John and Julie Adams received the letter on Feb. 5.

A printed copy of the jail booking report from the Clarke County Sheriff’s Web site with the name Christina Anne Adams and her charges – lights required, underage possession of alcohol and a DUI – circled was mailed to their home in Hull.

Julie Adams said her husband was shocked by the report, supposedly sent to notify them of their daughter’s arrest. But they were even more worried by the message that accompanied it.

Along the bottom of the report in untidy black scrawl ran a message: “2:50 A.M. Drunk Drivin’ Dumbass Dawg in Jail (not equal to) =/ UGA Honors Graduate!”

In place of a return address on the envelope was the alias:

“The Dawg Catcher @ UGA, Athens, GA 30605,” written in the same block capital letters.

There was one problem with the criticisms the Catcher sent to the Adams.’

Christina Anne Adams, 20, wasn’t their daughter.

Their daughter, Summer Christina Adams, is a 21-year-old senior at the University, who had not been arrested that weekend.

Though the vigilante’s scoldings were misplaced this time, this unwanted watchdog has struck jailed University students before.

Two Athens bail bonds companies said they have gotten complaints from student customers.

Todd Hamby of Athens Bonding Co. said his company has received about five to ten phone calls in the last six months about “The Dawg Catcher.”

John Elliott, owner of Aaron Bonding, said his company has gotten three or four phone calls recently.

Both Elliott and Hamby said they did not know who was sending the letters.

“We’re interested,” Elliott said. “We’d really like to find out what this person’s business is.”

Hamby said Athens Bonding gets phone calls from students angry with the bonding company because they think the company leaked their arrest information.

“They’re blaming the bonding companies,” he said. “We hate it.”

Hamby said he thinks the mailings have been sporadic, as complaints to Athens Bonding come every few weeks.

He also said he thinks customers of Athens and Aaron Bonding have been affected because the companies typically do a lot of student business, offering T-shirts and student discounts.

Classic City Bonding, Double O Bonding and Bond, James Bond, Inc. said they had not heard of

“The Dawg Catcher.”

The jail booking recap report is a daily updated public record, and is available online at www.clarkecountysheriff.org/jailrpt.htm.

ACC Detective Kim Johnson said “The Dawg Catcher” is cross referencing the report with names in the University’s online student and faculty directory.

Students’ information is public unless they restrict their contact information via OASIS.

Though she said she could understand why “The Dawg Catcher” might think notifying parents was necessary, Julie Adams said the tone of the note was uncouth.

“I don’t think the commentary is at all necessary,” Adams said. “Just an awareness note would be plenty.”

The University’s Office of Judicial Programs notifies a student’s parent or guardian when a student violates the University’s Code of Conduct policies on the underage use or possession of alcohol or other drugs.

But, because of the judicial process, “The Dawg Catcher’s” homemade reprimands – printed and usually mailed the day of the arrest – reach the parents before the University letters, Johnson said.

Johnson said she was familiar with complaints about “The Dawg Catcher” from conversations with the University’s Head of Judicial Programs, Kim Ellis.

Ellis could not be reached for comment as of press time.

Hamby said he wondered at “The Dawg Catcher’s” motives for mailing the notes.

“People pay to go to school; they don’t pay this guy,” Hamby said. “Who assigned him to be the hall monitor?”

“(The bonding companies) would like to know. And I bet a few kids would like to beat him upside the head.”