MI: Suspect says dog hanging, beating was really a "mercy killing"

MI: Suspect says dog hanging, beating was really a "mercy killing" (Graphic!)
Suspect: dog hanging about mercy killing (GRAPHIC WARNING)
Suspect 'really messed up'
by Joe LaFurgey
Last Edited: Monday, 24 Nov 2008, 7:43 PM EST
Created On: Monday, 24 Nov 2008, 6:28 PM EST
Channel 8 - woodtv.com - Grand Rapids, Michigan

DORR, Mich (WOOD) - Found hung from the neck in the woods near a Dorr Township neighborhood just over a week ago, Chance, the Labrador mix is recovering from a variety of injuries. The questions of who would do this to an animal and why are in this report from Allegan County sheriff's investigators.

In it, deputies say they were called to the neighborhood after residents heard the dog yelling, and found it hanging from a tree according to the report. Deputies were able to track down the owner. He's a 22-year-old who was temporarily staying in the area. He initially denied the abuse. And while he never said he beat the dog, the suspect did eventually admit to hanging him. He claims he was trying to euthanize the animal, after looking up symptoms on the Internet and determined the dog had liver problems.

The name of the suspect has been redacted in the report because he has not been arraigned. In the report, the suspect says "... he really messed up and made a huge mistake and didn't mean to do what he did do with the animal." The suspect told deputies he could not afford the vets bills for treatment, or to put the dog down.

"He had no other means to do so, that to take the animal onto the woods and to do it himself," said Allegan County Sheriff's Lieutenant Mike Larsen. After reviewing the report, Allegan County Prosecutor Fredrick Anderson decided to charge the dog's owner with animal abandonment and cruelty. It's a misdemeanor that carries up to 93 days in jail, a possible $1,000 fine and up to 200 hours of community service work.

The Judge has additional options, like ordering psychological evaluations, restitution of court costs and limits on future pet ownership for the suspect.

Anderson says the suspect could have faced felony charges, but only if the dog died or if he could prove willful and malicious intent on the part of the suspect. After reading the Sheriff's report, Anderson determined the incident did not reach felony status.

Something the people who saved Chance are not happy about. Lanie Mossey from Wishbone Pet Rescue said she plans on taking their complaints to Anderson.

Source: http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/Suspect_says_dog_hanging_was_about_mercy_killing#13479916-2
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Animals lovers upset after no felony charges filed against man accused of hanging, beating dog
by The Grand Rapids Press Tuesday November 25, 2008, 8:56 PM

DORR TOWNSHIP -- After being strung up by his neck from a branch and beaten with a stick last week in a wooded area, Chance the dog is doing all right today. But animal lovers are outraged -- not just at the 22-year-old man accused in an incident police called "heinous," but at Allegan County prosecutors for issuing a misdemeanor animal cruelty charge in the case instead of a four-year felony.

"I think it's disgusting they are going to slap his hand and let him go," said Lanie Mossey, president of Wishbone Pet Rescue in Saugatuck, the agency that took in the black Labrador retriever after Allegan County sheriff's deputies confiscated the dog.

Prosecutor Fred Anderson has no plans to let the alleged abuser, Jason Allen Williams of Grandville, off without penalty. But the case is not as clear-cut as critics suggest, particularly with Williams' claim he was trying to euthanize the dog over a belief it had liver disease, Anderson said. He planned to hit the dog in the head.

Williams told police he was broke and did not have money for properly disposing of the dog, an animal he adopted from another person. He thought the dog was sick because it constantly was going to the bathroom in his roommate's home.

"He did not make a good decision," Anderson said. "He didn't know what to do with (the dog)."

Police responded Nov. 17 to near the Dorr Township home where Williams was staying with a friend after a neighbor reported hearing the dog whimpering, went to investigate and witnessed the dog hanging and a man hitting the animal. The man fled, but later was identified as Williams.


A warrant has been issued against him for animal cruelty or abandonment, carrying a possible 93-day jail sentence, and Williams was ordered to turn himself into court by Thanksgiving or deputies may come looking for him. A message left for Williams at his parents' home in Grandville was not returned.

Since organizers at Wishbone began talking about Chance's case last week, Anderson has been under heavy criticism. By Tuesday, he had received about eight e-mails and 10 phone calls questioning his decision -- far more feedback than he has received on some murder cases.

Anderson stands by the call, and said proving a "willful, malicious" intent for the felony might be difficult. The misdemeanor charge still allows a judge to issue up to $1,000 in fines, 200 hours of community service, reimbursement for veterinarian care, possible psychological evaluation and to order an abuser not to own animals. And because the suspect has no record, sentencing guidelines for a felony animal abuse charge would only permit a three-month jail sentence, he said.

Still, Mossey thinks prison would be appropriate. Wishbone has received hundreds of e-mails and calls about Chance, some looking to adopt the 3-year-old dog. "I am absolute passionate that something happen. This is just not acceptable behavior," she said.

Chance, now in foster care, is on pain medication and steroids for his injuries. According to the Web site for Wishbone, he remains disoriented, possibly a sign of brain damage from the hanging, although his long-term prognosis is not known. The vet mentioned no sign of liver disease, Mossey said.

"He is an amazing dog," she said. "You would think he would want to bite everyone, but he is very sweet." Allegan County sheriff's Lt. Mike Larsen described the abuse as "heinous" and said police do not know how long the dog had been hanging from the branch. "It's unexcusable, even if his excuses are valid to him," he said of the suspect.

E-mail John Tunison: jtunison@grpress.com

Source: http://www.mlive.com/grpress/news/index.ssf/2008/11/animals_lovers_upset_after_no.html

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Misdemeanor charge dropped, more serious charge considered against man accused of abusing dog
by Nate Reens | The Grand Rapids Press Wednesday November 26, 2008, 7:09 PM

DORR TOWNSHIP -- Allegan County prosecutors today dropped a misdemeanor animal cruelty charge against a Grandville man accused of hanging and beating a Labrador retriever last week.

Jason Allen Williams, 22, hasn't been let off the hook, however, and may be facing a more serious felony allegation for the beating that was reported to authorities on Nov. 17, Prosecutor Fred Anderson said.
Publicity surrounding the alleged beating of the 3-year-old dog generated new information that contradicts Williams' claim that he was planning to euthanize the dog that he believed was suffering from a liver disease, Anderson said.
"It might be more damaging in that respect and we want to take a second look at it," Anderson said. "I've asked the sheriff's department to investigate and have a report sometime next week."

Williams was living with a friend when a neighbor called police after witnessing the alleged abuse in a wooded area in Dorr Township. The animal was found strung by his neck and tied to a branch, police said. It had been beaten with a stick. Chance is now recovering in a temporary foster home approved by Wishbone Pet Rescue, where the lab was taken to recuperate.

Authorities called the abuse heinous and inexcusable even if Williams truly believed the animal to be ill. The suspect told investigators that he did not have enough money to get rid of the dog, which he got from someone else. Williams believed it to be sick because it often urinated in his roommate's home, he told police.
The 22-year-old was facing a 93-day misdemeanor charge that could be upgraded to a four-year felony offense, authorities said.

Animal advocates have called for the more serious charge based on the egregious allegations. Williams was to turn himself in to sheriff's officials after Thanksgiving, but that will not be the case now, Anderson said. The prosecutor will review the findings of investigators and make a decision based on what the new information shows.

Source: ttp://www.mlive.com/grpress/news/index.ssf/2008/11/misdemeanor_charge_dropped_mor.html

AL: Animals chained, man charged

AL: Animals chained, man charged
Jan. 12, 2006
By MARY-ALLISON LANCASTER - Managing editor

A man was charged with animal cruelty after investigators with the Escambia County Humane Society found 13 animals chained and contained in nailed plywood boxes at a vacant home in East Brewton. A deposition hearing has been set for Friday morning.

Acting on a tip received several months ago, animal cruelty investigator Renee Jones said that Calvin Green has been charged with animal cruelty. According to Jones, Green had moved from his home in East Brewton and left seven grown dogs, four puppies, a raccoon and a chicken chained and withheld from sufficient shelter and with only minimal water, causing the animals to react with vicious behavior. However, two of the grown dogs, Jones said, had not been chained and had “sweet temperaments.” Jones said that Green had allegedly been visiting the home once a day to feed and provide water for the animals.

According to Jones, one of the dogs had been chained with an orange electrical cord wrapped around its neck, while a female dog, who had given birth to a litter of puppies, had been chained in such a way that she couldn't lie down. When Jones said she arrived on the scene, several of the puppies were dead.

Jones said she believed they had died due to lack of warmth and nutrition since the mother couldn't adequately provide for her puppies. However, Jones said she couldn't prove that was how the puppies had died.

Jones said that one of the animals at some point had gotten tangled in the chain and a “bunch of junk” and had cut its hind leg, possibly on a piece of tin. After further investigation, it was found that the dog's hamstring had been severed to the bone.

Two of the puppies, a German shepherd and a Chihuahua, were being kept at the home in plywood box nailed shut. “They were absolutely suffering,” Jones said. “You can't just put them out there and not socialize them. They were dangerous.”

Jones said that chaining dogs without socializing often them turns them into vicious animals. According to statistics from the Humane Society of the United States, chaining or tethering a dog is defined as “the practice of fastening a dog to a stationary object or stake, usually in the owner's backyard, as a means of keeping the animal under control. These terms do not refer to the periods when an animal is walked on a leash.”

While there is no law in the state of Alabama that bans chaining an animal, Jones and the HSUS highly recommend against it. According to a study published in 2002 in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, it was reported that 17 percent of dogs involved in fatal attacks on humans between 1979 and 1998 were restrained on their owners' property at the time of the attack.

Source: http://www.brewtonstandard.com/articles/2006/01/11/news/news01.txt
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Final outcome

A man charged with animal cruelty signed over custody of his animals to the Humane Society on January 13, 2006 during a deposition hearing. Acting on a tip, investigators investigated a home in East Brewton last week and found more than a dozen animals chained and roaming - unshielded from the elements - some with life-threatening injuries.

Humane Society cruelty investigator Renee Jones said that Calvin Green, of East Brewton, is prohibited from having any further ownership of animals. Jones said that Humane Society has the right to inspect Green's home without prior notification to make certain he abides by the prohibition. "Our goal was simply to get possession of these dogs, to treat them, assess them and to provide better homes for the dogs," Jones said.

Criminal misdemeanor charges have been nol prossed, but could be reinstated at a later date. Jones said that if the Humane Society finds Green has violated the ruling, they will prosecute to the fullest extent.

Last week, Humane Society investigators found 13 neglected animals at Green's unoccupied home, most of them were chained. A raccoon and a chicken were also seized from the home. Jones said that it is illegal to keep any wild animal as a pet, or to fatten it up.

According to a statement from Jones last week, one of the dogs had been tethered with an orange electrical cord wrapped around its neck, while a female dog, who had given birth to a littler of puppies, had been chained in such a way that she couldn't lie down. All of the puppies have since died. "There are no ordinances against chaining or tethering, although we highly recommend not doing it," Jones said. "It's for all kinds of reasons, primarily it decreases their level of territory - makes them more aggressive - and chaining a dog makes it four times more likely to bite. But even chained, the animal must still have, like any other animal, adequate food, water and shelter."

Now that the Humane Society has been given full custody, they are assessing the dogs and addressing their physical conditions. Some, she said, need further veterinary treatment. Several of the dogs are adoptable, but some have shown aggressive behavior and Humane Society workers are working to rehabilitate them. "Chaining is the least desirable way to keep a pet," Jones said. "That is not a life to be kept on a chain where your entire world is a circle of dirt."

Vet bills have already reached about $500, and that price is likely to rise due to the severity of injuries several of the dogs have sustained. The Humane Society is a non-profit organization and relies heavily on donations. Anyone interested in donating specifically for the care of these dogs should send donations earmarked "vet care" to the Humane Society located at 2763 South Blvd., Brewton, Alabama, 36426.

Source: http://www.brewtonstandard.com/articles/2006/01/18/news/news04.txt

Mi: Forgotten Victims

Mi: Forgotten Victims
By NATHAN BRUTTELL Argus-Press Staff Writer
Monday, November 24, 2008 9:42 AM EST

OWOSSO - A few months ago, a family brought Chassis, a 3-year-old German shepard/Lab mix, to the Shiawassee Humane Society. A few weeks ago, Buster, a 4-year-old chow-chow/beagle mix, was dropped off at the shelter. Chassis and Buster, along with more than a dozen other animals, found themselves living at the shelter because their families just couldn't afford them.

Kennel manager Amanda Reed said people are asked to give reasons for leaving the animals at the shelter. “A year or so ago, allergies was the biggest reason people brought in animals,” Reed said. “Now it's because people are moving out of their homes for financial reasons.”

While the government works to find solutions to the economic crisis across the country, Michigan is seeing the auto industry struggle to stay afloat, a long recession and unemployment rates above 9 percent.

The economic climate is hitting families hard, and when families are forced to move, sometimes the family pet is left behind, Reed said. “Our waiting list is growing too,” Reed said. “There's at least a five-week wait on bringing in an animal. The list used to be a lot smaller.”

At this time last year, Reed estimated the shelter housed half of its total from 2007. People also are adopting animals at a slower pace than the last few years, Reed said. “Between dogs and cats, we do get about four or five adoptions a week,” Reed said. “We used to have a lot more than that. People adopt more around this time of year, but we're also getting a lot more than we ever have.”

Dog adoption prices at the shelter range from $100 to $175, depending on age and size. Cats are $80 to $130, depending on age. The adoption includes vaccinations, heartworm testing and spaying or neuturing costs as well.

The worst hasn't happened yet, Reed said. She expects the shelter to see more and more people added to the waiting list - or resorting to other means this holiday season. Some families in Michigan can't wait. When they are forced to leave and the shelter has no room, sometimes the families just leave the animals behind.

Kennel assistant Tim Bishop said he's heard stories of people leaving pets behind. "These are families that can't afford to feed themselves, let alone an animal,” he said. “Sometimes they'll just leave them in the house with some food.”

When families leave pets behind, they are brought to the Shiawassee Animal Control Center - but the list at the center is growing, and it has little room. An attendant at the center said they have been beyond capacity for awhile and expects the problem to only get worse.

Copyright © 2007-2008 The Argus-Press Owosso, MI
Source: http://www.argus-press.com/articles/2008/11/24/news/news1.txt

UK: Ordeal of the 100 starving St. Bernards abandoned at a kennels

Europe: UK: Ordeal of the 100 starving St Bernards abandoned at a kennels
Ordeal of the 100 starving St Bernards abandoned at a kennels
By Sophie Borland
Last updated at 8:45 AM on 02nd December 2008

Up to 100 St Bernard dogs have been rescued after being abandoned without food and water at a kennels. Two were in such a bad condition they later died. The dogs, which include puppies and fully-grown adults, had been locked in their cages and left unfed for several days. Their bowls had been upturned and many of the animals were covered in their own excrement.

The kennels belonged to a well-known dog breeder, Mary-Ellen Collis. She has vanished and the police and RSPCA have been unable to trace her. RSPCA officers made the shocking discovery at the Wardana Kennels in Brigstock, Northamptonshire, on Saturday evening after a member of the public alerted police.

One animal was in such a poor state it had to be put to sleep while another died as it was receiving treatment. It is not known how long the dogs had been left but it could have been for up to a week.

A team of 12 RSPCA officers have spent the past three days removing the animals, but were unable to save two. The survivors have been placed temporarily at kennels in Nottingham and Peterborough where they are undergoing full health checks.

Once vets are satisfied they are in reasonable condition, new owners will be sought for most of them.

It is thought that four had been staying at the kennels while their owners were on holiday. The RSPCA has reunited two of the dogs with their owners and is still trying to get in touch with the remaining two.

Some of the St Bernard dogs found at the kennels. RSPCA officers were shocked at the conditions. Describing the scene at the kennels, RSPCA inspector Justin Stubbs said: 'There was faeces everywhere and upturned bowls. Something has gone wrong. 'Because they are such big dogs you wouldn't expect to see so many in such conditions. But it looks like we can do something with them.'

The Wardana Boarding Kennels and Cattery is well known among dog owners for its St Bernards. Mrs Collis, 50, was a founding member of the Kennel Club's Accredited Breeder Scheme which was set up in 2004 to encourage the breeding of healthy puppies. She is also a qualified veterinary nurse and animal groomer. The Kennel Club said last night it was 'disturbed' by the situation.

The RSPCA was alerted by a man whose dog was boarding at the kennels. He turned up unannounced and discovered the abandonned dogs

A spokesman said: 'The club is deeply concerned to hear about the alleged conditions that the dogs belonging to Mrs Collis have been found in and her apparent disappearance. As an Accredited Breeder, Mrs Collis's premises have been inspected by the Kennel Club and at that time there was nothing to give any cause for concern. 'The Kennel Club is disturbed to now hear about the alleged dramatic decline in her dogs' living conditions.'

The discovery comes a year after 100 abandoned horses were rescued from a smallholding in Buckinghamshire. Up to 32 were found dead at Spindles Farm in Hyde Heath.

Raided: The entrance to the kennels

© 2008 Associated Newspapers Ltd
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1090951/Ordeal-100-starving-St-Bernards-abandoned-kennels.html
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The hunt is on for Brigstock kennel owner
Published Date:
02 December 2008
By Kate Cronin

The RSPCA has launched an urgent appeal to find the owner of the kennels where more than 100 dogs were found in squalid conditions, apparently abandoned. A major rescue operation was launched on Monday after the discovery of 98 St Bernards dogs and four other animals at Wardana Kennels in Brigstock. The RSPCA has started the search for the owner, Mary-Ellen Collis, whose whereabouts remain a mystery.

The charity is also appealing for donations to help feed the dogs who have been taken into their care. Two St Bernards died soon after they were found and the others are now in kennels near Peterborough and Nottinghamshire.

RSPCA regional superintendent for the east region Simon Parker said: "We are appealing for the owner to get in touch with us. "We are carrying out investigations and we have a number of inquiries to follow up, but we really need to interview them."

The St Bernards were found in their cages covered in excrement, with no food or water. The shocking discovery was made after dog owner David Nolan, from Kettering, raised the alarm when he rescued his own animal from the kennels.

The RSPCA confirmed a second owner, also believed to be from the Kettering area, had been reunited with their two pets after reading about the kennels in the Evening Telegraph. Mr Parker added: "We are grateful to members of the public who have contacted us and who would like to adopt one of the dogs. "However, we would ask them not to contact us with those offers at the moment." He added that dozens of people had also contacted the charity with financial offers to assist in the upkeep of the animals.

A special postal address has now been set up for anyone who would like to send in donations to the RSPCA towards the upkeep of the dogs.
To send a donation, post it to: RSPCA Regional Headquarters, PO Box 60, Peterborough, PE1 5SZ.

©2008 Johnston Press Digital Publishing
Source: http://www.northantset.co.uk/news/The-hunt-is-on-for.4754434.jp
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Arrests in St Bernards investigation
Published Date: 03 December 2008

A man and a woman have been arrested in connection with an RSPCA investigation into the discovery of 98 St Bernard dogs that appeared to have been abandoned at a kennels. A 50-year-old woman was taken into custody by police who arrested her in Brigstock this morning. A 57-year-old man was also arrested in Thrapston at the same time. Police officers carried out the arrests on behalf of the RSPCA.

Dog owner David Nolan broke into the Wardana kennels in Stanion Road, Brigstock, on Friday evening after becoming concerned about the safety of his beloved pet because he could not contact the owner.

There he found 98 St Bernard's and four other dogs locked in their kennels and covered in excrement. One was already dead and a second later died on the operating table.

On their arrest, the man and woman were taken to Corby Police Station in Elizabeth Street and interviewed. The woman was released yesterday evening and the man was still in custody last night.

An RSPCA spokesman said last night: "We have interviewed a man and a woman in connection with the discovery of the dogs. "The arrest was carried out by Northamptonshire Police. "We are no longer looking for the people we were searching for earlier this week but we do have more interviews to carry out in connection with the case." "The dogs concerned are recovering and are all being well looked-after."

A police spokesman said: "We carried out the arrests on behalf of the RSPCA. The 50-year-old woman has been given police bail until January."

©2008 Johnston Press Digital Publishing
Source: http://www.northantset.co.uk/news/Kennel-owner-arrested--police.4759179.jp