Category: Grrr

Georgia Shelter Kills Dozens of Dogs with Respiratory Symptoms

More than 60 dogs were euthanized Monday at the Clayton County Animal Control (CCAC) shelter in Jonesboro, Ga., only because they may have been infected with the H3N2 virus. Most dogs recover from this respiratory flu within 10 to 30 days.

“Treat all dogs like we treat our children. We don’t put our children to sleep when they get the sniffles,” Tandra Matthews, one of hundreds of people outraged by the killings, told 11Alive.

Dave Edwards is a rescue volunteer who monitors Atlanta Pit Bull Networking on social media. (The majority of the dogs killed Monday by CCAC were Pit Bulls, one of the breeds that the shelter only allows to be released to rescue groups.) Edwards told CBS46 Wednesday that rabies is the only disease he could think of that would automatically require such a “mass extermination” of shelter dogs.

Clayton County Police Deputy Chief Michael J. Register told CBS46 Friday the shelter was trying to protect the healthy dogs, and offered no further explanation.

“If we don’t euthanize the number of animals that are exhibiting symptoms, you run the risk of jeopardizing the whole facility,” Register said. He said the infected dogs were quarantined last weekend, and then killed Monday.

When asked if the shelter had considered providing medicine to the infected dogs, Register said it had not.

The symptoms of the dogs killed were “coughing, running nose and sneezing,” according to a statement released Friday by the Clayton County Police Department. The department did not say whether the dogs were even confirmed to actually have H3N2.

After an assessment was completed by veterinarian medical personnel, those alleged experts recommended that the sick animals be euthanized, the police department stated.

Coughing, a running nose and sneezing are also symptoms of kennel cough, a contagious respiratory illness that is common in animal shelters. In fact, earlier this year, a shelter in Gwinnett County, Ga., experienced a kennel cough outbreak. Did its veterinarian medical personnel advise the shelter to kill the sick dogs? No way. Those dogs were quarantined while the shelter was disinfected.

In response to public complaints at a meeting Tuesday night, Clayton County Commission Chairman Jeffrey Turner told CBS46 he agrees that something needs to be changed at the shelter. Back in 2009, Clayton County voters approved construction of a new shelter, but six years later, nothing has been done.

Turner said he predicted a new shelter could be completed in 18 months.

As of June, the H3N2 virus has spread to 13 U.S. states. Most at risk for becoming infected with this flu are puppies, older dogs and dogs with weakened immune systems. Many dogs that have it show no symptoms at all. Click here for tips for preventing your dog from becoming infected.

Photos via Clayton County Animal Control Rainbow Bridge Facebook page

San Diego Man Covers Lawn with Chocolate Chips to Keep Dogs Away

Sure, it’s aggravating when irresponsible dog owners allow their pooches to poop on your front lawn. Again and again and again.

But is that any reason to cover your lawn with something that’s potentially poisonous to dogs?

John Robinson of San Diego thought so. Last Friday, he sprinkled several pounds of chocolate chips over his front yard.

Chocolate, as you should know, can be poisonous for dogs — especially darker chocolate and smaller dogs.

Robinson told NBC 7 he had previously used signs warning people not to let their dogs poop on his lawn, to no avail.

“People disrespect my yard,” he said. “I’m tired of the stuff.”

The idea he came up with seems to be working. He said people walking their dogs are now crossing the street to avoid his house.

Local dog mom Sarah Fisher has been using social media to warn pet parents about the chocolate chips on Robinson’s lawn.

“If he is doing this – which is like an animal genocide, pretty much – he’s putting it out for animals to ingest and get sick,” she told NBC 7.

Residents in Robinson’s North Park neighborhood called San Diego County Animal Control to complain. Its deputy director, Dan DeSousa, told NBC 7 the case is currently being investigated by both animal control and the San Diego Police Department.

Robinson claimed he doesn’t believe chocolate is harmful for dogs. (Then why did he cover his front lawn with it?)  He told NBC 7 he plans to mow the lawn soon to get rid of the chocolate chips — although city officials may order him to do it sooner.

Ingenious or Evil?

More than 100 comments have been left on the NBC 7 story. I was surprised that many people seem to think Robinson’s method of deterring dogs is ingenious, not evil.

“Let me get this straight. Pet owners won’t be considerate of a homeowner’s property, so he puts chocolate chips on HIS OWN FRONT YARD as a deterrent,” wrote Les Ciapponi. “Then some of these same irresponsible pet owners file a complaint. OK this is crazy. It’s his property! Can’t these people control their pets? I’m sorry, these pet owners who filed a complaint are WHACK!”

Desi Woodburn agreed. “I think his intention is to scare the dog owners away from his yard, which he did,” she wrote. “It’s his own yard, so what’s the big deal? Responsible dog owners keep their dogs on a leash when out and about. Then again, responsible dog owners should be picking up after their pet.”

I agree with those who thought what Robinson did was wrong, particularly since it is harmful to the innocent dogs rather than their irresponsible owners.

“Why make the dogs suffer painfully and possibly die because they crapped on the lawn?” wrote Shelley Sloane. “Why not go after the owners rather than setting it up so any dog that goes by has the possibility of eating this and having health issues because of it?”

Jordan Smith wrote, “I get what he’s doing and I do feel he has a right to take action against this, but the dogs shouldn’t suffer for the irresponsibility of the owner. Dogs don’t know not to poop in a yard, nor are they aware that chocolate is bad for them.”

Photo via Twitter

What do you think? Please leave a comment below.

 

Golden Retriever Dies After Being Left in Petco Drying Cage

AUG. 7, 2015 UPDATE: Two former employees of this Petco store have been charged with a class 4 misdemeanor for animal neglect.

Andrea Marks of Powhatan, Va., left Colby, her Golden Retriever, at a Petco store in Westchester Commons for a routine grooming Friday morning.

About six hours later, the healthy young dog was dead of heatstroke.

The store’s assistant manager told Marks a groomer had put Colby in a drying cage — and then left the store to attend a graduation party.

“How does a company let this happen?” wrote Wendy Sitko, Andrea’s daughter, on Facebook. “Then I find out by looking Petco up this has happened before and a lawsuit [says] they no longer use heated cages.”

The lawsuit she’s referring to was filed by Teresa Gilland in 2008 over the death of Sadie, her 6-year-old, healthy Lhasa Apso. Just like Colby, Sadie was left to die in a heating cage at a Petco store in Fair Oaks, Calif. Sadie suffered heatstroke and had to be euthanized. In a July 2011 statement about the case, Petco said the company “no longer uses heat of any kind in the drying process in our grooming salons.”

Melody Newman, another of Marks’ daughters, told CBS 6 News that when her sister called and told her what happened, “I was like, ‘Are you serious?’ Colby was a very playful puppy. He just turned 2 in February.”

Newman said the family was in “complete shock” over Colby’s death and how he died. In a statement, Petco said the company is also “heartbroken.”

“The health and safety of pets is always our top priority and we take full responsibility for all animals under our care,” Petco stated, according to CBS 6 News. “We are taking immediate action to investigate and understand the situation. Our thoughts are with Colby’s family at this difficult time.”

Just two months ago, a Petco groomer in Atlanta was fired after a video of him yanking a terrified dog’s leg went viral.

Dog Groomers Aren’t Required to Be Licensed or Certified

Surprisingly, dog groomers are not required to be licensed or certified in any U.S. state. (New York City and Miami-Dade County, Fla., do regulate them; however, this is not done statewide.) New Jersey may become the first state to do so with “Bijou’s Bill,” named in memory of a Shih Tzu who, like Colby, died during a routine grooming session at a chain store — PetSmart, in this case.

“Lucy’s Law,” a similar bill in California that was named after a Yorkshire Terrier mix who was severely injured by a groomer, failed to pass in 2012. Petco and PetSmart strongly opposed the bill and lobbied against it.

Until statewide laws are passed, when you take your dog to a groomer (especially at a large chain store, where most deaths and injuries occur), it could be a life-or-death matter to ask some important questions.

“It would behoove you to find out who your groomer is, how long they’ve been grooming, what kind of track record they have — you need to do this kind of work,” Rosemary Marchetto, Bijou’s dog mom, told CBS New York in December.

On her Facebook page late Friday afternoon, Marks wrote, “Goodbye my sweet baby, taken from me way too soon, thanks to Petco.

“I will love you forever and always, my sweet, sweet Colby Jack. RIP.”

Photo via Twitter

Atlanta Falcons Dump Player Charged with Killing Girlfriend’s Yorkie

AUG. 14, 2015 UPDATE: Prince Shembo’s felony charge for killing Dior was reduced to a misdemeanor, so the Atlanta Falcons are considering welcoming him back to the team.

Within a couple of hours after Atlanta Falcons player Prince Shembo was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals for killing his girlfriend’s dog, the team let the loser linebacker go.

“We are aware of the charges that have been filed against Prince Shembo,” the Falcons said this afternoon in a statement. “We are extremely disappointed that one of our players is involved in something like this. Accordingly, we have decided to waive Prince Shembo.”

On April 19, Denicia Williams, Shembo’s then-girlfriend, told police she had left Dior, her Yorkshire Terrier, with Shembo. When she returned to Shembo’s apartment, the dog was unresponsive. Dior died a short time later at a local animal hospital.

Williams said Shembo told her the next day that he had kicked the dog. (Shembo weighs 260 pounds; a Yorkie typically weighs about 7 pounds.) Williams wisely ended the relationship.

According to the police report, a necropsy revealed that little Dior had suffered a litany of horrific injuries: a fractured rib; fractured liver; abdominal hemorrhage; thoracic hemorrhage; extensive bruising and hemorrhage in the muscles in her front leg and shoulders; head trauma; hemorrhage and edema in her lungs; hemorrhage between her esophagus and trachea; and hemorrhage in the her left eye.

The cause of her death was blunt force trauma.

After posting $15,000 bail, Shembo was released from jail late Friday evening.

His attorney, Jerry Froelich, told reporters his client was in tears over the arrest and had kicked Dior only because the dog bit him, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

“He didn’t mean to kill him,” Froelich said. (As I previously mentioned, Shembo weighs 260 pounds; a Yorkie typically weighs about 7 pounds.)

Shembo is not the only NFL player currently facing felony dog abuse charges.

Terence Cody, who was dropped from the Baltimore Ravens, is facing felony charges of intentionally torturing and cruelly killing his dog Taz, a Presa Canarios Mastiff. He is also charged with inflicting unnecessary suffering or pain on his dog; not providing his dog with nutritious food in sufficiency quantity; not providing proper drink; not providing proper space; and not providing necessary veterinary care. His court date has been scheduled for August 11.

Dwight Jones, a former wide receiver for the New York Jets, was charged last month with felony animal cruelty for letting one of his Pit Bull mixes starve to death. He has not yet been assigned a court date.

Photos: Thomson200; Gwinnett County Police Department

No Jail Time for Loser Who Used Cabela for Fighting Purposes

Earlier this year, Kenny Bell of Tampa, Fla., bought a Pit Bull mix, later named Cabela, to participate in dog fights at his house. But when Cabela proved to be a lover, not a fighter, Bell ordered Natwan Callaway and Bobby Hollinger, both 17, to get rid of her. Callaway shot Cabela three times and tied her to railroad tracks.

In court today, Bell pleaded guilty to possessing a dog for dog-fighting purposes. He barely got a slap on the wrist from the judge.

In a deal reached with the Hillsborough State Attorney’s Office, Bell was sentenced to 48 months probation (for which he’s eligible for release in just two years), 150 hours of community service and ordered to pay up to $1,000 in restitution to Tampa Bay Veterinary Emergency Services (TBVES), ABC Action News reports. He cannot own an animal — but only while he’s on probation..

“For the record, I just want to state that I’m sorry about what happened to the dog Cabela,” Bell told the judge. “I never planned for that to happen. I never thought nothing like that would happen to the dog.”

Bell’s attorney told ABC Action News that his client has been getting lots of hate mail in jail and has been “wrongly characterized.” In other words, shame on the media for its negative portrayal of someone who makes a living fighting dogs to the death!

Bell was the first of four defendants to go to trial in Cabela’s case. Callaway, who confessed to shooting her, will be tried as an adult in August. He’s facing felony charges of aggravated cruelty to animals and armed trespassing, and misdemeanor charges of abandonment of an animal and being a minor in possession of a firearm. The 17-year-old has a rap sheet going back three years that includes robbery, burglary and grand theft, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

“Enjoy your time in a cage, where you will still be treated better than you ever treated her and the other dogs,” wrote TBVES on its Facebook page in March. “She is sure the other inmates will be impressed with your high level of sophistication and the cruelty of your actions! Have a great life, she certainly is on to better things!”

That’s for sure. Ever since Cabela was rescued by Tampa police officers Nick Wilson and Sgt. R. Mills as a train was approaching, the sweet Pit Bull mix has made a remarkable recovery.

TBVES announced on its Facebook page today that although adoption offers have poured in from as far away as Sweden, Cabela has been officially adopted by one of the volunteers who worked with her. She will serve as an ambassador for the clinic that helped save her life.

Photos via Facebook

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