When animals and people need help, one local woman tends to spring into action.

Merry Williams-Diers, a native of Jamestown, has a big heart for those less fortunate than herself. When it came to her attention about a dog in distress, she sprung to action and voiced her concerns during a Jamestown City Council meeting Monday. Williams-Diers told council members she has tried several times to assist the dog owner and her fellow animal lovers with remedying the situation, to no avail.

“There’s a dog whose owner resides at East Sixth Street,” Williams-Diers said. “The dog is in danger of dying; it’s got mange really bad, dehydrated, starving and the owner doesn’t care.”

Williams-Diers said she and her cohort of animal advocates have tried to intervene.

“We’ve reached out to the owner, who isn’t very responsive,” she said. “The house/apartment is in deplorable conditions — disgusting, filthy and not suitable for children, let a lone a dog. If something isn’t done soon, this dog will die.”

Jamestown Police Chief Tim Jackson acknowledged the concern and spoke at length with Williams-Diers on Monday.

“I’ve sent patrol cars out to this location to locate the owner and dog, and we can’t find either,” Jackson said. “We’ve tried several times, but each time we receive a call about this dog, and we send a unit out there, the dog and owner are gone.”

Moreover, local nonprofit organizations are also unable to help.

“I’ve reached out to the Humane Society of Chautauqua County,” Williams-Diers said. “I’m told … not only do they not have room, but because this dog has the mange, they still wouldn’t be able to accept him.”

City officials stated that they will try to find a resolution for the problem.

“We’re doing all we can to find the owner and the dog,” Jackson said. “We’ll keep trying to locate them and then take appropriate action when we legally can.”