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As a sergeant with the Beaufort County Animal Control, she has many busy days. Her work can take her all over, from Hilton Head Island, her main location, out to Daufuskie Island. But most remarkable is her big heart and willingness to help any animal in need, even if that means bringing them home with her.
And what a place to come home to: It's a little spread of Disney animation come to life, with white ducks floating on the pond, chickens pecking and a chatty goat nearby.
She and husband, Beaufort County officer Kevin Bush, spend much of their free time finishing up the animals' home, building a brand new coop or spreading fresh soil around the yard.
STARTING YOU
Young sheep Maisie and Ava are ready for their first shearing. Bush raised the two baby lambs, then crippled with ingrown hooves, along with the little goat named Sassy, who was rescued from the shelter.
"She earned her name by being very sassy," Bush said with a laugh.
Then there's the Rhode Island red chicken that made herself a home at Fireside Grilling in Bluffton.
"Cutest thing ever," Bush said. "She lays one egg a day. The owner picked her up and handed her to me. She needed a home, that's why she was so receptive. She fits right into the property here."
It seems quite a few others do, too, especially the ones needing special care, according to her neighbor, Sue Barnes.
"We call it Beverly's little zoo," Barnes said. "She has them in an area where the whole neighborhood can enjoy them. It's a big thrill to go by every morning, making sure the animals are all doing fine. We care about them, too."
In fact, it's not unusual for Bush to look outside and find many people in the yard, just coming by to see what's new. She loves having the children and neighbors visit. With a fresh litter of foster puppies, more chickens in the coop and six dogs in the house, something's always happening at this picturesque Roselawn menagerie.
Three of the dogs came home as 9-day-old foster pups.
"I couldn't let them go. I bottle fed those babies," she said with a big smile. "I chat with my animals all the time. Even if they can't talk back, they are talking to you; there is no doubt about it. I mean this from the heart: I can't tell you how much I love them. They deserve so much respect and love."
As a young girl in Pennsylvania, her first thoughts were always for her animals. One of her earliest memories is going outside on a cold winter morning to break the ice in her dogs' bowls.
She knew, even then, that animals like to be cared for, visited with and a little pampered. She remembers crying because she couldn't take all the dogs home from the animal shelter. Her father tried to tell her she couldn't save every animal.
But she could make their lives better, she thought, at least make them feel good for a day. As soon as she got her driver's license, she drove over to
bring them dog biscuits whenever she could.
BEVERLY'S ZOO
When she and Kevin relocated to Beaufort, she naturally thought to visit the local animal shelter.
"I love the place. I've been there since 1997. I started out cleaning out kennels as an animal care technician," she said.
Two years later, when one of the animal control officers left, she considered applying for the position.
"It can be an extremely sad and overwhelming job. I questioned if I could handle that," she said. "We can't put every animal up for adoption."
Deciding she had more to offer by being an officer, she went through the police academy and passed.
Two years ago, she was promoted to sergeant, and now she supervises six animal control officers, who cover the county.
"I think I have a special bond with animals," she said. "This is what I want to do as long as I can."
Some days are more exciting than others -- rescuing Burmese pythons takes a brave woman. But in that instance, her thoughts were only for the mistreated creatures; she's sure they knew they were being moved to a better place. She encourages others to visit the animal shelter, and she likes to talk about animal care, including spay and neuter programs. When visiting schools to give pet-care talks, she always finds some puppies to take along.
Set back quietly, Bush's home blends into its natural setting. An attractive fence wraps around the animals, who have free roam within their areas. Jake, an 18-year-old hound, has had many a happy romp, and the pet duck, Duckie, used to wait on the front porch, where he'd hop on Bush's lap to snuggle. The beautiful white Muscovy duck is unclipped, but he shows no desire to fly away from his private pond.
An air of tranquility settles over the neighborhood, houses set back but open to each other, one side slopes down to the water, with boats drifting by. It's a neighborhood where people gather for annual New Year's oyster roasts, and some of the ladies have been getting together for years. These days, a lot of the talk centers on "Beverly's zoo."
Spring days mean more time outside, with the animals.
"I just ordered some turkeys -- a pair, so there will be babies on the way," Bush said. "I told my husband, and he said, 'Turkeys, huh?' Then he said 'OK.' "
Sounds like something new for the neighborhood to look forward to.
