Dalonega's Dog

Dahlonega is famous for many things - the gold rush, world class wineries, beautiful mountains, the Appalachian Trail - and now Nugget the dog, who has become quite the media star.

Nugget - Dahlonega's Mascot

No one knows exactly when Nugget first showed up but she's been a fixture of the city for several years. And for all this time, the people in the downtown Dahlonega area have taken care of "our" dog.

Nugget, a large golden mix breed, sleeps at the Golden Pantry in a dog house donated by a friend of Nugget. Local restaurants and local residents provide Nugget's food and a local veterinarian makes sure Nugget stays healthy. She even has her own Facebook page with almost 3,000 friends and regular tweets on Twitter.

Unfortunately, someone filed a complaint with animal control about Nugget - referring to her as a "dog running at large." What an insult to poor Nugget. She doesn't exactly run. She sorts of sashays. She even stops and looks both ways before crossing a street.

Rather than having animal control pick up Nugget, Lumpkin's Sheriff Stacy Jarrard saved the day, finding Nugget an official home with a family and fenced yard.

Nugget may be gone from downtown, but she won't quickly be forgotten.