When you move-take your pets!!!!

When you move-TAKE YOUR PETS!!! (yes, I am yelling!)

I participate in a freecycle group in my area. In the last week or so, I have seen that many animals are being offered to others for free, hence the freecycle group, and possibly without a thorough check on the person. One of which was a "beloved" dog who they have to "get rid of" (I HATE that phrase!) because they are moving.

There is absolutely no freaking reason to not bring your pets with you. It is a cop out. You just don't want to deal with the hassle of bringing them with you. My pets will always live with me until they pass. I have had them for 9 years and I will have them until the end.

There is no excuse for this. Pets are not disposable! There are ways to find housing that accepts pets for those who are renting and apartment, condo, etc. If you are buying your house, you can certainly have pets. I understand that it is a hassle to bring your pet with you if you are moving a long distance. You have to stop every so often to let them out to go to the bathroom and let them move around. Pet owners that truly love their animals and believe that animals are worthy of living would not think for a second of not taking their animals with them. My animals are like my children. I would never put my child up for adoption simply because I am moving.

Many people bring these animals to a shelter-and they are KILLED! Could you imagine bringing your sweet cat or dog to a shelter where they are scared to death? They are whisked from their soft, warm bed and familiar surroundings and "loving" people and are taken somewhere that is cold and unfamiliar. There are strangers there feeding them a different food and never getting out in the fresh air, not getting taken for walks. Then one day, someone comes in to your cage or run and takes you to a room where they have to forcibly hold you down to kill you. What would your last thought be?

What did I do wrong and why are my "parents" letting them kill me?

This happens everyday in every city.

It is a damn shame that our society is so shallow that they are willing to "get rid" of their animals to make their lives easier.

When puppies and kittens are killed at shelters, older animals have NO CHANCE of getting adopted.

KEEP YOUR PETS FOR LIFE!

People are so stupid.

Last night, Jack, one of my foster cats did something weird. It is not life threatening or even something warranting a visit to the vet. I typed in my question into google and came up with many results.

There are numerous questions online from stupid people with actual emergencies with their pets who are just posting the question online and...I guess...waiting for the "internet" to answer them.

What are these people thinking!?! Take your animals to the freaking vet!

For example, someone asked about their dog vomiting white foam, one said their cat had thrown up six times that day, one that hasn't peed for two days...all of these are potentially life threatening and cannot wait. If your cat, especially a male cat, has not peed in two days, it could die the next day.

Why are people so ignorant? Even if I was not educated about the health of cats and did not have experience with them, I would consider all of these incidents life threatening. I would not post the question online and wait for an answer. I would be in the car on the way to the vet.

People might say that they can't afford it. Well, if your child was throwing up six times, would you not take them to the hospital? No, of course not. You would get them the medical care they needed and figure out how to pay later.

Responsible pet parents would do that. Not having the money is not an excuse. Your pets depend on you to take care of them.

50 dead animals found in cages in abandoned home

The rotting remains of about 50 dogs, cats, guinea pigs, hamsters and ferrets were discovered in a Barnegat house today, officials said.

A locksmith sent by the bank that had foreclosed on the house found the decaying remains when he arrived to change the locks and immediately contacted the police.

"They were piles of bones and fur," said Matt Stanton, a spokesman for the state Society for the Prevention of Cruelty for Animals. "The dogs just disintegrated."

Most of the remains were found in locked cages throughout the one-story home, which officials described as fully furnished, with garbage and fecal matter strewn throughout.

Read more here...

UPDATE
A South Jersey husband and wife were released on $25,000 bail each yesterday after they were arrested and charged in the deaths of dozens of house pets found at the Jersey Shore.

Matthew R. and Amanda Teymant own the unoccupied townhouse on Potomac Circle in Barnegat, N.J., where police found the skeletal remains of 64 animals Monday.

"The only things alive in that house were the flies and the maggots," Stanton said.

Read more here...

Adoptions at PetSmart today...

I helped with adoptions today at PetSmart. I am amazed sometimes by the ignorance of people. We were there from 11 to 3. We had many people come through who said, "No, I can't have anymore cats--my cat just had kittens." Where will those kittens go? They will probably be given to other irresponsible people who will say the same thing to us when they come through the store in 6 months or so. (btw, cats can have kittens as early as 6 months of age.)

We came in with 3 grey kittens and 3 adult cats. Which ones were adopted? The kittens were gone before 2:00. The adult cats, who are much less work, were still sitting there when 3:00 rolled around.

Nearly everyone who walked by commented on Avery, a short hair tabby. Nobody adopted him. He does have a cleft palate, which causes a deformity on his nose. He is spunky and playful, yet nobody wanted him. Murphy, a beautiful long haired orange cat was there and nobody wanted him. Orion, a sweet lap cat, was looked over also. I felt like I was one of those annoying car salesmen, or woman in this case. I really pushed to get those cats adopted. They deserve happy homes.

Why is our society so superficial? These kittens that were adopted today might be returned to the shelter once they are no longer "cute". Then they are destined to fight for a coveted spot in someone's house. What message are we sending to our children and these poor cats?

Adopting a cat or dog is for LIFE. I have two cats of my own. I adopted Gaby at 8 months (she was going to be euthanized for being black). My cat Ashtyn was a year and a half when I adopted her. I will have them until they pass away. I never thought any different. They are mine until the end. Period.

Please educate others whenever you get a chance. Let everyone know that you are a responsible pet owner and you will have your pet until the end. There is really no reason not to.



Murphy

Avery

Orion

Why blame chained dog for humans' many errors?

Sadly, another parent has allowed a child to be bitten by a dog ("Dog mauls girl", Leader-Post, Jan. 21).



Could someone not stomach the fact that Lassie, the smart and gentle animal who saved little Timmy from harm every week on TV, could hurt a child? I have been teaching dog obedience and socialization for many years. I have taught dozens of breeds and thousands of dogs. I have been bitten and/or threatened by border collies, Chihuahuas, shih tzus, Labradors, schipperkes, golden retrievers, Australian shepherds, cocker spaniels, springer spaniels, poodles, terriers and Pomeranians. These are not breeds we think of as dangerous.

I have had one problem with a "dangerous" breed: A cross breed that had suffered a lifetime of abuse and neglect. Small dog bites are unlikely to require medical treatment, go unreported, and skew statistics.

While researching this letter, I came across a citation for an incident in which a Pomeranian, a two-kilogram dog, had killed a baby.

I recently saw a golden retriever/poodle cross that was, by anyone's definition, dangerous.

Golden retrievers? Dangerous?

Dangerous dogs exist, but dangerous breeds exist only in the imaginations of people looking for scapegoats.

Breed bans exist so that politicians can look like they are doing something while doing nothing useful.

News stories that alter the description of a dog from one breed to another only add to the hysteria and make it harder for responsible pet owners.

Any dog will bite if it feels threatened and can't escape. "Fight or flight" are its only safety valves. A dog that is chained cannot escape a perceived threat and is more likely to bite, no matter what breed it is, and no matter whether the threat comes from a child, an adult, or another dog.

Even "Lassie" will bite in that situation -- as the people in Delisle have discovered.

Owner beats, slaps, kicks, abuses chained dog--CAUGHT ON TAPE!

Again and again the video shows the man come out of the house and drag the dog out of a barrel that is obviously his ‘house’, he’s chained to a tree and the man beats him, kicks him, throws him around, holds him up by collar and chain. The dog whines, cries and huddles, attempts to retreat to the what he believes to be the safety of his barrel only to be dragged back out and beaten again and again.

It hurt to watch this, the dog so pitiful and defenseless, his tag still wagging every time the man approached only to be dealt with more abuse.

Arrested was William Steward Jr. of High Point, NC, who claims this is a case of mistaken identity. “That is not me, this is not me,” said Steward. “I have a dog myself, I love dogs, I would never abuse dogs.”

For months neighbors had been complaining about the abuse and calling the police but there wasn’t enough evidence to do anything but Steward has been suspect for some time, by neighbors and police. A previous video didn’t give police enough information to charge Steward at the time.

“We have received one (call) that we had worked with Humane Society … but there wasn’t enough there to warrant the charge,” said High Point police Lt. Mike Kirk. “But today, one came to light that was twice as long as one we had.”

Steward called the police to try to clear his name after a picture of his driver’s license was aired on local television in connection to the abuse. He says that his only connection to the case is that he used to live at the address four years ago. A neighbor, Dolores Myers said she’s seen the dogs abused and believes they should have been picked up a long time ago. She say the man she saw attacking the animals, the same man in this video, is not Williams Steward.

Some neighbors suspect the man currently living in the house at 303 Whittier Ave. He was not home Saturday for comment.

Despite Steward’s claims of innocence, the police believe they arrested and charged the correct person. If, as Steward claims, he is innocent, he will have his chance in court. He was released on $1,500 bond.

As for the abused dogs at the address, animal control removed four pitbulls Saturday night. “They are friendly dogs, very friendly so they were easy to get,” said animal control officer Nelson Moxley who took the dogs into custody.

If you can stomach it, you can watch the video HERE. As for Steward’s claim of innocence, time and the courts will tell. From the video, it’s not easy to see a person’s face but there’s no doubt it will all come out and I’ll be sure to keep you updated.

Whoever did this to that poor dog shown on the video needs to be dealt with in the harshest manner but from the charges leveled against Steward, three misdemeanors, it won’t happen!


This sickens me beyond belief. I am so mad right now, I am shaking. How could anyone do this? How could they just look at that sweet dog who is wagging his tail and do this? I will follow this case very closely!

Man Wins Dog Back After DNA Test Proves Dog Isn't Pit Bull

Chalk a victory up for man's best friend in Kansas City, Kansas. A man just won his eight month legal battle with the city to keep his dog after proving it wasn't a pit bull.

For the last eight months, Niko has been living in the KCK Animal Control Kennels while his owners fought with the city. Animal Control said the dog violated the pit bull ban, but the dog's owner has said all along the dog is actually a boxer mix.

Niko has only been a free dog for a couple of days. Mike Johnson said it's obvious that eight months in the pound was tough on Niko.

"He lost some fur and has quite a bit of a cough," Johnson said. "He lost about 10-15 pounds."

This all started because the family put up an ad trying to find Niko a new home. Animal Control saw the ad and confiscated the dog, calling it a pit bull, even though paperwork called the dog a boxer.

After months of legal wrangling and a DNA test, all charges have been dropped and now they plan on keeping Niko for good.

"I don't feel it's fair at all," Johnson said. "For one they took our dog. We had documentation what type of dog it was but they wouldn't even look at that."

"People like Mike and Amy get caught in this loop, they actually had criminal charges brought up against them," Cheryl Buell with KC Dog Advocates said.

Buell said this shows pit bull bans are hard to enforce and that's exactly why other cities are changing laws, like Edwardsville, which just changed its ordinance Monday night, removing the pit bull ban.

"Beefing up their dangerous dog ordinance, make sure the people with dangerous dogs are held accountable, those are the people you want to punish fine," Buell said.

Buell wants KCK to re-examine its ordinance.

"It was hard on the dog and the people involved and a huge waste of tax money and it didn't accomplish anything because it wasn't a vicious dog to begin with," she said.

A KCK spokesman said the pit bull ban is there to protect people. It was only a year and a half ago that a 71-year-old woman was attacked and killed by a pit bull in KCK.

*****************

Of course, the news cannot resist instilling fear in their viewers, in this case, readers. So, you want to remind us that a woman was killed A YEAR AND A HALF AGO!?! Come on! So, nobody has been killed since then? The death of the woman to whom they are referring began all of this "Pit bull frenzy".

People who are educated by the media are not educated at all. The media has their own agenda most times and are simply ignorant and choose not to get the actual facts because the news has to get out. I wish there were someone out there that would actually give TRUE, UNBIASED facts.

The media is irresponsible when reporting on dog attacks of any breed or circumstance.

It seems to me that any dog with the breed name, terrier, such as American Staffordshire Terrier, the media claims it to be a "pit-bull-type" dog and puts it in the headline of the story, to sell a paper.

FYI: According to the AKC, terriers were bred to hunt and kill vermin.

Nobody wants any person or animal to be attacked by a dog. Some dogs attack for no specific reason and the attack seems to just comes out of nowhere. However, what the media and it's irresponsibility fails to do is educate the public. These dog attacks are frequently the result of negligent owners who either train the dog to fight or do not treat them well.

Instead of focusing on how "vicious" and "dangerous" dogs are, the media needs to get to the root of the story. Why do the owners have the dog? Is it chained up outside for most of it's life? Is it ignored and treated poorly? Has it been trained to fight? Has it been to obedience classes? Is it fed on a regular basis? A dog that has everything it needs, is less likely to attack someone or some animal. Most likely, the owners are to blame for the dog's behavior. Dogs are not born, knowing exactly how to act. Owners are supposed to socialize them.

Is the media asking the important questions? Is the owner doing their part to socialize the dog? Is the owner giving their particular breed the care it needs? Some dogs need a lot of exercise compared to others, is the dog getting that exercise or is it filled with pent up energy?

All the media wants to do is tell us how vicious the attack was and other gory details.

Also, the media uses the ignorance of the American public to get people calling for the death of dogs, who are just as much the victim as the person or dog they attacked. I do believe that is a strong statement, but I really think it is true.

If a dog is trained to attack or is treated harshly and it can attack someone. They are doing what they know, so as a result of the behavior of their owner, they are most likely going to be euthanized and the dog won't even know why.

Most Americans think if a dog looks "scary" or "mean", it will attack them. The media wants us to believe the hype, they want us to be scared and buy into the "pit-bull" hysteria. They feel like they are educating us, which they are not, and they sell papers and get people to watch their news.

I searched for some news stories of dog attacks that are NOT pit bulls, a 15 minute search brought me these stories, they are all from the US or Canada. To read the individual stories, just click on them.

The media is not an expert on breed identification, either. It seems that any dog in the news just happens to be a pit bull, according to the media anyway. When we see a picture or video, you can see it might be a pit mix, or a completely separate breed altogether. Such as the case of this recent dog attack in Long Beach, California.

Notice that at the beginning of the video, the news reporter claims this is a Chihuahua, although the owner says it is a Pomeranian. This is who we are trusting to tell us what breed a dog is. Also, in this particular situation, they have an off leash park with nothing but orange cones around it--NOT-- a fence.

Here is the video


I would love to hear your comments and perspectives on this entire article.

Here is a story out of Canada calling for German Shepherds to be banned due to dog attacks.

Another news story involving a German Shepherd planned to be euthanized due to an attack.

In Kentucky, a Jack Russell Terrier killed a 6-week-old infant

Here a Greyhound attacks another dog at a dog park

A girl was attacked by a "pit-bull-type dog", this is misleading because later in the story, the claim it was possibly a Staffordshire terrier or an American bulldog.

This news story doesn't even mention the dog breed, we can be sure of one thing-It was definitely not a Pit-bull type breed. If it were, that would have been the headline.

A Rottweiler attacks his owner.

Dogs are not the problem--HUMANS are!

I am very tired of hearing about "mean" or "vicious" dogs. I am not going to go into Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) too much but I want to talk about these terms in general.

If a puppy or dog is treated in a loving, humane way, we would not hear about dogs biting people or children nearly as much as we do now.

When I hear another city has passed some sort of BSL, I cringe. I know that many, many innocent, loving dogs may be euthanised simply because now, after the passing of an ordinance they are considered dangerous. When just yesterday, they were just another dog enjoying the sunshine in their own backyards. Now, they must be killed because they are vicious and dangerous to people.

Come on! Are humans really that stupid and ignorant?! This sounds like the Salem Witch trials in 1692! Have humans remained ignorant for over 400 years? Apparently, the answer is yes.

Humans are choosing to remain ignorant because then they don't have to look at how their OWN behavior causes the problems.

We need education and we need people to be responsible pet owners. We need people in the community to be humane and compassionate to any stray animals they see and teach their children to be kind.

I think it is incredibly sad that people are not interested in getting to the root of the problem and just take the first, quick answer that will "solve" the problem.

According to the ASPCA:

Any dog that is treated harshly, neglected or trained to attack, may bite a person. Any dog can be turned into a dangerous dog. The owner is most frequently responsible--not the breed, and not the dog.


If you have been a victim of BSL and would like to talk about it, please leave a comment or email me.

Read the ASPCA's position on BSL.

End Euthanasia of Healthy and Treatable Animals!

Every year, an estimated four to six million dogs and cats are euthanized in animal care and control facilities in the United States. This problem is pervasive, and it remains a source of shame for our country.

The American Humane Association’s Getting to Zero� Initiative is a national undertaking based on the profound belief that, within our lifetime, American society can reduce to zero the number of healthy or treatable dogs, cats and other companion animals that are euthanized in animal care and control facilities.

This program will help identify, support and obtain funding for the replication of community-based interventions that have demonstrated success in reducing the euthanasia of healthy and treatable animals. These include adoption, foster care, spay/neuter, training, transfer and generally bringing community support where it is needed most.

Sign this petition today to support programs like American Humane’s Getting to Zero� Initiative, because these animals all deserve a chance to live!

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/723066513#body


The animals will thank you!!

Chained dogs living outside in freezing temps!

I volunteer with Spay Neuter Kansas City, in the Pet Assistance Program. On the weekends, we go out into the community and help chained dogs. There are so many dogs living in these conditions that we cannot help them all in one day. We generally have 8-10 people out in different parts of the city, helping dogs and any stray cats that wander in their path.

Abvoe, are some pictures I took this past Sunday, Jan 20. The high that day was 25 degrees.

11 kittens freeze to death

The garbage bag in Melissa Steele's bathroom contains grisly proof of the frigid conditions inside her Syracuse apartment.

Mixed among the food wrappers and used tissues are the bodies of eleven tiny kittens who died from probable cases of hypothermia. Steele said she is saving the corpses as proof that her landlord is responsible.

"He is to blame," Steele said, cradling two of the dead kittens in her cupped hands. "There are no lights and no gas. That's why they froze to death."

Steele and her landlord's property manager, Syracuse Homes, disagree on whose responsibility it is to pay the National Grid bill. Service was disconnected last week, and Steele has been living in a veritable ice box ever since.

In an effort to keep warm the five surviving kittens and her 16 adult cats, some of whom are pregnant, Steele has placed all of the animals in three pet carriers buried beneath a mountain of blankets, clothes, and couch cushions. They do not have access to food, water, or the litter box except when Steele releases them for brief periods of time each day.

"That, I don't care to go into," she said, insisting they are receiving adequate care. "I do what I have to do to keep my cats warm."

Steele has declined to allow anyone else to care for the cats, even temporarily, and warned that anyone who tried to take them from her would "leave in a body bag."

Fearing the cats might succumb to the bone-chilling cold, CBS 5 News Reporter Steve Flamisch decided to call the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Within the hour, an SPCA van loaded with animal carriers was parked outside Steele's Pond Street apartment home.

Despite her earlier threats, Steele -- who has had dealings with the SPCA in the past -- appeared to suddenly welcome the opportunity to relinquish some of the cats. She watched as cruelty investigator Betsy Puffer and another staff member placed all five kittens and 11 of the adult cats into carriers and loaded them into the van. Puffer allowed Steele to keep seven adults.

"The other adults should be fine," Puffer said. "They are of a good body weight and she is doing her best to keep them covered with blankets."

Puffer informed Steele that the cats had to be fed at least once daily, and that a water dish had to be placed in their carriers. Steele agreed.

That may be a moot point, however.

Late Friday, the Syracuse City Codes Enforcement Department informed CBS 5 News that it had condemned the building, meaning Steele will be forced to vacate. The department of social services will work with her on finding alternative housing, and Puffer said the SPCA is prepared to seize the remaining seven cats, if necessary.

Steele is hoping for financial donations, and said she is willing to sell some of the cats for $50-$100.

____________________________________________________

This to me, sounds like an irresponsible person, who cannot pay her own bills. She is also being an irresponsible pet owner or rescuer, whichever one she claims to be. I would never allow any animal to suffer and freeze to death--even if it is the fault of the landlord. She could have done any number of things to save their lives and she chose not to.

She could have called the SPCA herself, she could have taken them to a friends house, hotel (if possible), or bought a space heater or one of those disks you heat up in the microwave. There were many options and she chose none of them!

Tethered-dog photos disturbing to Texas council

Posted on Wed, Jan. 16, 2008


By MIKE LEE
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
FORT WORTH -- The pictures were upsetting: a slit-eyed dog chained to a tree in a bare dirt yard with no way to get to food or water. Another dog kept on a chain so short it could barely move.

And those were the ones that the city animal control department felt it could show in public.

"Our animal cruelty officers encounter many examples of dog tethering that are far worse," said Scott Hanlan, assistant public health director.

It could soon be illegal to chain or tether a dog in Fort Worth, except in limited circumstances. City Council members, who were visibly angered by the pictures, could vote on a change in the ordinance next week, including a $2,000 fine.

Hanlon said there's evidence that chaining dogs makes them more dangerous. One study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that animals that are kept roped or chained are 2.8 times more likely to bite people than other dogs.

"I find the photographs you just showed us disturbing to say the least," Mayor Mike Moncrief said. "I guess perhaps in my own mind the most appropriate punishment for those who choose to treat animals that way is to tether those owners themselves for a period of time."

Enforcement

If the council approves the ordinance next week, it would be illegal to keep a dog on a chain or rope unless the owner is present. Hanlan said animal control officers plan to start educating owners about their options, including inexpensive ones. It can cost as little as $200 to build a dog run out of chain-link fence, and dog runs are much more humane than chains or ropes, Hanlan said.

City ordinance already requires dogs to be kept in fenced yards or some other type of secure enclosure.

Other cities, including Austin and Irving, have passed similar ordinances. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has endorsed so-called anti-tethering laws as a more sensible alternative to laws that focus on one breed of dog, such as pit bulls. The Humane Society of the United States publishes a pamphlet telling activists how to get similar laws passed in their community.

Street culture

City animal control officials say part of the problem is the street culture, whose members value dogs as a status symbol. Dogfighters sometimes use heavy chains to strengthen a dog or make it more aggressive.

Suzette Watkins, who owns a kennel in the Riverside neighborhood, has taken pictures of chained animals around Fort Worth and sent them to council members and the news media.

"You look tough if you've got a chained, mean dog by the side of you," she said. "It's like a loaded gun; they don't realize what that dog is capable of."

Chaining dogs hurts them on several levels, Watkins said. It deprives them of exercise and keeps them from interacting with people or other dogs.

"By nature, dogs are social beings. For them to be tied up ... it's no life for a dog," she said.

A larger problem

The issue of chained-up dogs is one facet of a citywide problem. Fort Worth officials have been trying for years to do something about irresponsible pet owners who they say contribute to the proliferation of stray and abused animals. Thousands of animals are kept without proper vaccinations, spaying or neutering, training, city licenses or a decent environment.

City animal control officers collect about 25,500 dogs and cats a year. At one point, the city had to euthanize three-fourths of those animals. The death rate is now down to about 70 percent, despite Fort Worth's rapid population growth and an increase in the number of animals brought in. At the same time, the animal control department has been requiring people ticketed for animal violations to attend classes on proper animal care.

Police: Man Drills Into Dog's Head--Father Tried To Punish Dog For Biting Son, Police Say

Police: Man Drills Into Dog's Head
Father Tried To Punish Dog For Biting Son, Police Say

POSTED: 5:38 pm EST January 14, 2008
PLAINVILLE, Conn. -- A man drilled holes in a pit bull's head as punishment for biting his son, police in Plainville said.

Channel 3 Eyewitness News reporter Hena Daniels reported authorities euthanized the pit bull, named Baby, on Monday.

Man Accused Of Drilling Dog's Head (WARNING: Explicit Pictures)

According to Plainville police, Saverino Cruz, 32, drilled several holes in the dog's head using a power drill after the dog bit Cruz's 8-year-old son earlier in the day. Plainville police said two brothers are being charged in the incident.

"Saverino Cruz left work upon discovering his son had been bit. He went back to the household and, in a fit of rage, grabbed a power drill and drilled the dog that bit this son ... in the head several times," Plainville police Capt. Peter Costanzo said. "He then went to the hospital to see his son."

Police said the chain of events unfolded on Sunday when Cruz's brother, Enrique, the owner of the dog, was watching his nephew, Nick.

Baby somehow got out of a cage in the basement and bit the 8-year-old in the arm. Nick was rushed to an area hospital and was released a short while later.

When officers got to the house, they found another dog -- a 4-month-old puppy, police said. Both dogs were malnourished, unlicensed and not vaccinated, police said.

"The sanitary conditions were terrible in the home and that dog was also taken and placed in the pound," Costanzo said.

Police said Saverino Cruz later told investigators he was very sorry for what he did. He remains in police custody.

The other dog, named Coffee, is up for adoption at Plainville Animal Control.
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Sad story of animal abuse all too common : Aztec Animal Shelter takes in neglected dog "Duke"

Sad story of animal abuse all too common : Aztec Animal Shelter takes in neglected dog "Duke"
By Debra Mayeux The Daily Times
Farmington Daily Times
Article Launched:01/14/2008 12:00:00 AM MST
AZTEC — Puppy years should be happy times for dogs. A time to learn how to socialize and play.

For some animals that is not the case. They are brought home, neglected and starved, kept out in the cold. That is what happened to "Duke," a stray recently brought into the Aztec Animal Shelter.

"He was running around. He had a choke chain on. The collar grew into his skin as he grew," said Tina Roper, shelter director.

The shelter employees had to cut deep into the dog's neck with wire cutters to get the chain out. "His neck is just tore open," Roper said.

"It was horrible, one of the absolute worst ones we have seen," she added.

Some 50 to 60 percent of the animals brought into the shelter suffer from some type of abuse.

"A lot of them that come in ... they are head shy. They've been hit," Roper said, adding that most don't know how to act around humans. "They are scared, and it's hard to get them to understand that not all humans are going to hurt them."

"Duke" is a mixed-breed dog, and is smaller than he should be. The shelter staff can't say whether he lacked food during his growing years, but it is likely because of the neglect.

Roper said that if the animal control officer's knew where this 25-pound dog came from, the owner would face charges, as would any owner who leaves their dog or cat out in the freezing weather with no shelter.

"They can get frostbite. They can freeze to death," Roper said. "You can't leave them out there in the cold wet snow without shelter, somewhere dry to sleep."

While animal control officers do not patrol the streets looking for abuse and neglect cases, they will investigate any call of concern that comes in. If an animal is outside without shelter, food and water, "it would be a violation of an ordinance," she said.

Those calls often come into the San Juan Animal League's hotline, and while the league does help pet owners, it refers those types of calls to non-emergency dispatch, said Donna Ogilvie, co-chairman of the league.

"Any of us that love animals feel terrible when anything like that (abuse) happens," Ogilvie said, adding the league will help to pay for medical bills of animals with emergencies that are taken into loving homes.

The O'Hearn Fund helps to pay the medical bills of rescued animals, Ogilvie said. There also is an emergency fund for people who cannot afford the costs of caring for sick or injured animals.

In the case of "Duke," the Aztec Animal Shelter staff took care of him and had him checked out by a veterinarian. Once he is healed, he will make a great pet, Roper said.

"Duke," however, will need to go to an understanding home, where the owner is patient and the environment is quiet.

"Not only did he come in with physical injuries, emotionally he needs help too," Roper said.

He will need to learn socialization with humans and other animals. He will need to learn to trust. That happens in a loving home, most animal behavior experts would agree.

Ogilvie said that if someone needs advice on animal socialization or behavior, they can get it at the San Juan Animal League's annual meeting at 7 p.m. today at the Farmington Civic Center. The keynote speaker is Ben Gonzales, owner of Doggie Do Right, a mobile dog obedience business.

"He comes to people's houses and helps them train their dogs," Ogilvie said, adding the meeting is open to the public. She encourages anyone with a love of animals to attend.

Back to "Duke." Roper said he is safe and sound, healing at the Aztec Shelter, but when he is well, the staff will be looking for a good adoptive home for the guy.

"He's going to be a wonderful dog for somebody," Roper said.

For information about "Duke," call the Aztec Shelter at (505) 334-6819

For information about the San Juan Animal League, call (505) 325-3366.

To report animal abuse or neglect, call non-emergency dispatch at (505) 334-6622.

Cats at the shelter I volunteer at