Canine News

IN: Lawmaker still hopeful for pet store legislation

2010-03-01T08:01:00.000-08:00

IN: Lawmaker still hopeful for pet store legislation
Updated: Mar 01, 2010 2:34 AM PST

Indianapolis (AP) - A state lawmaker says she's not giving up on trying to get legislation passed that would require pet stores to give buyers information about a pet's background and medical history before selling a dog or cat.

The House passed such a bill by Democratic Rep. Linda Lawson of Hammond earlier in the legislative session, but it was not considered in the Senate.

Lawson says she will try to get the language of her bill inserted into another bill in a House-Senate conference committee this coming week. She says the legislation is critical to protect consumers looking for a family pet.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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OK: It’s long past the time to address mill problem

2010-03-01T02:27:00.000-08:00

Lawmakers kept a tight leash last year on a bill that sought to regulate puppy mills. Pet lovers in Oklahoma should hope a renewed effort to enact change is successful this session.

Senate Bill 1712 by Sen. Patrick Anderson, R-Enid, is among the bills being considered by the Legislature. It would regulate as professional occupations those commercial breeders who have 11 or more female dogs or cats being used for breeding. Last year’s bill, which failed to get out of a Senate committee, targeted people who sold at least 35 dogs or cats in a year, and sought to establish minimum standards for housing and breeding animals.

That measure was widely opposed by breeders and this one likely will be, too. But something needs to be done to combat the flow of sickly animals sold each year, and to reduce the number of surplus dogs — about 60,000 annually — and cats that wind up having to be euthanized in shelters.

Oklahoma presently has no minimum state standards for such breeding operations and is the No. 2 dog-producing state in the nation, behind Missouri. Proponents of this bill fear that if Missouri voters approve regulations later this year via referendum, it will only serve to drive more puppy mill operators in our direction.

Opponents of Anderson’s bill — indeed, of most any effort to put some rules on the books — say regulations only wind up punishing reputable breeders. A comment from a breeder interviewed by The Oklahoman’s Vallery Brown is an example: "I think the bad breeders need to be stopped, but how do you do that without stopping the good ones?” In other words, butt out.

Anderson’s bill would, among other things, establish a board to set the regulations and fees for commercial breeders. Perhaps revenue from those fees could be used to help crack down on the sorts of operations that all too frequently in Oklahoma make news for the wrong reasons — puppies and kittens malnourished and sick after being found in cramped, filthy quarters.

The bill would make breeders subject to annual inspection, and would require them to provide the board with health records of their animals each year. Shouldn’t reputable breeders welcome efforts to put such standards in place?

Some have argued through the years that private property rights would be violated. But hair dressers who work out of their home are regulated by the state. So too are day care operators. Why not dog and cat breeders?

Kitten and puppy mills have been a problem in Oklahoma for decades. It’s past time for lawmakers to take steps to change that, and SB 1712 provides one opportunity.

Read more: http://newsok.com/its-long-past-the-time-to-address-mill-problem/article/3442944#ixzz0gv3keBkJ

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OH: Chicago shelter employs array of approaches to spare dogs

2010-03-01T02:23:00.000-08:00

PUTTING AN END TO OVERKILL
Chicago shelter employs array of approaches to spare dogs
PAWS euthanized less than 1% of animals in its care in 2008
By JC REINDL, BLADE STAFF WRITER

CHICAGO - In the animal control world, the difference between numbers and names can signal a lot about chances for life or death.

Naming is standard practice at one of the Midwest's most prominent so-called "no-kill" shelters, PAWS Chicago, which euthanized fewer than 1 percent of the formerly unwanted dogs and cats it took in during 2008 from the city's animal control agency or got through owner surrenders. All the others - 1,751 dogs - it adopted out to new homes.

It's strictly a numbers operation in Toledo at the Lucas County pound, where even the healthiest dogs and cutest puppies are organized by digits printed on their metal cages. The county-run, open-admission shelter killed 1,951 dogs last year, or 72 percent of all dogs that entered and weren't reclaimed by owners.

To be sure, it takes more than name tags to run an effective and humane animal-control operation. Yet the effort to name the dogs up for adoption at the Chicago shelter is one simple step among an array of best practices encouraged by animal welfare advocates to help save shelter dogs from needless deaths.

Now, after decades of overkill at the Lucas County Dog Warden's Office, the pendulum of fate could swing the other way for the many hundreds of dogs that each year enter the pound on the outskirts of downtown and ultimately leave in body bags.

With controversial Dog Warden Tom Skeldon out of office, dog advocates say the county has a chance to work toward an admirable long-term goal for both pets and public: a "no-kill" community for dogs. Achieving that mark would require new practices and an about-face from the county's long-prevailing catch-and-kill approach to animal control.

"It is a whole change in mindset that we don't kill animals just because we don't have homes for them," said Jean Keating, county resident and co-founder of the Ohio Coalition of Dog Advocates. "You have to change your focus from the law-enforcement perspective to making the community more humane for people and for animals," Ms. Keating said.

"So you place emphasis on education and spay and neuter programs," she said, "as opposed to your emphasis being on driving around and threatening people to surrender their animal so you can kill it."

The "no-kill" movement actually allows for the limited use of euthanasia for a small percentage of dogs or cats - generally the gravely injured or sick and the truly vicious.

Quest for 'no-kill'
Ideally, up to 95 percent of all dogs or cats who enter "no-kill" shelters will leave, according to Nathan Winograd, executive director of the national No Kill Advocacy Center and author of Redemption, an influential 2007 book on "the myth of pet overpopulation and the 'no-kill' revolution in America."

"The goal is to save all but truly, irremediably suffering animals, and for obvious public-safety reasons, dogs that are truly vicious," Mr. Winograd said in a phone interview from outside Berkeley, Calif.

Lucas County, with its historically high kill-rate, surely has a way to go to reach "no-kill." Yet so did other communities, large and small, that have made significant progress in decreasing euthanasia and increasing adoptions while continuing to perform mandated animal-control duties.

A large-scale example is San Francisco, which in 1994 mostly ended the killing of healthy dogs and cats and whose San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals continues to operate a "no-kill" shelter with annual kill rates for dogs in the low single digits.

Smaller-scale models include Shelby County, Kentucky, which has been a "no-kill" or nearly "no-kill" community in recent years, and Tompkins County, New York.

Mr. Winograd, who once directed the Tompkins County SPCA, described in his book how the shelter went from routinely killing animals once cages got full to not killing any healthy or adoptable ones by the early 2000s.

"While I would like to see many 'no-kill' shelters out there, our goal is to create 'no-kill' communities, which means no shelter is killing healthy or treatable animals," Mr. Winograd said.

Common best practices that help shelters and communities achieve "no-kill" results include:

•Vigorous and widespread spay/neuter programs that are accessible to all income groups. Sterilized pets help to reduce the homeless pet population.

•A friendly and inviting front-desk environment together with an attractive adoption area to encourage the public to visit shelters rather than breeders or pet shops.

•Frequent transfer of dogs to foster homes or rescue groups, especially those dogs proving hard to adopt.

The PAWS example
Two well-regarded Chicago animal shelters demonstrate the results of these practices. While both nonprofit organizations have different missions and funding sources than Lucas County's government-run program, their operations can nonetheless serve as models for what's possible in dog care.

The newer of the two is PAWS Chicago, founded in 1997 by banking executive Paula Fasseas, who with her husband, Peter Fasseas, runs the multibranch Metropolitan Bank Group.

Mrs. Fasseas' inspiration for PAWS (Pets Are Worth Saving) came after learning that a reported 40,000 dogs and cats were killed each year in Chicago shelters in the mid-1990s. Today, the nonprofit operates a busy spay/ neuter clinic in conjunction with its spiffy new Adoption and Humane Center in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood.

The adoption facility is considered one of a kind in the Midwest, with dogs and cats boarded in spacious window-filled and sound-dampened "suites" rather than the typical cages and kennels. Numerous donors have bought naming rights to the suites, including Oprah Winfrey, whose colorful "Sophie's Room" pays remembrance to her cocker spaniel that died two years ago.

Visitors arrive to a bright and airy lobby that feels more like a coffee house than an entrance to a pet shelter. Greeting guests at the door are smiling desk staff and an overhead soundtrack of classical music that's piped throughout the building to encourage calm among the dogs and cats.

All the animals get a name. "We name every single one," said Sarah Ahlberg, communications manager. "We treat them as special beings because they are very important to us."

Most of the animals - or 78 percent of canines and 61 percent of felines - at PAWS came from the city's Animal Care and Control Department. According to PAWS, since its founding the number of homeless pets killed in the city has dropped by more than half, from 42,561 in 1997 to 19,288 in 2008.

Records from the city's animal control department - which does about a third of the animal euthanasia in the city - also show its numbers have decreased dramatically in recent years, from 18,058 in 2003 to 11,486 animals killed last year.

PAWS also takes in older animals and those in less-than-perfect health, including cats with the feline version of HIV and a partially paralyzed "pit bull" named Red who gets around on a cart.

Mrs. Fasseas said the shelter only euthanizes animals that are in lasting pain or suffering from serious conditions such as cancer. "No-kill doesn't mean 'zero-kill' - it means you're not managing by killing," Mrs. Fasseas said in an interview. "You make that decision based on what's best for the animal, not what's best for the shelter."

Anti-Cruelty Society
Across town on Grand Avenue is The Anti-Cruelty Society, an open-door shelter founded in 1899 that offers a variety of services and programs: adoption, boarding, a charity veterinary clinic, owner and youth education, dog training, and a cruelty investigation unit.

The society opened Chicago's first low or no-cost spay/neuter clinic 15 years ago. The clinic performs more than 10,000 surgeries a year with costs as low as $10 for owned cats and $40 for male dogs. Spaying or neutering "pit bulls" is free. "There's no excuse for anyone in this city not to get their animal sterilized," said Dr. Robyn Barbiers, the group's president.

While the adoption area is not as posh as at PAWS - pets don't recline on wicker furniture and do live in cages - the facility is clean, well ventilated, and filled with lots of natural light.

About two years ago, the society started a "bully breeds program" to regulate the adoption of mostly "pit bull" or Rottweiler dogs. Staff members give extra training to the dogs and conduct home visits of those looking to adopt them. All dogs - bullies or otherwise - are spayed or neutered, fitted with microchip identification, and given a collar and cardboard carrier by the time they leave the shelter.

And unlike PAWS, the society accepts every animal brought in - from puppies to the sick and aged. It receives a lower percentage of animals - 12 percent of all dogs last year - from the city's animal care and control department than PAWS because it also takes in dogs from the Illinois Citizens Animal Welfare League and other sources.

The society also performs free owner-requested euthanasia, a service that Dr. Barbiers said is important. "I euthanized my own pet last week," said Dr. Barbiers, whose 8-year-old cat had inoperable intestinal cancer. "It's a hard decision, but it's a lot better than letting that animal suffer."

'No-kill' challenges
The varying experiences of PAWS and Chicago's Anti-Cruelty Society in euthanasia show the challenges inherent in pursuing "no-kill" goals at a dog pound, such as Lucas County's, that accepts any and all dogs.

Nationwide, some communities and shelters that once set out to become "no-kill" later revised those goals after nearly being overrun with animals. That's what happened in Washington state at the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County, the chief sheltering facility for its local government, which learned that effective spay-neuter programs are "90 percent" of the key to lowering euthanasia.

"If you don't have any control over the numbers coming through your door, there is no way you can just say, 'We're going to not kill animals,' because where are you going to put them?" said Marguerite Richmond, a spokesman for the society, which pays $10 to "pit bull" owners who bring their dog in for sterilization.

The largest spay/neuter program in northwest Ohio, the nonprofit Humane Ohio, sterilized 3,353 dogs last year, while Mr. Skeldon killed 1,951 dogs last year at the Lucas County dog pound.

Staff writer Claudia Boyd-Barrett contributed to this report.
Contact JC Reindl at: jreindl@theblade.com or 419-724-6065.

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MO: 'Puppy mill' industry lobbyists stall bill

2010-03-01T02:00:00.001-08:00

It's no surprise that puppy mill industry lobbyists don't like the term "puppy mill" and they've filed a baseless lawsuit as a delay tactic to prevent Missouri voters from strengthening protections for dogs ("Lawsuit calls the term "puppy mill" into question," 2/23).

The Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act will provide standards and penalties for large-scale breeding operations in which the health of dogs is secondary to maintaining a low overhead and maximum profits. "Puppy mill" is certainly not the worst term used by the investigators who remove sick, unsocialized, overbred, filthy, frightened dogs from these facilities. Opponents of the measure also complain because it requires that kennel temperatures not exceed 85 degrees. But existing federal and state regulations already require that temperatures not exceed 85 degrees for four consecutive hours. Removing the time allowance and making the temperature consistent does not impose additional costs on facilities; it simply makes the law enforceable.

Readers can learn more or support this effort by visiting www.missourifor dogs.com.

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MD - Animal neglect complaint dismissed

2010-02-28T08:27:00.000-08:00

Animal neglect complaint dismissed
Shelter head faces theft charge in separate case
By Larry Carson
February 28, 2010

A complaint of animal neglect has been dismissed against Robin Deltuva, director of the private Howard County Animal Welfare Society.

The decision - involving a Chihuahua named Jay-Jay that a volunteer at the shelter felt was near death - was made because of a lack of evidence, according to the five-page decision of the county's Animal Matters Hearing Board released Thursday.

"This is a matter in which the board believes the evidence is evenly balanced on the issue of whether or not Robin Deltuva committed animal cruelty," the decision said.

Deltuva, 36, still faces criminal theft charges in a separate case involving the shelter she runs on Davis Road in Ellicott City, next to the county's public shelter. Deltuva lives on the property. "I'm ecstatic," Deltuva said after learning of Thursday's decision.

In the case, former center volunteer Kerrie Ater of Catonsville said she found the small dog so listless that he could not raise his head Aug. 6, a few days after he was returned by a family who had adopted it. Ater said she was so alarmed that she rushed the animal to a Catonsville animal hospital. The dog survived, and she adopted it. The veterinarian who treated the dog said he was in critical condition when he arrived.

Deltuva said the dog was emaciated when it was returned, and she and her staff had been nourishing it, not neglecting it. Shelter employees backed her, as did Dr. Joseph Mancino, a veterinarian who visits the shelter twice a week.

Copyright © 2010, The Baltimore Sun

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LA: Over 180 animals neglected, some dead

2010-02-27T02:08:00.000-08:00

A half dozen state and national agencies have been called to help with case of animal neglect that includes more than 180 head of livestock, St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office officials said.

“The St. Mary Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating a cruelty to animals complaint,” Sheriff’s Office spokesman John Sonnier said in a release. “In a rural portion of St. Mary Parish, approximately 180 to 200 head of livestock, including, but not limited to, horses and cattle have been neglected.”

Sonnier said several dead animals were found, but the precise location and owner name are being withheld at this time. The Sheriff’s Office is awaiting results of veterinarian’s examinations of some of the animals. “The Investigation has identified the owner of the animals,” Sonnier said. “At this time he has been cooperative. It is apparent, that these animals have been neglected as far as feeding, medical and generally care.”

After receiving information and the location, investigators have been in contact with the State Department of Agriculture, A.S.P.C.A., Louisiana Animal Welfare Center, St. Mary Parish Health Department, Animal Control and the Humane Society from Washington, D.C.

Sonnier said several local residents offered assistance but until such time the animals are deemed healthy they cannot be moved. The District Attorney’s Office will review all information prior to formal filing of charges, Sonnier said.

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LA: Farmer Suspected of Animal Neglect

2010-02-26T07:23:00.000-08:00

LA: Farmer Suspected of Animal Neglect
Posted: Feb 26, 2010 03:12 PM

A man in Saint Mary Parish could face criminal charges, after an investigation which is going on at his cattle farm. The man in question is being investigated by the sheriff's office because of pictures of sickly, and dead animals, who some say fell victim to neglect.

While many of the animals on the property do appear healthy, others look sickly and skinny. But the property owner says he's everything he can to keep them healthy.

"I'm doing everything humanly possible to take care of my stock. Dogs get fed, everything I own gets fed. I just got a reputation of doing that." The Cattle Farmer tells us he's been in the business for more than 40 years, and says he's never seen a winter that's had such a devastating effect on his livestock.

"December, it just flooded and flooded, right now you see the water, and I don't know what else to do. He says some animals died from getting bogged down in the mud, but as for those lying lifeless in the photos, he says he did everything he could.

Sheriff David Naquin says the investigation will take some time, but it will determine if the farmer faces felony or misdemeanor charges or none at all.

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TN: Patricia Adkisson - Hickman C. Animal Hoarding Trial Begins

2010-02-19T07:49:00.000-08:00

TN: Patricia Adkisson - Hickman C. Animal Hoarding Trial Begins
700 Animals Seized from property in 2008

CENTERVILLE, Tenn. -- The trial of Hickman County woman charged with hoarding hundreds of animals at her home began Wednesday. Patricia Adkisson is accused of unlawfully transporting dogs or cats and giving rabies shots without proper certification in 2008. Authorities seized 700 animals from Adkisson's property last year. Many were in poor health and living in what investigators called "deplorable" conditions. On Wednesday, two women who worked at the facility took the stand in a Hickman County court. One of those women testified she also contacted authorities after finding two dead dogs and terrible conditions.

Lisa Osborne worked at Pine Bluff Kennels for about a year and a half. She said there were animals walking around in feces. Another employee, Jessica Mills, said she and Osborne were hired by Adkisson to feed and care fore more than 650 dogs. Mills said she was responsible for about 400 to 500 dogs on a part of the property known as The Hill.

In court, Mills showed photographs she took last spring, showing feces lining the cages and skinny dogs. Osborne was in charge of the section known as the Dog Trailer, which was where the mother dogs and their puppies were kept. Osborne said she was dismissed from the job for a while, but when she returned, she found two dead dogs due to the filthy conditions. She testified Adkisson was in charge of the dog trailer while she was gone. "I thought she would take better care of them than that," said Osborne.

Adkisson's attorney cross-examined the state's witnesses asking if his client provided them with the tools to do their jobs. Both witnesses testified that Adkisson provided them with between 1,200 and 1,500 pounds of dog food each week.

One of the veterinarians who arrived on the property to examine the animals testified they weren't properly cared for.

Adkisson was ordered to undergo a mental evaluation in August. Based on the results, a judge ruled she could stand trial. This isn't the first time Adkisson has been on trial for animal cruelty. She was convicted in 2000 and given probation and a $3,000 fine. That conviction was overturned.

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Legislation Proposed To End Puppy Mills
Legitimate Breeders Concerned About Law's Burden
Reported By Cara Kumari
POSTED: 5:20 pm CST February 6, 2009
UPDATED: 7:13 pm CST February 6, 2009

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- State lawmakers are trying to curb so-called puppy mills by regulating breeders and creating an inspection process, but some breeders are worried it might have unintended consequences.

State Sen. Doug Jackson was never a fan of regulating commercial animal breeders until he set foot on a farm in Hickman County. "After seeing that and the magnitude of that and the amount of suffering that was taking place ... it was clear in my mind to support this kind of legislation," he said. "Animals have just become more important to me."

He's now proposing legislation that he hopes will put an end to what many call puppy mills. It would require any breeder with more than 20 animals to pay a $500 licensing fee to the state. If you have more than 40, it goes up to $1,000. Commercial breeders would also be inspected yearly.

Dick Dickerson is on the board of the American Kennel Club and owns 22 dogs. He said he worries a law like this will also place a burden on legitimate breeders who are already subject to strict regulations through the AKC. "Numbers are not neccessarily the thing you go by," Dickerson said.

Jackson said the law makes sense not only to protect animals but also to protect the animals' buyers, ensuring that they get healthy pets.

As far as the Hickman County case goes, Patricia Adkisson is scheduled to go to trial in May.
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Puppy Mill Operator Sentenced to 10 Years

CENTERVILLE, Tenn. -The Humane Society of the United States, the nation's largest animal protection organization, applauds Judge Timothy Easter for imposing an appropriate sentence following the conviction of Patricia Adkisson, owner of Pine Bluff Kennels in Lyles, Tenn., on animal cruelty charges.

(Media-Newswire.com) - CENTERVILLE, Tenn. —The Humane Society of the United States, the nation's largest animal protection organization, applauds Judge Timothy Easter for imposing an appropriate sentence following the conviction of Patricia Adkisson, owner of Pine Bluff Kennels in Lyles, Tenn., on animal cruelty charges.

On Feb. 18, Judge Easter sentenced Adkisson to ten years, including five years on Community Corrections where she will be heavily monitored. The remaining five years will be served under probationary supervision. Judge Easter imposed a lifetime ban on animal ownership or association with persons or organizations who deal in animals.

In December 2009, Patricia Adkisson was convicted of 14 counts of aggravated animal cruelty and 16 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty. These charges stemmed from allegations that Adkisson neglected hundreds of dogs kept in her mass breeding business, Pine Bluff Puppies. Upon sentencing, Judge Easter noted the court found there was an indefensible treatment of animals and that Adkisson exhibits a low value for life in general.

"We are grateful to the judge as well as to the 21st Judicial District Attorney General's Office for treating animal cruelty as the crime it is. Authorities are serious about enforcing Tennessee's animal protection law, and this sends a message to other puppy mill operators out there that they won't get a free ride in our state," said Leighann McCollum, Tennessee state director for The HSUS.

"By imposing this sentence, Judge Easter recognized the magnitude of the cruelty and neglect suffered by these puppies and the other animals on Adkisson's property," said Tennessee 21st Judicial District Attorney General Kim Helper. "We appreciate the help provided to us by The Humane Society of the United States during the course of our investigation and subsequent trial."

The raid in June 2008 was set into motion by The HSUS' Tennessee state director, who received tips and worked with investigators with the 21st Judicial District Attorney General's Office to build a case against Adkisson. It was the largest puppy mill bust in Tennessee history.

The HSUS oversaw the removal of 747 animals from Adkisson's mass breeding facility. The 700 dogs and 47 other animals were taken to humane organizations across the country where they received necessary medial and behavioral care and placed up for adoption in new, loving homes.

Subsequently, The HSUS worked with the 21st Judicial District Attorney General's Office, legislators and others, including the Nashville Kennel Club, to pass legislation in Tennessee to crack down on puppy mills in the state.

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FL: Dog dragged behind truck for 2 miles

2009-12-14T02:05:00.000-08:00

A 31-year-old man was arrested about 10 a.m. Monday on animal cruelty charges for allegedly dragging a dog nearly 2 miles behind his pickup truck.

According to Port St. Lucie Police Department reports, Napoleon Davis, who told police he was homeless and living with a brother in the 1500 block of Iffla Avenue, said he was taking the dog to the Humane Society of St. Lucie County because his relatives would no longer take care of it.

Tom Nichols, public information officer with the Port St. Lucie Police Department, said the cab of Davis’ truck “was full of stuff, and rather than clean it up and put the dog up there where it belonged, he put it in the back (of the truck),” tying the dog to a post in the truck bed with a 15-foot leash.

The dog, described as a small pit bull mix, apparently jumped out of the truck near Paar Drive and Darien Street and was dragged to the 3200 block of Rosser Boulevard, a distance of 1.9 miles, according to police.

Nichols said two people tried to stop the truck, “but it just kept going” before another pair of passers-by managed to stop Davis.

“The first people (who tried to stop the truck) called 911,” Nichols said, “and (Davis) called 911 once he stopped.”

Nichols said Davis told police he didn’t know the dog had jumped out of the truck.

Davis was being taken to the St. Lucie County Jail late Monday morning, Nichols said. The dog was taken to Animal Hospital of West Port St. Lucie.

“She’s in pretty rough shape,” Dr. Leonard Fox, a veterinarian at the clinic, said of “Holly,” the name given to the dog because of the Christmas season. “She has road rash everywhere; and treating road rash is like treating a burn victim. You can’t stitch the wounds together. She’ll have to have her bandages changed every two to three days for a month.”

Fox said the worst injuries were to the dog’s feet, which he said “look like ground beef.”

“She was dragged so long on her back legs that what you might call her big toes were worn down to the bone,” Fox said, adding that at least three of the dogs toes will have to be amputated in surgery planned Tuesday.

Fox said the dog weighs 42 pounds and is between a year and 18 months old.

Treating the dog is expected to cost from $1,000 to $1,500, Fox said.

David Robertson, operations manager at the Humane Society’s animal shelter in Fort Pierce, said that estimate “could be just the tip of the iceberg. She’s got some really horrific injuries.”

Fox said his office will donate some of its services, and the Humane Society is dipping into its emergency fund money.

“We’ll do whatever it takes,” Fox said. “She’s a good dog. She hasn’t given us a hard time, hasn’t tried to bite anyone, even with all the work we’ve been doing on her. I think she appreciates what we’re trying to do.”

The Holly Fund has been set up by the Humane Society of St. Lucie County to help pay for medical treatment for the dog dragged nearly 2 miles Monday morning in Port St. Lucie.

To contribute, call (772) 461-0687.

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Pedigree Dogs Exposed

2009-02-03T07:09:00.000-08:00

For those interested in watching controversial BBC documentary, it is one of those things you must force yourself to sit down and watch. Only the first few minutes of it are graphic, but the documentary keeps being pulled down off the Internet - first by YouTube and then by other sources. That alone should say something about the content right?

The latest link it is available on... Hurry before it is gone yet again!

NATL: Speaking for the Voiceless Victims - Victory Dogs

2009-01-21T07:42:00.000-08:00

National: Speaking for the Voiceless Victims - Victory Dogs

When the Michael Vick dogs are introduced to the public at Best Friends on Monday (see sidebar story), it will signal the true new beginning for the 22 pit bulls who were in the group that survived the imprisoned football star’s aptly named Bad Newz Kennels.

They’ve been at our sanctuary in southern Utah for nearly three weeks, becoming acclimated to their accommodations and getting to know the Best Friends caregivers (as well as many other sympathetic staffers and visitors).

Under an agreement among federal officials, Best Friends, and rescue groups that accepted the other Bad Newz refugees, we’ve kept them pretty much under wraps until the final Vick-related case was closed January 25.

From now on, we no longer refer to them generically as the Vick fighting dogs, but as the Vicktory dogs, with their own names and unique personalities. Best Friends rehabilitators are working with them on socialization and other canine life skills, and our adoptions staff will set about the task of placing them in exactly the right homes.

“We will work with these guys and gain a full understanding of who they are and what particular homes they will be looking for, and we’ll try to find those homes and make a love connection,” says Patty Hegwood, director of animal care at Best Friends.

That message and motivation has been consistent throughout and beyond the Vick case – from his indictment July 17, to his guilty plea five weeks later, to his sentence of 23 months in prison handed down on December 10, to negotiations over what would happen to the dogs.

Best Friends worked behind the scenes to ensure the dogs’ future, even as other groups pushed for them to be euthanized. A spokeswoman from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals called them “ticking time bombs,” and said that “rehabilitating fighting dogs is not in the cards.”

The Humane Society of the United States agreed with PETA. “Officials from our organization have examined some of these dogs and, generally speaking, they are some of the most aggressively trained pit bulls in the country,” HSUS president and chief executive officer Wayne Pacelle told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in early August. “Hundreds of thousands of less-violent pit bulls, who are better candidates to be rehabilitated, are being put down. The fate of these dogs will be up to the government, but we have recommended to them, and believe, they will be eventually put down.”

The government ignored HSUS’s recommendation.
Meanwhile, away from the TV cameras, radio shows and newspaper interviews, Best Friends and others considered the well-being of the dogs and worked on their behalf.

“Several people got involved all at once, using their own contacts,” says Russ Mead, Best Friends general counsel. “We were approached by an attorney in New York City, Flora Edwards, to help.”

She spoke with him and Best Friends executive director Paul Berry, who gave Mead the go-ahead to work on a legal brief to be filed in the Vick case.

Eleven animal welfare groups were parties to the 31-page brief, which “speaks for the voiceless victims of the defendant’s criminal conduct.”

In addition to calling for appropriate prison time and fines for Vick, the brief, filed September 12, offered “a process to conduct assessments to determine which of the survivors can be saved and a plan to place as many dogs as possible in specialized care where they can be rehabilitated and to provide sanctuary and special care for those who have any potential quality of life.”

Mead drafted major sections of the document, which was welcomed in the animal law world. “The brief was significant in that we were speaking to the court on behalf of the victims of the crimes, the dogs themselves,” he says. “Unlike most of the rhetoric surrounding the case, our brief actually became part of the case. It is, of course, hard to say how much the brief influenced the court, but many of the points in the brief were followed by the judge.”

About a month later, the judge appointed Valparaiso Law School professor Rebecca Huss to represent the interests of the dogs in the legal proceedings. She made two trips to perform individual assessments on the dogs, using a previous assessment by the ASPCA as background.

The purpose of her second trip in late November was “to determine the final placement of the dogs based on all the evaluations of the dogs’ behavior and in light of the options available for their care,” according to her eight-page report filed December 3 with the court.

As part of Huss’ assessments, she “observed the evaluations that the Best Friends Animal Society team performed [and] discussed the status and long-term prospects of these dogs with the Best Friends Animal Society team.” The team consisted of trainer John Garcia, vet tech Jeff Popowich and veterinarian Frank McMillan.
Huss recommended to the court that Best Friends be entrusted with 22 of the 47 surviving dogs. The rest were placed across seven other organizations.

“Best Friends Animal Society is accustomed to dealing with dogs that have special medical and behavioral needs,” she told U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson, who approved her proposal. “Best Friends Animal Society is committed to providing what each of the dogs needs to be able to thrive in a sanctuary environment if it’s necessary for a dog to remain in such an environment for life.”

Paul Berry said Best Friends is grateful that the court gave us the opportunity to do what we do best – provide a caring, rehabilitative home for abused, homeless animals. “They deserve the very best that we can give them, and we are prepared to provide a safe place for them to stay for the rest of their lives,” he said.

At the sanctuary, maintenance crews retrofitted one of the octagons in Dogtown to provide living quarters for the Vick dogs. Octagons provide indoor shelter and feeding areas, and have dog runs fanning out from the building. Inside, caregivers can see all the dogs at a glance and keep an eye on their activities. Each dog will have his/her own 10-foot by 20-foot outdoor run and a space to come into at night.

In a separate action, Judge Hudson ordered Vick to pay $928,073 in restitution for the “past, present and long-term care of all the dogs.” Huss, while acknowledging that the costs of care would be higher, recommended that rescues be allocated $20,000 for each “sanctuary dog” (the dogs who are likely to spend a significant amount of time, if not the rest of their lives, in a sanctuary or foster home). The judge reduced the amount to $18,275 per dog. He allocated $5,000 for dogs deemed likely to be adopted.

Best Friends estimates the average cost of lifetime care for a dog to be $40,000, but the cost of caring for the Vick dogs will probably be more. Because the Vick dogs need to live individually (most of the dogs at Best Friends live in group settings), they will require additional facilities. They’ll also need a higher ratio of caregiver time per dog, according to Hegwood.

Because of concern that dog fighters may try to get them, the Vick dogs will have more security, and the adoptions staff will require more in-depth background checks from potential adopters.

As repugnant as it is, the fact remains that Bad Newz Kennels produced some dogs who would be prized by other dog fighters.
Of the 47 surviving dogs, 25 were classified as sanctuary dogs; Best Friends received 21 of those. (The 22nd dog that Best Friends received was assessed as being highly adoptable.)

The resulting stipend to Best Friends was $388,775. The other rescue groups, who took in four sanctuary dogs and 21 adoptable dogs, received $178,100.

The court paid the remaining $361,198 to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which was responsible for the dogs during the legal proceedings. That amount includes the cost of transportation, care and feeding; $31,051 for the ASPCA’s behavioral assessment; and $100,000 in hourly payments and travel expenses for Huss.
Contrary to rumors and Internet speculation, Best Friends and the other rescues agreed not to “solicit money or conduct fundraising activities with the sole purpose of raising money for the care of one or more dogs received in the case.”

That agreement with federal officials, however, allows all the groups to talk about the life stories of the dogs as part of general fundraising activities. It also contains conditions for care of the dogs, including spay/neuter provisions and adoption restrictions.
Written by Michael Rinker
Photo by Molly Wald
Source: http://news.bestfriends.org/index.cfm?page=news&fps=1&mode=entry&entry=AD2802EC-19B9-B9D5-9D9C19F7DD13ACF1
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NATL: All Vick's dogs have homes, prof says
All Vick's dogs have homes, prof says
January 26, 2008
BY BOB KOSTANCZUK Post-Tribune staff writer

Being the guardian of the pit bulls seized in the Michael Vick case was a test for Rebecca J. Huss.

"It was a very difficult process," Huss, a Valparaiso University law professor, said Friday. "I lost a lot of sleep. I knew it was going to be a challenging project." Court-appointed, Huss made a recommendation leading to the placement of 47 American pit bull terriers with eight rescue organizations, none in the Midwest, she said.

Huss was previously unable to speak to journalists because of ongoing criminal proceedings, but on Friday could talk openly about her involvement and Vick, the football star at the center of a dogfighting and animal cruelty scandal that broke last year. "I don't have really any impressions of him," she said. "Quite frankly, he was not important to my process because my focus was on the dogs," Huss continued. "I'm very confident that these dogs will be successful with these organizations.

"First of all, I helped determine interim-care arrangements, and then, essentially, my mandate was to recommend the disposition of the dogs. My disposition, fortunately, was that these dogs could all be placed." "We wanted to make sure that the dogs were placed with organizations that had the capacity to handle the dogs for the long term," the professor said. Best Friends Animal Society in Utah received 22 of the dogs.

Seized from Vick's property in 2007, the pit bulls put in Huss' care were seen by her prior to her placement recommendation. Vick, who gained fame as quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons, is serving prison time for the dog-fighting ring he supported and helped run.

Source: http://www.post-trib.com/news/760539,vudog.article
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GA: Vick Dogs Starting Over In Smyrna
POSTED: 5:55 pm EST January 25, 2008
UPDATED: 8:07 am EST January 26, 2008

ATLANTA -- Three dogs seized when federal authorities busted up Michael Vick's dogfighting operation are being rehabilitated in the metro Atlanta area. A gag order covering the case was lifted Friday, allowing Channel 2 to get our first look at the dogs and to see the challenges they face ahead.

"Chuck" is the youngest -- a carefree pup just taking in life. "Seven" is the female and seemingly happy, according to Channel 2's Ross Cavitt. And "Makavelli" is the brown pit bull that is clearly shy and skittish. His foster dad, though, says rehabilitation is easy.

"Giving them a lot of love is the main thing. With these animals, they've never experienced love. When I got Makavelli, he didn't even know to wag his tail when I pet him. He just didn't understand, but that's just because he's never gotten anything but hatred directed towards him and that's obvious in all his mannerisms," said Brandon Bond.

Seven seems to be the most outgoing. "As you can see, she has completely put her trust back in the human community," said Darren James. But Seven has the most scars to show from her life in the dogfighting world. "They're all over the place. All these little marks that you see across her face, all these marks across her chest and her legs," said James.

The All or Nothing Rescue Group knows these dogs, once part of the Michael Vick-funded dogfighting ring, are the rock stars of the pit bull world. "The reason that we're here today is not about Michael Vick and it's not about his actions. It's about these dogs and what they've been through," said James. "It was a great opportunity for us to show the world that these dogs aren't vicious," said Bond. "They're here to have a good time and they're totally safe."
Source: http://www.wsbtv.com/news/15140648/detail.html
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VA: 'Lover, Not a Fighter'
News & Features
Bad Newz Kennels dogs show no signs of aggression
Dionne Waugh
Richmond.com
Friday, January 25, 2008

Alf lazily lounged on Jemi Hodge's lap on a couch at the Richmond Animal League Friday. The white and brown-colored pit bull propped half of his body on her thigh and stretched his short back legs toward Gracie, a black mix sprawled next to him.

After a few minutes, Alf decides he wants to kiss Gracie and begins to lick her short snout. Gracie eagerly returns the favor. "He's a lover, not a fighter," Sharon Cornett said of Alf. "And she's a couch potato," Susan Kelly said of Gracie.

Alf and Gracie are just two of the dogs rescued from Michael's Vick's Bad Newz Kennels in Newport News. The Richmond Animal League offered to take any of the dogs the federal government seized from his property; the group received four dogs in December.

The organization, along with seven others across the country, was finally able to talk about the dogs Friday after the last co-defendant, Oscar Allen, was sentenced. A federal judge sentenced Allen, who admitted to giving the former Atlanta Falcons football player a female pit bull and instructed Vick and his co-defendants how to pair dogs in fights, to three years of probation and a $500 fine.

Allen, 67, of Williamsburg, pleaded guilty in October to conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce to aid in illegal gambling and to sponsor a dog in animal fighting, the same charge to which Vick and three co-defendants pleaded guilty.

But prosecutors said he did not help kill six to eight dogs that did not perform well. He also cooperated with prosecutors against Vick, Purnell Peace of Virginia Beach, Quanis Phillips of Atlanta and Tony Taylor of Hampton.

Peace was sentenced to 18 months; Phillips to 21 months; and Taylor to two months. Vick received the longest sentence at 23 months. He was being housed as a federal prison Virginia, but was transferred earlier this month to a Leavenworth, Kansas, facility to enter a drug treatment program.

Forty-eight dogs were seized from Vick's property and only one was euthanized. The Best Friends Animal Society, an animal sanctuary in Utah, said Friday that of the 47 surviving dogs, 25 were classified as sanctuary dogs. Best Friends received 21 of those. The 22nd dog that Best Friends received was assessed as being highly adoptable.

Cornett, a member of the Board of Directors for the Richmond Animal League, said Friday the four dogs they received were not fighters and have not shown an aggression. In general, Cornett said, fighting dogs aren't people-aggressive because their handlers are often in the small fighting pits with them and don't want their dogs attacking them.
Source: http://www.richmond.com/news-features/23410
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Rescue group shows off "Vick dogs" at Oakland shelter
'We saw dogs that were no threat to people' - Tim Racer, BAD RAP
By John Simerman, MediaNews
Article Last Updated: 01/25/2008 07:53:10 PM PST

OAKLAND - Just nine months ago they were found chained up in Virginia, victims of what would unfold as the most infamous dog-fighting operation ever. Then they spent months in shelters, some of them never seeing daylight as federal authorities pursued their case against then-NFL star Michael Vick and his Bad Newz Kennels associates.

But only the fight scars across Hector's chest and arms suggested trauma today as five former "Vick dogs" wagged and panted at the Oakland animal shelter in their first public showing since 10 of the pit bulls reached the Bay Area last fall.

With the last of the defendants sentenced Friday, a gag order was lifted and leaders of a local rescue and education group showed off the dogs. At the same time, the shelter and an Oakland Raider announced a new program to help pit bull owners better care for their pets.

Leaders of the Oakland-based rescue group Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pit Bulls, or BADRAP, played a key role in evaluating nearly 50 dogs recovered from the operation that Vick bankrolled.

Vick, who also helped kill dogs that were deemed unwilling or poor fighters, is now serving a 23-month federal prison sentence.

Of the 22 dogs deemed likely to be adoptable after time and training, BADRAP took nine, along with one that will need a lifetime of specialized care. That dog will soon go to the same pit bull sanctuary that took in 22 other Vick dogs that could not be adopted. Most of the dogs that BADRAP drove back to the Bay Area in an RV last October had never fought and would likely have died a brutal death had they remained with the dogfighting operation, said Donna Reynolds, the group's co-founder.

"Every single dog in here would have been hanged, tortured or electrocuted at Bad Newz Kennels for not showing enough fight drive," she said. They might have been euthanized afterward, as some leading national animal groups recommended during the federal prosecution. But BADRAP and other advocates helped sway federal officials to evaluate them - a first in a major dogfight bust, said Reynolds.

Only two of the pit bulls seized from Vick's property were put to sleep, one for temperament issues and another for a medical condition, according to court records.

Instead, Hector, Johnny Justice, Tuttles, Dutch and Ernie all played tamely today with their foster parents, who said the dogs were similar to others they had helped ready for adoption. Leslie Nuccio of Oakland scratched Hector's scarred stomach as he wagged in her arms. "He's learning to be a pet instead of a dog. No one ever asked him to do anything - not anything good, anyway," said Nuccio, who took in Hector six weeks ago. "He's a remarkably stubborn dog, maybe out of self defense. The worst punishment is to ignore him."

Tim Racer, who accompanied the guardian/special master in the federal case to evaluate each of the Vick dogs in Virginia, said it's taken little rehabilitation to ready the dogs for adoption. "They have not been through some phenomenal training regimen to get them to be normal dogs," he said.

Racer and Reynolds, who are married and founded BADRAP in 1999, hope the publicity around the Vick case will help them raise awareness around pit bulls as good, misunderstood pets.

Today they got help from Jarrod Cooper, a Raiders special teams player. He and other Raiders players are helping fund a new initiative called "Code 597," after the penal code violation for animal abuse. The goal is to educate the public on better care and to fund dog shelters and other gear for local pit bull owners. Cooper volunteers almost daily at the shelter, where pit bulls make up about half the animals that arrive at the shelter, and two-thirds of those euthanized, shelter officials said.

"My first impression was I didn't think it was really that bad - Vick got caught doing something dumb," he said. "I didn't realize how big it was. It's everywhere. Every weekend animals come here all scarred up."
Reach John Simerman at 925-943-8072 or e-mail jsimerman@bayareanewsgroup.com.
Source: http://www.insidebayarea.com/argus/localnews/ci_8077225
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Outlook promising for Vick dogs
Two dogs visit local shelter; hopes high for future adoption
Saturday, Jan 26, 2008 - 12:08 AM
By FRANK GREEN
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Far from the peril and deprivation of Bad Newz Kennels, 47 pit bulls are now scattered across the country in new, if not permanent, homes -- two of them in Richmond.

"I think they've both been adjusting really well," said Susan Kelly with the Richmond Animal League, selected last month to handle four of the surviving dogs seized at Michael Vick's compound in rural Surry County last year.

Vick was ordered to pay $928,073 for the past, present and long-term care of the 47 dogs. RAL is to get some $5,000 for each of the four dogs for medical and other expenses, Kelly said. She believes the amounts are flexible, should one dog require more than $5,000 and another less. RAL has sent two of the dogs to foster care in another state on the East Coast. The other two are in a temporary foster home in the Richmond area.

Yesterday Alf, white and brown, and Gracie, black, played and lounged with each other at the RAL facility just off Midlothian Turnpike. The dogs were brought to the site to meet the media. Both are small pit bull mixes believed to be 1 to 2 years old. Gracie has been spayed and Alf neutered. It is hoped both will be ready for adoption within a few months. But people interested in adopting them need not call RAL, Kelly said. Prospective adopters will not be told they are "Michael Vick dogs," until after their applications are approved.

"These aren't celebrity dogs to us. These are just more RAL dogs that we want to find loving homes for," Kelly said. As far as is known, neither dog was ever fought. Only Gracie is expected to stay in the Richmond area.

Gracie is already in her permanent foster home in Richmond until and if she is adopted. Alf will be going to his out-of-state foster home next week, Kelly said.

RAL and seven other groups -- some as far away as California -- that were given the dogs by federal court order were able to show the animals to the media and talk about them in detail for the first time yesterday. Six of the 53 dogs seized on Vick's former Surry County property last April have died or been euthanized. Alf and Gracie were held at shelters in Suffolk and Virginia Beach before RAL got them.

Jemi Hodge, an animal-behavior specialist/trainer who is on the RAL board of directors, has been working with Gracie and Alf for two weeks. Hodge, owner of K-9 Consultants Inc., said, "They're doing great. They're very shy, but very sweet and get along fine with cats and other dogs. No aggression whatsoever, no fighting instincts being shown, nothing."

When they first arrived, she said, it appeared they had never played with other dogs. "I'm here to make sure they are placeable, which I feel they are. They're really nice dogs," Hodge said. All of the dogs must receive special training before they can be adopted. Right now Gracie and Alf are being taught basic obedience, she said.

Valparaiso University School of Law professor Rebecca J. Huss, the court-appointed guardian for the dogs, recommended they be sent to RAL and the other organizations.

The only other Virginia organization selected, Animal Rescue of Tidewater in Chesapeake, received one dog. The largest group of dogs, 22, were flown to the Best Friends Animal Society's 33,000-acre sanctuary in Utah from Richmond on Jan. 2.

Reached by telephone yesterday, Huss said, "Gracie is going to be quite the couch potato, I think, and Alf is so playful. . . . They are two of my favorites -- great dogs!" A 1992 graduate of the University of Richmond Law School, Huss is an animal-law expert. She first met and evaluated the dogs last October after they had been in shelters for several months. "In general, they're in good condition. They have a wide variety of personalities," Huss said. She said, "we're waiting to see how they adjust, but all indications now are they are going to thrive in their new environments."

Contact Frank Green at (804) 649-6340 or fgreen@timesdispatch.com.
Source: http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news.apx.-content-articles-RTD-2008-01-26-0091.html
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CA: Oakland group saves Michael Vick's pit bulls
Oakland group saves Michael Vick's pit bulls
'We saw dogs that were no threat to people' - Tim Racer, BAD RAP
By William Brand, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 01/25/2008 10:27:42 AM PST

OAKLAND - When Tim Racer and Donna Reynolds heard about the arrest of Atlanta Falcons star quarterback Michael Vick for running a fighting dog operation, they realized one thing: Those dogs needed to be evaluated and saved, if possible. In the end, they saved 48 of the 50 dogs and 13 of them came back to Oakland in foster care.

Five or six of those dogs _ about ready for adoption _ will greet the media this morning at 11 a.m. at the Oakland Animal Services Shelter, 1101 29th Ave. Oakland Raider Jarrod Cooper will also be there to discuss the importance of the Vick case.

"Everybody was saying that those dogs needed to be euthanized, to be put down because they were fighting dogs," Racer said. "We've dealt with dogs like these in the past. They're not like people think they are," Racer said. Pit bulls are bred to be gentle with humans; they may be fighters, but handlers don't want dogs that dislike humans, he said.

The couple, who are husband and wife, are founders of Bay Area Dog lovers Responsible About Pit Bulls - BAD RAP. They wrote the prosecuting attorney in the case, urging that the dogs be evaluated. They wound up in Virginia helping check out the 50 surviving pits; 48 were saved and months later, 13 dogs came to Oakland. Three went on to temporary homes in Monterey; the rest have been with volunteers in Oakland, Racer said.

At the shelter this morning, BAD RAP and Oakland Animal Services Director Adam Parascandola will introduce Code 597, a partnership between the shelter and animal groups aimed at preventing animal cruelty through education to help pet owners be more responsible and humane in their treatment of animals.

Racer said that he and his wife discovered that thousands of people had written the prosecutors in the Vick case - urging them to evaluate and save the dogs, if possible. "These were dog lovers, not just pit bull lovers, people with a sense of justice. They said it wasn't fair to just kill them all without an evaluation," Racer said.

Racer and Reynolds joined seven others from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals evaluating the 50 dogs rescued from Vick's Bad Newz Kennels dog fighting ring in rural Surry County, VA. One dog had to be put down, Racer said. "She had had enough abuse. She didn't want to be with people anymore. But mostly, we saw dogs that happy to see and play with other dogs. Only about 10 of the 50 weren't dog social," he said.

Months later, Racer returned to Virginia for a second evaluation. The 49 dogs had been sent to six different shelters, he said. "Two dogs were better, two were worse," Racer said. "But for the most part, all the dogs were ready to leave the shelters."

Two days later, the first three dogs were sent to upstate New York to a rescue group familiar with the breed. "The day after that, four of us loaded up a huge RV and two volunteers quietly drove 13 dogs to the West Coast," Racer said. "We had them in our living room." Now, living with volunteers, the dogs is doing well, he said. "We have one, Hector, that has many bad fight scars. He's absolutely fine with other dogs and with people. "He plays daily off leash in our backyard with three others," Racer said.

The point Racer and Reynolds would like to make is that pit bulls, like other dogs, need to be evaluated as individuals. "You can't paint them with a broad brush," he said. "The media never tells the other half of the story. They were bred to be human affectionate." So 48 of the 50 of the Michael Vick dogs were extremely good with people. That was no surprise to us," Racer said. "We've been working with this breed for almost a decade, so we knew what to expect."

Meanwhile, Michael Vick - who admitted bankrolling the dog fighting operation and helping execute dogs, entered a minimum-security prison in Leavenworth, Kan., this month to begin serving a 23-month sentence. Three co-defendants also have been sentenced to prison terms.

The final defendant in the case, Oscar Allen, of Williamsburg, VA, was sentenced today to three years probation and fined $500 for conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce to aid in illegal gambling and to sponsor a dog in animal fighting - the same charge to which Vick and the other three men pleaded guilty.

Vick, who has been suspended by the Falcons, also faces state animal cruelty charges in Surry County, along with the others. Vick's trial is set for April 2.
More information on BAD RAP can be found at http://www.badrap.org/rescue/resources.cfm .
Source: http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_8078049?nclick_check=1
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Best Friends plus these groups:
Other facilities that have taken in the Vick dogs include:
• Animal Rescue of Tidewater in Chesapeake, Virginia
• BAD RAP in Oakland, California
• Georgia SPCA in Suwanee
• Our Pack in San Francisco, California
• Recycled Love, Inc., in Baltimore, Maryland
• Richmond Animal League in Virginia • SPCA of Monterey County in California
Source: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/01/080128-vick-dogfighting_2.html
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VA: Animal Rescue of Tidewater recieves 1 of the Vicks' dogs
Animal Rescue of Tidewater is honored to be among an elite group of animal rescue organizations selected to help the dogs from the Vick dog fighting case.

Due to the ongoing criminal proceedings, ART has agreed not to disclose any information about the dogs. After the final sentencing in the federal proceedings, ART will be allowed to discuss this dog as we would any other dogs under our care, unless the dog's safety would be compromised.

The ART 'Michael Vick' dog will be fostered in a secure environment where additional temperament testing and training will be conducted. The dog's origin will not be disclosed to the general public but only to an approved candidate prior to adoption. As with all our dogs, our commitment to the adoptive home and to the dog is for life.

Animal Rescue of Tidewater is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to create a compassionate community where there are no more stray, abandoned, or neglected animals and where destroying adoptable animals is no longer used as a means of population control. ART achieves its mission through a network of foster homes and there is always a critical need for additional foster homes.
Source: http://artanimals.org/pressrelease.html
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SPCA of Monterey County recieves 3 of Vicks' dogs
BREAKING NEWS

The SPCA for Monterey County is honored to announce that our Shelter Supervisor, Justin Phillips, was a member of the nine person team that evaluated the dogs from Michael Vick’s Bad Newz Kennels last September. As part of the team, Justin traveled to Virginia and performed high-level, pit bull specific evaluations of each individual dog.

“We are extremely proud that Justin was selected to be a part of the evaluation team,” says Gary Tiscornia, Executive Director with The SPCA. “We are pleased to have Justin, an expert in his field, as part of our SPCA team making a profound difference in the lives of animals both in the Vick case and for all animals in our community.”

The SPCA for Monterey County is currently caring for three dogs formerly owned by Michael Vick. The dogs, all American Pit Bull Terriers, arrived at The SPCA on October 23rd. The dogs include “Ginger,” a quiet and curious two year old red and white female, “Lil’ Red,” a well-mannered, laid-back five year old red and white male, and “Stella,” a cuddly three year old black and white female who loves to give kisses.

“Every dog that comes through our doors is evaluated as an individual,” says Justin Phillips. “I am happy that these particular dogs were also given the opportunity to show their own unique qualities.”

The three dogs are being cared for and trained by skilled local fosters in Monterey County. No adoption applications are being taken at this time.
Source: http://www.spcamc.org/breaking-news.htm
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Michael Vick’s Dogs Head for Recovery
2-Feb-2008
Written by: Corinne Regan

Dogs will be given care for lifetime at animal sanctuary. Over half of the dogs rescued from Michael Vick’s estate were brought to Best Friends animal sanctuary in Utah, the largest no-kill sanctuary in the country.

ABC News reports Best Friends currently cares for 1,500 dogs, cats, horses and other animals with a budget of approximately $30 million, most of which is provided from private donations. The animal sanctuary is also responsible for rescuing animals from Hurricane Katrina and animals who suffered in puppy mills.

The dogs rescued from Vick’s home are so aggressive that they must remain isolated from the other dogs at the sanctuary. Best Friends spokesman John Polis states, “There's terrible misconceptions that pit bulls are lurking behind every corner, waiting to attack human beings. They are very loving. But you take a compliant animal and teach it to do bad things, and guess what happens?"

Best Friends is prepared to keep all the dogs, estimating a $40,000 budget for a lifetime of care for each one, reports ABC News.

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick is currently serving a 23 month sentence in federal prison and is suspended from the National Football League.

Source: http://www.thecelebritycafe.com/features/13481.html
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One Step At A Time
February 29, 2008 : 8:59 AM ET

Sometimes life can seem pretty scary. Lance the dog would certainly agree. He used to be so fearful he'd run and crash into the fence whenever somebody approached. That’s a rough way to live.

Lance had good reason not to trust people, though. He's one of the 22 dogs who came to Best Friends from the estate of former NFL quarterback Michael Vick after he was arrested and charged with "conspiracy to engage in dog fighting in violation of the Animal Welfare Act." Lance spent who-knows-how-long living with cruelty and violence as part of his daily life. All at the hands of people who didn’t care about him beyond his abilities as a fighter. No wonder he didn't want to be around people. They’d always let him down before.

When he first came to the sanctuary, Lance was one of the most withdrawn of all the Vicktory dogs (as we’re now calling them). Crashing into the fence was only one way he tried to hide. Lance would also pace around frantically in his play area, trying to run away from the world. When caregivers took him on walks, he hunkered down and tried to hurry through to the end so he could return to his living space.

The staff members working with Lance know he needs time. They are willing to give him the room to move at his own pace. But guess what? He’s already rounded a couple of corners. He's realizing that life can have some good in it, too.

For instance, he'll now play with toys on occasion, which he wouldn't do when he first arrived. And on some of the walks, he’s started really taking an interest in the terrain around him. Sniffing, looking, checking everything out - even picking up sticks in his mouth now and again. That's a big step forward!

Lance still paces in his play area from time to time, and he still doesn’t know how to trust completely, new people in particular. He has a long journey ahead, but it's not one he'll have to travel alone. There is help and loving hands every step of the way. And someday, Lance will come to realize that for himself.

Story by David Dickson
Photos by Gary Kalpakoff

To keep up with the progress of all the Vick dogs at the sanctuary, please bookmark the Vicktory Dogs page of the website.
Lance is also looking for sponsors!
Source: http://news.bestfriends.org/index.cf...917AEADD34CD9E
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Catching a Glimpse
March 20, 2008 : 7:41 AM ET

When Willie first came to Best Friends, he was so skinny his bones stuck out. He was a sweet dog, friendly to all, but he didn’t seem to have any energy. His favorite activity was sleeping. Willie is a Vicktory dog, one of the dogs who came to Best Friends from the property of former NFL quarterback Michael Vick. He’s only three or four years old, possibly younger. He moves awfully slowly for a dog his age. Even after the caregivers were able to put some weight back on his body through good diet and nutrition, Willie remained uninterested in walks and other physical activity. He liked his toys well enough, but never wanted to get out and about.

Like all the Vicktory dogs, he was allowed to progress at his own pace, with gentle nudges along the way from the staff members who love and care for him. Most of the time, he didn’t want to go on walks in the first place, and when he did, he’d crash onto the nearest bed as soon as they were over. It seemed like he was going to be that way forever. But then something unexpected happened.

One day, Carissa, one of Willie’s caregivers, brought him into the exercise area. Carissa had never seen Willie get excited about walks or exercise. But that day, all of a sudden, he switched gears and started zooming around like a puppy trying to get his wiggles out. He was running fast and hard every which way. This, after months of not wanting to do more than find a soft bed and flop down.

The next day, Willie was back to being stubborn about his walks … back to seeking out the closest possible nap station. (Not that there’s anything wrong with a good nap!) Still, that little burst of excitement in the exercise area, however short, shows that there’s a whole different dog inside Willie waiting to come out. And in time, he will. You can count on it.

Story by David Dickson
Photo by: Molly Wald
Willie is looking for sponsors!
You can keep up with the progress of all the Vicktory dogs by bookmarking the Vicktory dogs page. http://www.bestfriends.org/vickdogs/
Source: http://news.bestfriends.org/index.cf...C50C99634B9ACE
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GA: Dogs from Vick case get new leash on life
Published on: 05/18/08

Makaveli is still so scared he trusts only his foster parents. Lucky 7, despite being covered in healed bite wounds, is a happy dog. And Charlie is fine, although when he came into rescue he was classified as being so withdrawn he might never be adoptable.

The three were among the 47 dogs taken from Michael Vick's property about a year ago amid a dogfighting investigation. Vick ultimately pleaded guilty to a federal dogfighting conspiracy charge and is serving 23 months in prison. Now some of the dogs he used in the dogfighting ring are starting to find homes. The dogs were placed with rescue groups in December with a stipulation that most had to be kept in shelters or foster homes for six months to ensure the dogs weren't a threat to people or animals. With that time almost up, some of the dogs, including all three in Georgia, will soon be formally adopted.

Two, Mak and 7, will be adopted by their foster parents, while Charlie, or Chuck, is up for adoption. "He's great," said Julie Warnat, who has fostered Chuck since he arrived at the Georgia SPCA, a Buford rescue group. "He lives with three other dogs and cats. He gets along with everybody. There's no aggression. Yesterday we went to Bruster's and had ice cream."

Warnat said with a house full of dogs and cats, she can't keep him. But she'll carefully screen applications to find him the best home.

Vick's other two dogs are already home and happy. It's just a matter of making the adoptions final. Daron James of Atlanta fell in love with 7 the first time he saw her. "She's just an incredible dog. She's my best friend," said James, who wasn't put off by the numerous scars covering 7's body, or that the left side of her face is paralyzed. Instead he saw her gentle nature and happy personality. "I don't think she has a mean bone in her body." Today she's learned to walk on a leash, sleep inside, play with toys and is even a bit of a celebrity in her Atlanta neighborhood. "I walk her in Freedom Park and people recognize her and want their picture taken with her," James said. "All the local pet store owners know her and give her treats. She's a princess now."

Only Mak is still having problems, according to foster dad Brandon Bond of Marietta, who owns two tattoo studios and has done pit bull rescue for 12 years. "He's made progress, but he's still really skittish," said Bond, who runs All or Nothing Pit Bull Rescue. "He's not dangerous, but he's really leery of everybody." Still, Mak is coming to like the good life and is finally relaxed around Bond and his wife, Ashley. So Bond has decided to keep him. "He needs so much special attention and love, I wouldn't feel right giving him to a stranger," Bond said.

Michelle Besmehn, a trainer at Best Friends Animal Society in Utah, which took in 22 of the worst Vick dogs, said each dog heals at its own pace. But she said eventually most of them will be adoptable. "We haven't had aggression issues," Besmehn said. "Their biggest problem has been lack of socialization."

Normally, pit bulls taken from fighting rings are killed, but Besmehn said she hopes this shows they can be rehabilitated. Legislation signed by Gov. Sonny Perdue May 6 also should help cut down on the number of fighting dogs in Georgia. Now it is illegal to own, train, transport or sell fighting dogs anywhere in the state, and to attend a dog fight.

John Goodwin, with the Humane Society of the United States, applauded Georgia for going from the worst dogfighting laws in the country to the 20th best. "It's a great law and I think it's going to be effective," Goodwin said. "It will help the dogs as well as law enforcement."

To apply for Charlie, go to www.georgiaspca.org. For more information on pit bull rescue: www.atlantapitbullrescue.com. To report dog fighting and be eligible for up to a $5,000 reward from the HSUS: 1-877-847-4787.

Source: http://www.ajc.com/pets/content/pets...ish_0518W.html

Max Brand / Special
Daron James says Lucky 7 is 'my best friend.' The pit bull was among those rescued in the Michael Vick dogfighting investigation.

Chuck, aka Charlie, is still in need of a new home. 'He's great,' said Julie Warnat, who has fostered Chuck since he arrived at the Georgia SPCA, a Buford rescue group. 'He lives with three other dogs and cats. He gets along with everybody. There's no aggression.'
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MN: Former Vick Dog Finds Home (ABC 6 NEWS) - Six months ago, pro football player Michael Vick was convicted of hosting dog fights. Back then, much of the attention was on the athlete. But now those dogs are finding new homes, including Hector, who found a home in Rochester.

At first glance, he looks just like any other dog. He likes running and playing with other dogs. But look closer and you'll see the scars. "He’s got a hole in his tongue, he's got a notch out of his ear, he's missing his canines; he has not lived a charmed life,” says owner Andrew Yori.

Hector is one of about 50 pit bulls rescued from Michael Vick's dog fighting operation.

Odds were he would have been put down until a pit-bull advocacy group called "Bad Rap" met with Hector and found he was friendly and adoptable. Yori went to California to see Hector. "I really liked what I saw. He's an awesome dog with a really solid temperament. There's a lot of myths about the breed that need to be shattered; there's a lot of stereotypes that need to be broken."

Yori and his wife hope Hector's example will show pit bulls can be good, friendly pets. "I can sit here and talk all I want. But all they need to do is look at Hector.” It seems Hector is not letting his past affect how he's feeling today. "He just is kind of happy being him."

Out of all the dogs that Vick used for fighting, only one was put down because it was violent towards people. Some of the other dogs were placed in sanctuaries so they could be in a controlled environment.

Source: http://kaaltv.com/article/stories/S5...html?cat=10217
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DOGGY MAKEOVER TO PREMIER
Winthrop native helps show 2nd chance for 22 of Michael Vick's fighting dogs
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BY KEITH EDWARDS, Staff Writer
09/02/2008

Winthrop native and filmmaker Darcy Dennett, in a television episode premiering nationwide Friday, helps show how 22 of disgraced former pro football player Michael Vick's pit bulls -- trained to fight and kill -- are getting a second chance to overcome their violent pasts and find happier, healthier lives.

Dennett, 37, is the series producer of the National Geographic Channel series "Dogtown." The first full season of the show premieres Friday with a two-hour special, "Saving the Michael Vick Dogs." The episode chronicles the efforts of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in the canyons of southern Utah to rehabilitate 22 of the "toughest cases" among the 47 fighting dogs seized from Vick's illegal dogfighting operation, Bad Newz Kennels.

Dennett said she was at the sanctuary for about 95 percent of the episode's shooting time and worked closely with her executive producer, Kim Woodard. Dennett and Woodard, and a small group of others, developed the series and got the first three episodes off the ground and onto televisions nationwide late last year. Since then, it has been picked up for a full season, and will have shot 18 episodes of "Dogtown" by the end of the year.

Best Friends is often described as the last hope for dogs deemed by others to be too aggressive or sick to be adopted. Its 33,000 acres of land are a no-kill sanctuary for about 1,500 animals.

As series producer of "Dogtown," Dennett, a 1988 Winthrop High School graduate working in film and television in New York City, helps tell the stories of the animals and more than 60 staff members who oversee their every need, including medical attention, training, rehabilitation and -- the ultimate goal in most cases -- adoption to good homes.

"It's a show about second chances and about finding hope where there would otherwise be no hope," Dennett said. "I think it could have a big impact on the way people perceive animals and animal welfare. Puppy mills, hoarding, dogfighting, they're definitely worthwhile topics. They work with dogs that might seem unadoptable by most standards, and show you what happens if you get to know that dog, and the potential behind it. Which is a very positive message to send. They're an amazing organization."

Dennett majored in film at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn. When she arrived in New York City 10 years ago, she worked in commercial digital still-photography and imaging, then gained experience in motion picture film for three years. After she shot a number of music videos and did some commercial work, she began shooting and field producing documentaries.

In 2000, Dennett and her co-producers were nominated for an Emmy Award for footage shot in Savannah, Ga., for "Trauma: Life in the ER," a program that aired on The Learning Channel. Dennett has also done freelance work for the Discovery and Lifetime cable television channels and worked on television programs including "King of Cars," "Family Plots," "Doctors Without Borders" and "Code Blue."

Dennett's parents, Charles and Diane, still live in Winthrop, and she has other family members scattered around central Maine. She gets back to Winthrop about three times a year including a trip, this summer, for a high school class reunion.

She said she wasn't really a "theater kid" in high school, as she said she's terrified of live theater and prefers to be behind the camera. She said working on documentaries such as "Dogtown" has been especially rewarding. "I love it. I'm really, really passionate about my work," Dennett said.

She was hoping to spend last summer finishing a screenplay she was working on when she interviewed for what came to be the "Dogtown" job. Once she learned about the idea, she said she couldn't say no to the project. Dennett served as the producer and writer for the first episodes and then, with Woodard and others, submitted them to National Geographic executives, who required a new version, incorporating changes they suggested.

"Television and film is really a collaborative process," she said. "Oftentimes it only makes the project or show or series better. It's their channel. They have a certain idea what will work for their format." Much of her work on the initial shows was out in the field, supervising shooting and working with episode producers and editors at Best Friends. Now that the format of the show is established, she spends most of her time in offices in New York, overseeing edits and making sure episodes in the series are produced in a cohesive manner.

She said she is but one member of a team of interns, associate producers, researchers, photographers, the staff of Best Friends, and the many others who work on the show. And, of course, the dogs -- even the much-maligned pit bulls found in the kennels run by Vick and three other men.

Elissa Jones, manager of special projects at Best Friends, said she loves the Dogtown show and believes it has brought attention to their adoptable animals and, hopefully, will show people "that dogs who have been thrown away for having problems are worth a chance -- not just at Best Friends -- but everywhere."

"It has turned out well -- many dogs have been adopted through the attention that the show has brought to them," Jones said. "We are just excited for the world to see what we have seen -- that these dogs are wonderful dogs, each an individual who certainly deserved the second chance that was afforded them."

Jones said Dennett has been very understanding of Best Friends' desire to make sure the dogs' needs came first during shooting. When the dogs were seized, many, including some animal rights groups, said the Vick dogs should be euthanized because they thought they would be too aggressive. Dennett said the dogs never attacked her or other Dogtown crew members, even though they often worked in close quarters with them.

On the show, Best Friends assistant dog care manager John Garcia defends the pit bull breed, saying the its willingness to please and devotion to people can make them, with proper socialization and the right family, great family pets. "These are fighting dogs rescued from Michael Vick's property. That's a big reputation to come with," she said. "Before I showed up, I didn't know what to expect. But the dogs were a lot more sociable than I'd have imagined.

"Pit bulls are very loyal, very trusting. All they want to do is please people. That characteristic can be used to make them fighting dogs. They want to please their person so much. It was amazing to watch the transformation they made, in the time we filmed them, about three and a half months. They made great progress."

While the Vick episode runs Friday at 9 p.m. on the National Geographic Channel, "Dogtown" will usually air at 10 p.m. every Friday. Dennett also brought back something more than film footage from her frequent visits to Best Friends -- two adoptees.

But since she lives in an apartment and travels often for her work, she adopted cats, not dogs. Mao and Weazel were both adopted from Best Friends. Mao, named for the sound she makes, is a "special needs" pet, with a compressed lower spinal column and no tail, and hops like a bunny. "I saw her in the clinic when we were shooting at Best Friends," Dennett said. "I just couldn't not adopt her."

Source: http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.co...l/5369914.html
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Oklahoma trainer rehabilitates pit bulls
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Oklahoma trainer rehabilitates pit bulls
(Published September 15, 2008)

OKLAHOMA CITY — A local dog trainer who specializes in pit bull terriers has been working with one of the dogs seized from Michael Vick's dogfighting operation.

Molly Gibb, who lives outside of Arcadia, has been teaching a 3- to 4-year-old pit bull named Alf to feel safe after the experience the animal had in the kennel of the former Atlanta Falcons quarterback. Gibb has had the dog since March and said he will be ready for adoption at the end of this month.

Vick and three others were charged with crimes related to Bad Newz Kennels in 2007. He pleaded guilty and is serving time in federal prison.

"We human beings have really got to get it together," Gibb said. "We've got reduce this abuse and violence."

Alf doesn't have the kind of scars that would indicate he was used as a fighting dog, but he appeared to have the kind of fears typical of abused dogs.

He was one of about 60 dogs seized from the kennel. One dog was euthanized and the others went to rescue organizations around the country.

He was afraid of loud noises, sudden movements and people holding objects. He was scared of things over his head, such as ceiling fans. He was terrified of doorways.

Gibb hasn't decided whether she'll apply to keep Alf.

"It would be very hard imagining not having him in my life," she said. "And my other critters wouldn't like it."

She said she believes he will be a working dog, perhaps for educational outreach.
Copyright © 2008 Fort Mill Times, South Carolina
Source: http://www.fortmilltimes.com/124/story/290623.html
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Making history!
November 21, 2008 : 4:06 PM ET
Okay, all you scholastic types. Picture this academic situation: You’ve crammed all semester long for the final exam. The big day arrives. But, right before the instructor tells you to pick up your pencil, you sit down on a chair full of thumbtacks while hundreds of fire ants come spilling out of your desk to nibble on your arms. Think it’d be easy to concentrate? Oscar the Vicktory dog didn’t think so either. Thank goodness he had another chance!

Oscar has been going through the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) classes at Best Friends. These classes teach dogs good manners, which helps them find homes and stay there. For Oscar, though, the stakes were higher. He is one of the 22 dogs who came to Best Friends after being seized from the property of former NFL quarterback Michael Vick.

The courts had very specific requirements regarding these dogs, one of which dealt directly with Oscar’s big day. Nine out of the 22, Oscar included, were required to pass their CGC tests with a perfect score before they could ever live in a foster home. One of Oscar’s caregivers, Carissa Hendricks, was determined to help him succeed. She attended the classes every week and then worked with him on the behaviors as often as possible. Oscar’s biggest issues were loose-leash walking, becoming too afraid at loud noises, and being confident around strangers.

Over the weeks, Carissa watched Oscar overcome his problem areas one by one. She felt sure he would pass his test with flying colors. Then he hit one little setback. Right before the big test, they plowed an area of land for the testing ground. In doing so, they unearthed a whole bunch of goatheads—nasty little weeds sharp enough to puncture car tires.

During his final practice, Oscar stepped on a bunch of those nasty little things. No fun! But that really wasn’t the worst of it. When he had to sit and stay for that part of the routine, he sat unknowingly on a pile of red ants. Ouch! The poor guy, he was squirming and twisting in a hurry.

Safe to say, that wasn’t exactly his shining moment. He took a week to heal up and regain his focus before the big day (which they held at a different location). But once the main test came, boy was he ready. And guess what? He passed! A perfect score! Oscar is the first of all the Vicktory dogs to pass his CGC exam and he couldn’t be more proud.

This big loveable lug is officially now eligible to join a foster home once the right person comes along. Congrats, Oscar and Carissa! Glad that even the ants couldn’t slow you down.

Story by David Dickson
Photo by Molly Wald

Learn more about the dogs of former NFL quarterback Michael Vick on the Vicktory Dog page. All of the work of Best Friends is made possible through your support. Thank you!
Source: http://news.bestfriends.org/index.cfm?page=news&mode=entry&entry=C0E36F87-19B9-B9D5-9DDE8D66E8A09F82&utm_source=delivra&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=A+Vicktory+dog+steps+closer+to+home
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What happened to Michael Vick's dogs ...
By Jim Gorant
SI cover: December 29, 2008 issue.
Simon Bruty/SI

Since being rescued 20 months ago from the dogfighting ring financed by Michael Vick, all but a few of the abused pit bulls have been recovering in sanctuary, foster care and adoptive homes. Now even the most traumatized of them can have a happy new year.

The dog approaches the outstretched hand. Her name is Sweet Jasmine, and she is 35 pounds of twitchy curiosity with a coat the color of fried chicken, a pink nose and brown eyes. She had spent a full 20 seconds studying this five-fingered offering before advancing. Now, as she moves forward, her tail points straight down, her butt is hunched toward the ground, her head is bowed, her ears pinned back. She stands at maybe three quarters of her height.

She gets within a foot of the hand and stops. She licks her snout, a sign of nervousness, and looks up at the stranger, seeking assurance. She looks back to the hand, licks her snout again and begins to extend her neck. Her nose is six inches away from the hand, one inch, half an inch. She sniffs once. She sniffs again. At this point almost any other dog in the world would offer up a gentle lick, a sweet hello, an invitation to be scratched or petted. She's come so far. She's so close.

But Jasmine pulls away.

PETA wanted Jasmine dead. Not just Jasmine, and not just PETA. The Humane Society of the U.S., agreeing with PETA, took the position that Michael Vick's pit bulls, like all dogs saved from fight rings, were beyond rehabilitation and that trying to save them was a misappropriation of time and money. "The cruelty they've suffered is such that they can't lead what anyone who loves dogs would consider a normal life," says PETA spokesman Dan Shannon. "We feel it's better that they have their suffering ended once and for all." If you're a dog and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals suggests you be put down, you've got problems. Jasmine has problems.

They began in 2001, about the same time Vick started cashing NFL paychecks and bought a 15-acre plot of land at 1915 Moonlight Road in Smithville, Va. The property sits across from a Baptist church. A bright green lawn surrounds a white brick house that has a pool and a basketball court in the backyard and is bordered by a white picket fence. When Vick bought the land, the house didn't exist and wouldn't be built for a few years. It wasn't a priority. The Atlanta Falcons' new quarterback never intended to live there.

Beyond the house, shrouded by trees, were five sheds painted black from top to bottom, including the windows and doors. Past them were scattered wire cages and wood doghouses. Farther still, where the trees got thicker, two partly buried car axles protruded from the ground. This was the home of Bad Newz Kennels, the dogfighting operation that Vick and three of his buddies started a year after Vick became the first pick of the 2001 NFL draft. When local and state authorities busted the operation in April 2007, 51 pit bulls were seized, Jasmine among them.

By most estimates Jasmine is around four years old, which means she was most likely born into Bad Newz, and her life there fit the kennel's name. A few of the dogs, probably pets, were kept in one of the sheds. The fighters and a handful of dogs that Bad Newz housed for other people lived in the outdoor kennels. The rest -- dogs that were too young to fight, were used for breeding or were kept as bait dogs for the fighters to practice on -- were chained to the car axles in the woods.

The water in the bowls was speckled with algae. Females were strapped into a "rape stand" so the dogs could breed without injuring each other. Some of the sheds held syringes and other medical supplies, and training equipment such as treadmills and spring bars (from which dogs hung, teeth clamped on rubber rings, to strengthen their jaws). The biggest shed had a fighting pit, once covered by a bloodstained carpet that was found in the woods.

According to court documents, from time to time Vick and his cohorts "rolled" the dogs: put them in the pit for short battles to see which ones had the right stuff. Those that fought got affection, food, vitamins and training sessions. The ones that showed no taste for blood were killed -- by gunshot, electrocution, drowning, hanging or, in at least one case, being repeatedly slammed against the ground.

It's impossible to say what Jasmine saw while circling the axles deep in the woods, but dogs can hear a tick yawn at 50 yards. The sounds of the fights and the executions undoubtedly filtered through the trees.

"Multiple studies have shown that if you take two mammals, say rats, and put them in boxes side by side, then give the first one electric shocks, the reaction of the second one -- in terms of brain-wave and nervous-system activity -- will be identical," says Stephen Zawistowski, a certified applied animal behaviorist and an executive vice president of the ASPCA. "The trauma isn't limited to the animal that's experiencing the pain."

In a sense, then, whatever atrocities any of the dogs suffered at 1915 Moonlight Road, all of them suffered. So one would think that April 25, 2007, the day law-enforcement officials took the dogs from the Vick compound, would have been a good one for Jasmine.

Zippy is not a big dog, but she's a pit bull, one of the Vick pit bulls, and she's up on her hind legs straining against the collar, her front paws paddling the air like a child's arms in a swimming pool. The woman holding her back, Berenice Mora-Hernandez, is not big either, and as she digs in her heels, it's not clear who will win the tug-of-war. "Watch it!" she says to the visitors who stand frozen in her doorway. "Be careful. Sometimes she pees when she gets excited, and I don't want her to get you." And just like that Zippy whizzes on the floor. Twice.
Berenice's six-year-old daughter, Vanessa, disappears and returns with a few paper towels. The spill absorbed, Zippy is set free to jump up and lick and wag her hellos before she leads everyone into the family room, where Berenice's husband, Jesse, sits with the couple's five-week-old son, Francisco, and two other dogs, who rise in their pens and start barking. But Zippy has no interest in them. Instead she leaps onto the couch where Vanessa's nine-year-old sister, Eliana, is waiting. Vanessa joins them, and over the next 15 minutes the two girls do everything possible to provoke an abused and neglected pit bull who's been rescued from a dogfighting ring. They grab Zippy's face, yank her tail, roll on top of her, roll under her, pick her up, swing her around, stick their hands in her mouth. Eliana and Zippy end up nose to nose. The girl kisses the dog. The dog licks the girl's entire face.

Zippy is proof that pit bulls have an image problem. In truth these dogs are among the most people-friendly on the planet. It has to be. In an organized dogfight three or four people are in the ring, and the dogs are often pulled apart to rest before resuming combat. (The fight usually ends when one of the dogs refuses to reengage.) When separating two angry, adrenaline-filled animals, the handlers have to be sure the dogs won't turn on them, so over the years dogfighters have either killed or not bred dogs that showed signs of aggression toward humans. "Of all dogs," says Dr. Frank McMillan, the director of well-being studies at Best Friends Animal Society, a 33,000-acre sanctuary in southern Utah, "pit bulls possess the single greatest ability to bond with people."

Perhaps that's why for decades pit bulls were considered great family dogs and in England were known as "nanny dogs" for their care of children. Petey in The Little Rascals was a pit bull, as was Stubby, a World War I hero for his actions with the 102nd Infantry in Europe, such as locating wounded U.S. soldiers and a German spy. Most dog experts will attest that a pit bull properly trained and socialized from a young age is a great pet.

Still, pit bulls historically have been bred for aggression against other dogs, and if they're put in uncontrolled situations, some of them will fight, and if they're not properly socialized or have been abused, they can become aggressive toward people. It doesn't mean that all pit bulls are instinctively inclined to fight, but there is that potential. Bad Newz killed dogs because it couldn't get them to be aggressive enough. The kennel also raised at least two grand champions, dogs with a minimum of five wins apiece.

"A pit bull is like a Porsche. It's a finely tuned, highly muscled athlete," says Zawistowski. "And just like you wouldn't give a Porsche to a 16-year-old, you don't want just anyone to own a pit bull. It should be someone who has experience with dogs and is willing to spend the time, because with training and proper socialization you will get the most out of them as pets."

The pit bull's p.r. mess can be likened to a lot of teens driving Porsches -- accidents waiting to happen. Too many dogs were irresponsibly bred, encouraged to be aggressive or put in situations in which they could not restrain themselves, and pit-bull maulings became the equivalent of land-based shark attacks, guaranteeing a flush of screaming headlines and urban mythology. Some contend that this hysteria reached its apex with a 1987 Sports Illustrated cover that featured a snarling pit bull below the headline beware of this dog. Despite the more balanced article inside, which was occasioned by a series of attacks by pit bulls, the cover cemented the dogs' badass cred, and as rappers affected the gangster ethos, pit bulls became cool. Suddenly, any thug or wannabe thug knew what kind of dog to own. Many of these people didn't know how to train or socialize or control the dogs, and the cycle fed itself.

Three pit bulls attacked 10-year-old Shawn Jones near the Hernandezes' town in Northern California 7 1/2 years ago, tearing off the boy's ears and causing other injuries, but Berenice stood up for the breed then and still does. "It's almost always the owner, not the dog," she says, who's responsible for aggressive behavior. Her family has been "fostering" pit bulls -- minding them in their house in Concord until they can be adopted -- for nine years and has never had a problem with one. "These girls have grown up with pit bulls their whole lives, and they've loved every one of them."

That wasn't hard to do with Zippy. When she arrived from the rescue group BAD RAP (Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pitbulls) in October 2007, "she was afraid of her own shadow," says Berenice. Loud noises made her jump, and when she entered another room she'd crawl through the doorway on her belly. That lasted about six weeks, but once Zippy got comfortable she took over the house. She races from room to room, goes for runs with Berenice and plays in the yard with the other two dogs: the family's big blue pit bull, Crash, and another foster dog, Roller, a bulldog-pit mix.

As the girls run out of energy, Zippy moves on. She pops up from below the tangle of limbs and black hair that are Eliana and Vanessa and prances over to Jesse, who's still holding his infant son. Zippy noses up to the baby, takes a few sniffs and then licks his foot. Taste test concluded, she shoots over to the side door, pushes down the handle with her snout and disappears into the side yard. "You see that?" Berenice says. "This one's so smart. I never had another dog here who figured out how to do that." Moments later there's a little rap at the door. Berenice pulls it open and in comes Zippy, ears up, tail wagging.

Eliana, meanwhile, has pulled a spiral-bound notebook from her book bag. It's late November, and she wants to read a Thanksgiving essay she wrote at school. As her little voice takes hold of the room, Zippy curls into a circle beside her. The last lines of the story go like this: "Zippy is one of a kind. I named her Zippy because she is really fast. I don't want any of my dogs to be adopted."

After being taken from the Moonlight Road property, Vick's dogs were dispersed to six animal-control facilities in Virginia. Conditions differed slightly from place to place, but for the most part each dog was kept alone in a cage for months at a time. They were often forced to relieve themselves where they stood, and they weren't let out even while their cages were being cleaned; attendants simply hosed down the floors with the dogs inside. They were given so little attention because workers assumed they were dangerous and would be put down after Vick's trial. The common belief is that any money and time spent caring for dogs saved from fight rings would be better devoted to the millions of dogs already sitting in shelters, about half of which are destroyed each year.

What the pit bulls had going for them was the same thing that had once seemed to doom them: Michael Vick. They were, in a sense, celebrities, and there was a massive public outcry to help them. Letters and e-mails poured in to the offices of Judge Henry E. Hudson and of Mike Gill, assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Gill had worked on several animal-related cases and still had ties to the rescue community. He reached out to, among others, Zawistowski. Could the ASPCA put together a team to evaluate the animals and determine if any of them could be saved?

Around the same time Donna Reynolds, the executive director and cofounder, along with her husband, Tim Racer, of BAD RAP, sent Gill a seven-page proposal suggesting a dog-by-dog evaluation to see if any could be spared. The couple, who have placed more than 400 pit bulls in new homes during the last 10 years, knew it was a long shot. It's faster and easier to judge the entire barrel as rotten. Zawistowski put together a team composed of himself, two other ASPCA staffers, three outside certified animal behaviorists and three members of BAD RAP, including Reynolds and Racer.

On Aug. 23, 2007, Vick appeared in U.S. District Court in Richmond, and Judge Hudson accepted a plea agreement in which the former quarterback admitted that he had been involved in dogfighting and had personally participated in killing animals. The agreement required him to pay $928,000 for the care and treatment of the dogs, including any humane destruction deemed necessary. "That was the landmark moment -- when he not only gave the dogs the money but referred to it as restitution," says Zawistowski. "That's when these dogs went from weapons to victims."

On Sept. 4, 5 and 6, under tight security and a court-imposed gag order, Zawistowski's team assembled in Virginia. It quickly agreed on a protocol for testing the dogs that would show their level of socialization and aggressiveness. Among other things, the dogs were presented with people, toys, food and other dogs. Their reactions and their overall demeanor were evaluated. In those three days the team assessed 49 dogs at six sites.

It didn't help that the assessors had no idea what to expect. Besides their time at Bad Newz, the dogs had spent four months locked up in shelters with minimal attention. That alone could push many dogs over the brink. "I thought, If we can save three or four, it will be fantastic," Reynolds says.

Adds Racer, "We had been told these were the most vicious dogs in America."

So what they found in the pens caught them off guard. "Some of them were just big goofy dogs you'd find in any shelter," says Zawistowski. No more than a dozen were seasoned fighters, and few showed a desire to harm anything.

"We were surprised at how little aggression there was," says Reynolds. Many of the dogs had all but shut down. They cowered in the corners of their kennels or stood hunched with their heads lowered, their tails between their legs and their feet shifting nervously. Some didn't want to come out. As far as they knew bad things happened when people came. Bad things happened when they were led out of their cages.
One dog was so scared that even the confines of her kennel offered her no comfort. Shelter workers used a blanket to construct a little tent inside her cage that she could duck under. Remembering that dog, McMillan says, "Jasmine broke my heart."

Jonny Justice likes to lie in a splash of sunlight that stretches across the floor of the living room in the San Francisco split-level of Cris Cohen. Head lolling back, eyes closed, legs sticking up in the air, he lets the rays warm his pink belly. Comfy as this is, Jonny doesn't have long to linger. He's on a tight schedule. He's up every day at 6 a.m., out for a 45-minute walk, making sure to avoid the garbage trucks, which freak him out. After that it's back home for a handful of food, some grooming, a quick scratch-down and then into his dog bed with a few toys and food puzzles. At lunchtime he's back out for a quick trip to the yard, some play time and a little lounging in the sun, followed by a return to the kennel until around 4:30. Then it's another long walk -- an hour this time -- dinner, a game of fetch in the yard, quiet time and sleep.

After the ASPCA-led evaluations, the dogs were put into one of four categories: euthanize; sanctuary 2 (needs lifetime care given by trained professionals, with little chance for adoption); sanctuary 1 (needs a controlled environment, with a greater possibility of adoption); and foster (must live with experienced dog owners for a minimum of six months, and after further evaluation adoption is likely). Rebecca Huss, a professor at the Valparaiso (Ind.) University School of Law and an animal-law expert, was placed in charge of the dispersal.

Jonny was a foster dog that was taken in by Cohen, a longtime BAD RAP volunteer who owns another pit bull, Lily, and had cared for seven previous fosters. "When he first came, I could see he was dealing with some serious stress," Cohen says of Jonny. "Everything scared him: running water, flushing toilets, rattling pots. He was like Scooby-Doo seeing a ghost—he'd jump straight in the air and take off. We dealt with that by putting him on a solid routine. Everything the same, every day. Dogs thrive on that. If they know what to expect, they can relax."

"You ease their fears by building confidence through simple everyday tasks," says McMillan. "We have to show them that the world is not out to harm them. It's a peaceful, trustworthy place."

After about two months, Jonny began to chill out, and Cohen started working on his manners. "His original name was Jonny Rotten," Cohen says, "because he was such a little monster. He'd never lived in a house before. He didn't know his name. He had no clue what stairs were or how to go up them. He'd tie you up in the leash every time you took him out. He'd just flat out run into stuff." Jonny responded to weekly obedience training and to Cohen's personal training, and in a few months his name was changed from Rotten to Justice.

During a walk in Golden Gate Park one day, Jonny was mobbed by a group of kids. Cohen wasn't sure how Jonny would react to all those little hands thrust at him, but the dog loved it. He played with the children, and Cohen realized Jonny had an affinity for them. He enrolled Jonny in training for the program Paws for Tales, in which kids who get nervous reading aloud in class practice their skills by reading to a canine audience of one. Jonny was certified in November, and now once a month he sits patiently listening to children read.

He's not the only one of Vick's former dogs lending a hand. Leo, who lives with foster mother Marthina McClay in Los Gatos, Calif., is a certified therapy dog who spends two to three hours a week visiting cancer patients and troubled teens. Two other dogs are also therapy dogs, and two more are in training. A total of six have earned Canine Good Citizen certificates, issued by the American Kennel Club to dogs who pass a series of 10 tests, including walking through a crowd and reacting to unexpected sights and sounds. "It's great to show people how much these dogs have to offer," says Cohen.

JASMINE RUNS in the yard of the small suburban Baltimore house, jumping on Sweet Pea, another pit bull, and nipping at the back of her neck. Sweet Pea spins and leaps into Jasmine, and the two tumble together for a minute, then pop up and continue their romp. When they roll around it's difficult to tell one from the other, because they are the exact same color. Sweet Pea is a few years older and a little bigger, and she has markings that Jasmine does not: a series of scars on her snout and head indicative of combat. Still, Sweet Pea loves to be around other dogs. She and Jasmine have a special connection and have brought each other a bit of peace. The people who know them best think that Sweet Pea is probably Jasmine's mother. That's why their families try to arrange play dates for them twice a month.

Jasmine wound up in the hands of Catalina Stirling, a 35-year-old artist who lives with her husband, Davor Mrkoci, 32, an electrical engineer; her children, Nino (4 1/2) and Anais (2 1/2); Rogue, a spunky spaniel-lab mix; Desmond, a three-legged foster basenji-lab mix; and Thaiz, the family cat. The fenced yard is big enough for running, and the living-dining area, which contains almost no furniture, has a smattering of dog beds and water bowls. Catalina and her children have painted angels on one wall.

In her evaluation Jasmine was considered for sanctuary with Best Friends, but when volunteers from the Baltimore rescue group Recycled Love went to see the pit bulls at the Washington (D.C.) Animal Rescue League, a volunteer was so moved by the sight of Jasmine hiding under the blanket that she crawled into the cage and began massaging and whispering to the dog. Jasmine seemed to respond. So Huss sent Jasmine and Sweet Pea to Recycled Love, which subsequently turned Jasmine over to the woman who had crawled into the cage: Catalina Stirling.

Despite a promising start, Jasmine had a long way to go. For months she sat in her little cage in Stirling's house and refused to come out. "I had to pick her up and carry her outside so she could go to the bathroom," Stirling says. "She wouldn't even stand up until I had walked away. There's a little hole in the yard, and once she was done, she would go lie in the hole." It was three or four months before Jasmine would exit the cage on her own, and then only to go out, relieve herself and lie in the hole. Sweet Pea, who's better adjusted but still battles her own demons, was an hour away, and her visits helped draw out Jasmine. After six months Stirling could finally take both dogs for a walk in a big park near her house.

Jasmine has come far, but she still has many fears. Around people she almost always walks with her head and tail down. She won't let anyone approach her from behind, and she spends most of the day in her pen, sitting quietly, the open door yawning before her. Stirling works with her endlessly. "I feel like what I do for her is so little compared with what she does for me," she says, welling up.

In the end, 47 of the 51 Vick dogs were saved. (Two died while in the shelters; one was destroyed because it was too violent; and another was euthanized for medical reasons.) Twenty-two dogs went to Best Friends, where McMillan and his staff chart their emotional state daily; almost all show steady improvement in categories such as calmness, sociability and happiness. McMillan believes 17 of the dogs will eventually be adopted, and applicants are being screened for the first of those. The other 25 have been spread around the country; the biggest group, 10, went to California with BAD RAP. Fourteen of the 25 have been placed in permanent homes, and the rest are in foster care.

Still, it's Jasmine, lying in her kennel, who embodies the question at the heart of the Vick dogs' story. Was it worth the time and effort to save these 47 dogs when millions languish in shelters? Charmers such as Zippy and Leo and Jonny Justice seem to provide the obvious answer, but even for these dogs any incidence of aggression, provoked or not, will play only one way in the headlines. It's a lifelong sentence to a very short leash. PETA's position is unchanged. "Some [of the dogs] will end up with something resembling a normal life," Shannon says, "but the chances are very slim, and it's not a good risk to take."

Then there are dogs like Lucas, who will never leave sanctuary because of his history as a fighter, and Jasmine and Sweet Pea, who will never leave their Recycled Love families. "There was a lot of discussion about whether to save all of the sanctuary cases," says Reynolds, "but in the end [Best Friends] decided that's what they are there for. There are no regrets."

BAD RAP works out of Oakland Animal Services, where above the main entrance is inscribed a Gandhi quote that dog people cite often: THE GREATNESS OF A NATION AND ITS MORAL PROGRESS CAN BE JUDGED BY THE WAY ITS ANIMALS ARE TREATED.

"Vick showed the worst of us, our bloodlust, but this rescue showed the best," Reynolds says. "I don't think any of us thought it was possible to save these dogs—the government, the rescuers, the regular people—but we surprised ourselves."

Jasmine doesn't know about any of that as she sits on the back deck of Stirling's house. Stirling kneels next to her, gently stroking the dog's back. "I used to think any dog could be rehabbed if you gave it food, exercise and love," she says, "but I know now it's not totally true. Jasmine's happy, but she'll never be like other dogs."

It's quiet for a moment, and the breeze blows a shower of brown and red leaves off the trees. Then Jasmine turns, looks up, and licks Catalina's face. It is the sweetest of kisses.

To support animal-care groups cited in this article, go to their respective websites: www.aspca.org, www.badrap.org, www.bestfriends.org. and www.recycledlove.org

Source: http://209.85.173.132/search?q=cache:XknuFjIWJawJ:vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1150095/index.htm+%22Jim+Gorant%22,+%22The+dog+approaches+the+outstretched+hand.+Her+name+is+Sweet+Jasmine%22&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us

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

2009-01-20T22:57:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-20T22:49:00.000-08:00

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
===========================

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

2009-01-20T22:45:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-20T22:24:00.000-08:00

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
==============================================================

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