Dog Mom May Have to Rehome Hero Pit Bull Due to Hazel Park Breed Ban

MAY 15, 2015 UPDATE: Thanks to Isis, officials in Hazel Park, Mich., have repealed the town’s breed ban.

When Jamie Kraczkowski’s increasingly violent boyfriend began beating her yet again last week, her 2-year old Pit Bull, Isis, came to her rescue.

“When my head got hit against the wall, she just grabbed his pant leg and she was done,” Kraczkowski, of Hazel Park, Mich., told WJBK. “She was done with him abusing me — and abusing her.”

Her now ex-boyfriend, Jamie Dopke, left. But when he turned himself in Thursday and was charged with domestic violence, he complained to police that Isis had attacked him, requiring 30 stitches in his leg.

Because Dopke had been abusing Kraczkowski at the time, Hazel Park police said Isis would not be euthanized.

“If I had a dog and I was being attacked by somebody, I’d hope my dog would intervene,” an unidentified police officer told WJBK.

Unfortunately, however, Hazel Park enforces a Pit Bull ban, so Kraczkowski has been ordered to find a new home for her hero within five days.

“Thank God they’re allowing me to do home quarantine now. But, you know, it’s been pretty traumatizing for me,” she told WJBK, her bruised hands shaking.

Kraczkowski said her home’s lease and utilities are in Dopke’s name. Dopke is currently free on bail.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen with my dog,” she said. “I definitely don’t feel safe without her.”

Because it is so unfair — not to mention costly to enforce and proven to be ineffective in increasing public safety — breed-specific legislation (BSL), which includes Pit Bull bans, is opposed by President Obama and virtually all major animal welfare organizations: the ASPCA, AVMA, HSUS, etc., etc. For these reasons, the trend has been to repeal these useless bans.

Holly Bachor, who was born and raised in Hazel Park, wants the city to follow this trend.

“We are looking for residents who want to speak out against the breed discrimination law currently in effect in Hazel Park,” she wrote in a comment on the FOX 2 Detroit Facebook page. “This is an opportunity to repeal the law, but we need Hazel Park residents and animal welfare advocates to join the effort. Please email info@mi-paca.org to add your name to the Hazel Park team.”

In a comment on the WJBK story, the American Pit Bull Terrier Association Inc (NZ) wrote, “Let’s hope this young lady and her dog can get out of Hazel Park. Men who beat women are still dragging their knuckles along the ground. Authorities still banning breeds are also unevolved and dangerous.”

Kraczkowski has started an online fund to help her move with Isis to a dog-friendly city. As of this morning, $525 of her $2,500 goal has been raised.

Photo via GoFundMe.com

Pit Bulls Rescued from Dog-Fighting Ring Save Family from House Fire

Last summer the Pruchnicki family of Farnham, N.Y., adopted Shrek and Fiona, two Pit Bulls that had been rescued as puppies from a dog-fighting operation. Early this morning, the two dogs, along with Ivan, the Pruchnickis’ other rescued Pit Bull, paid it forward by alerting the family to a house fire.

“It was about 3:30 in the morning. I heard the dogs going crazy.” Dave Pruchnicki told WIVB.

The house had smoke alarms, but the dogs started barking before they went off.

Shrek was the most vocal. “He was halfway up the stairs, and he usually doesn’t come up the stairs at all. You know he was telling us to get out,” Dave said.

“We went downstairs to look and see what’s up with the dogs. The whole front porch was basically engulfed.”

His wife, Dusty, grabbed their 5-year-old son and they all ran out of the house.

“As soon as we hit the side door, the front windows blew in and the whole house went up in flames,” Dave said.

The house was destroyed. “Our memories, our pictures,” Dusty told WIVB. “I’m just glad that I have my son, and my dogs and my husband, and we’re healthy and we’re happy and we can replace everything in our house.”

The fire started on the front porch when embers that had been discarded in a steel bin were rekindled, Chief Peter Chiavetta of the Farnham Volunteer Fire Department told the Buffalo News.

Dave and Dusty said that if the dogs had not been there, they probably would not have survived the fire.

“Like I say, we rescued them and they rescued us, so I think we’re even now,” Dave told WIVB.

Photo via Facebook

2 Hero Police Dogs Receive Heartwarming Final Salutes

Two four-legged police department veterans — Sultan, of Yarmouth, Maine and Judge, of West Deptford Township, N.J. — received farewells befitting the beloved heroes as they made their final trips to their veterinarians this month.

Sultan

Sultan, a 13-year-old German Shepherd, was Yarmouth, Maine’s first police dog. During his 10-year career, he and his only partner, officer Mike Vogel, captured dozens of suspects and seized more than 100 pounds of narcotics as well as thousands of dollars in cash across southern Maine, according to the Portland Press Herald.

“He’s such a proud dog, always watching,” Vogel told the Press Herald. When Vogel moved to Florida in 2012, Sultan retired and went to live with another officer, Shane Stevenson.

About six months ago, Sultan started having seizures, which became progressively worse. Two weeks ago, he lost the ability to eat or stand. Stevenson made the difficult decision to end Sultan’s suffering on Feb. 13.

Police officers and firefighters from around Maine gathered in Yarmouth to pay their respects to Sultan. Patrol cars, with their lights flashing, escorted Stevenson’s van the last mile to the Yarmouth Veterinary Center.

Many of the officers petted Sultan one last time as he lay in the van.

“The loyal police dog raised his black nose to their hands, mustering for each of them a friendly sniff,” the Press Herald reported.

As Stevenson lifted Sultan out of the van and carried him inside the hospital, the officers lined up in two rows and saluted him.

“It goes much deeper than just working with them,” one of the officers, Justin Cooley with the Maine State Police, told the Press Herald. “These are dogs that we take home with us; they get to know our family. They’re with us 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“You go through a lot of things with them, and you just dread this day.”

Judge

Nearly 100 police and K9 officers lined the street near St. Francis Veterinary Center in West Deptford Township, N.J., Friday to salute retired police dog Judge as he made his last visit there with his partner and dog dad, Cpl. Michael Franks.

The officers saluted 9-year-old Judge, a Czech Shepherd, as he carried a protective arm sleeve in his mouth and walked to the hospital’s door with Franks.

During his service as a police dog, Judge apprehended 152 suspects and helped recover three stolen vehicles, three firearms and about $47,000 in drug money, according to the West Deptford Police Facebook page.

After Judge retired from the force last August, he began showing symptoms of Cushing’s disease, a condition caused by a tumor on a dog’s pituitary gland that creates an increase of cortisone.

When Judge was diagnosed with the disease, the local community donated more than $12,000 to help cover the cost of his veterinary bills — all within just 48 hours.

“Judge had undergone surgery and was taking medication for the disease, but it quickly deteriorated, unfortunately,” West Deptford Deputy Chief Sean McKenna told NJ.com. By last week, Judge was having difficulty moving.

Officers and K9s from nearly every police department in Gloucester County arrived in West Deptford Township Friday.

“It’s about showing respect, but also the people who are here wanted to thank Judge for his service to the community,” Glassboro Sgt. Dan Eliasen told NJ.com.

“No one has forgotten what he’s done — and that includes protecting his partner and his community.”

Photos via Twitter, Twitter

Watch Hero Pit Bull Mix Stop Gas Station Robbery

An armed man chose the wrong Maine gas station to rob last week.

The man went inside Holly’s Gas Station in Saco on Feb. 9 and asked clerk Justin Ireland if he could use the phone. Ireland’s Pit Bull/Boxer mix, Thor, vigorously wagged his tail at the stranger.

But then the man pointed a gun at Ireland, handed him a plastic bag and shoved him. Ireland, who’d been holding onto Thor’s harness, released his dog. Thor immediately sprang into action to protect his dog dad.

A surveillance camera captured Thor jumping on the robber, biting his hand and face.

The robber ran off and fled in a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, according to a UPI report.

Neither Ireland or Thor was injured.

According to the Saco Police Department’s Facebook page, the suspect is a white male who’s about 5’10 and weighs 180 pounds. He probably has bite wounds on his hand and the sides of his face.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the police department at 207-282-8216.

Photos via Facebook

Donations Pour in for Hero Boxer Who Shielded Dog Dad from House Fire

FEB. 16, 2015 UPDATE: Carmen has been released from the hospital, an update today on the Carmen Ledford Crowdrise page reports.

“After almost two weeks of 24-hour care at Care Center, Carmen is strong enough to continue her recovery from home, with Ben’s brother, Phil and the watchful eye of the entire family,” according to the update.

“If it hadn’t been for the vet who rescued Carmen, the Care Center and the support and donations from friends, family and pet lovers from around the world, we would not have been able to provide Carmen with the level of care that has allowed her to walk out of the hospital today.”

As of Feb. 16, more than $29,000 has been raised for Carmen’s veterinary care.

More than $28,000 has been raised to pay for the veterinary care of Carmen, a 9-year-old Boxer who suffered severe lung damage while trying to shield her dog dad, Ben Ledford, from a fire in a Goshen Township, Ohio, home Feb. 5.

Unfortunately, Ledford did not survive. If not for the around-the-clock care by veterinarians at Care Center in Cincinnati, Carmen would likely have died as well.

When firefighters arrived at the house, they found Carmen on top of Ledford in the basement, shielding his face from the thick, black smoke. Ledford was still breathing, but died a short time later at a hospital.

Carmen was rushed to Care Center in critical condition, and placed on a ventilator to enable her to breathe. By Tuesday, she was able to breathe without the ventilator.

“She’s doing very well. We’re very happy with where her progress is at this point,” Dr. Marlo Anderson, the hospital’s critical care specialist, told WCPO Feb. 10.

“Initially when we take them off the ventilator, there’s a chance she may need to go back on for a few hours as her body is adjusting … but so far she hasn’t needed any of that.”

Dr. Anderson said it was an especially good sign that Carmen was able to breathe through her nose. “Prior to her going on the ventilator, she was breathing very hard through her mouth,” she said. “Dogs breathe primarily through their nose, so anytime they are breathing through their mouth you know there is a problem.”

“She’s awake, aware and even moving around a bit,” wrote Ledford’s brother, Phil Ledford, on Carmen’s Crowdrise page Feb. 10. “It was good to see her recognize the family and respond to our voices.”

Ledford’s sister, Emily Ledford, told WCPO Ben and Carmen adored each other. “There was nothing in this world that Ben loved more than Carmen and there was nothing that Carmen loved more than Ben,” she said. Her brother was a big Ohio State University fan, she said, and had named his dog after “Carmen Ohio,” the university’s alma mater.

Dr. Anderson said she wasn’t too surprised by Carmen’s heroic act. “A lot of dogs instinctively know when there’s a crisis going on, so a lot of them do go to try to protect their owners, so she very well may have been trying to protect him,” she told WCPO.

Carmen began physical therapy Wednesday, and continued to show signs of improvement during the week.

“Carmen is coming off fluids and IV medications today,” wrote Care Center on its Facebook page yesterday. “She still requires oxygen support at this time as her lungs continue to heal. She is eating and drinking on her own and will have some more rehabilitation today.

“Carmen is in good spirits and wags her adorable little nub tail to show it! She has started to give out some sweet doggie kisses to her family, Dr. Anderson and her technicians.”

Phil Ledford will adopt his brother’s beloved dog when Carmen is ready to leave the hospital.

“The ongoing support for Carmen, and Carmen’s family, has been overwhelmingly positive,” he wrote. “The family is humbled by the generosity being offered to help Carmen.”

For the latest updates on Carmen’s health, visit the Care Center Vets Facebook page.

Photos via Facebook, Crowdwise.com