including vaccinations and parasite protection, and encourages owners to trust trained veterinary professionals over online trends.
Above all, Curty believes responsible pet ownership requires time — time to bond, protect an animal’s health, and plan for its physical and emotional needs. For those willing to make that investment, adoption can create an extraordinary relationship.
“That ordinary black or brown mixed-breed dog or that older tabby or orange cat could be the most amazing pet you have ever owned, if you just take the time and really see them,” she said. “If the metaphor ‘diamond in the rough’ speaks to you, I highly recommend you go treasure hunting at your local animal shelter.” GN
