Category: News

Owner of Dog Dumped at Gas Station Releases Her for $400

Butterbean will never be dumped at a Louisiana gas station again.

In a photo that went viral last week, the German Shepherd mix was seen chasing her owners’ pickup truck on a busy Louisiana highway after being left behind at the Highway 11 Shell station in Slidell.

As it turned out, this wasn’t the first time her owners had pulled this horrible stunt.

“It’s not uncommon at all for this family to abandon the dog at the station and let it chase their truck,” Jeff Dorson, director of the Humane Society of Louisiana, told ABC News last week. “They’ve done this multiple times and apparently think it’s no big deal, and they don’t seem to care about the welfare of the dog.”

Butterbean appeared to be happy and uninjured, Dorson said. However, the 6-year-old dog had been dumped in the area as a puppy, so it seems that being abandoned again and again (not to mention having to run through traffic to keep up with her owners) would be especially stressful for her.

“We are truly amazed that Butterbean has survived this many years,” Dorson told the Times-Picayune.

When the Humane Society of Louisiana first contacted Butterbean’s owners about giving their dog up for adoption so she could live in a safer, more compassionate home, the owners refused.

“They stated their intention is to now keep her tethered in their backyard, which of course is not an acceptable way to maintain a family dog in our view, apart from the history of extremely irresponsible pet ‘ownership,'” the Humane Society wrote on its Facebook page Friday.

Dorson told ABC News the Humane Society was “pursuing all avenues to gain legal custody of Butterbean to ensure she has the safe and happy life she deserves.” Her case was escalated to St. Tammany Animal Services, which has the authority to directly intervene.

Yesterday, one of Butterbean’s owners, Lisa Pearson, received a warning from St. Tammany Animal Services. Instead of taking Butterbean to a shelter or vet, Pearson said she would give up the dog — for $400. The cash was donated from the Humane Society.

“We certainly don’t like to reward this kind of behavior, but sometimes it simply takes too long for cases to move through the legal system,” Dorson said in a news release today. “Our first concern was Butterbean’s safety. We were convinced she could be let loose again to run in traffic at any time, and we might miss our opportunity to intervene.”

Butterbean is being treated for a heartworm infection and will be available for adoption soon. Dorson said anyone interested in giving her a forever home must go through an application and interview process. (Want to bet that one of the questions is, “Would you enjoy dumping Butterbean at a gas station for fun?”)

Dorson said the Humane Society is delighted that Butterbean’s story will have a happy ending. It won’t be such a happy ending for Butterbean’s previous owners, who are facing citations for violating several state laws. Pearson signed an agreement not to allow any animal to roam at large in the future, and not to chain or tether any animal, either.

The new campaign “Butterbean Buddies” has just been launched to help other dogs who are abandoned, chained or tethered.

“We’d love to save 500 dogs or more through our Butterbean Buddies during the next year,” Dorson said. It costs the Humane Society of Louisiana about $500 to rescue, provide veterinary care for, and spay or neuter a homeless dog. Housing, food and transporting the dog for adoption can cost an additional $500.

“If only a handful of people concerned about Butterbean pitched in to help, we could save thousands of dogs here in Louisiana,” Dorson said.

If you’re interested in adopting Butterbean, contact the Furry Friends Animal Hospital at 504-366-6060.

To donate to Butterbean Buddies, click here or send a check to Humane Society of Louisiana, PO Box 740321, New Orleans, LA 70174.

Photos via Facebook, Facebook

Rock Climber Rescues Doberman Trapped Deep in NY State Park Crevice

During an walk early Monday evening at Clark Reservation, a state park in upstate New York, a 1-year-old Doberman named Remy fell through snow into a deep crevice.

“She kind of just disappeared,” her dog mom, Keanna Rose, told Syracuse.com. “One second she was there and one second she was gone.”

Remy, who was unleashed and wandering off the main trail, fell about halfway into the 20-foot-deep hole. Her head was wedged between the rocks, with her legs sticking up behind her, Rose said.

“She was whimpering,” Rose told Syracuse.com. “You could tell she was in pain and she was scared.”

Rose and her boyfriend called for help.

A group of firefighters from the Jamesville and Pompey Hill fire departments, along with volunteers, worked for nearly eight hours trying, unsuccessfully, to use a rope to free Remy. It was especially difficult since the opening of the crevice was only about a foot wide.

During their rescue efforts, it started raining, and Remy fell even farther down the hole. The rescuers had to use a mirror to see the dog.

Just after midnight, a VMC employee called Nate Farrington, who does vertical caving and rock climbing, hoping he could assist.

Using a rope, Farrington was able to descend into the crevice.

“The only thing I was finally able to do was get a catch pole loop around her neck area after I entered the crevice and, once we finally freed her from the position she was in, another loop went around her legs to take some of the pressure off her neck,” Farrington wrote in an email. “It wasn’t ideal, but it was the only option we were left with as time drew on.”

Jeff Kunsman, one of the volunteers, told CNY Central, “To have somebody who was able to come in and fit down the hole and be able to get [her] was absolutely key to the situation.”

Remy was taken to the Veterinary Medical Center of CNY and treated for her injuries. She was released from the hospital yesterday.

“Remy is now home with her family! She is still having a hard time walking, but we are still hopeful [for] a full recovery!” Rose wrote on a GoFundMe.com page she created to help with Remy’s veterinary bills. As of this morning, $250 of her $1,500 goal has been raised.

“I think the public has done enough for them in this instance of their chosen carelessness,” wrote “Fed_up1978” in a comment on the Syracuse.com story. “Had the dog been on a leash none of this would have happened. The tax payers already funded the rescue. The vet bills are their responsibility. It’s a consequence of their choice to break the leash rules!”

Karen M. donated $20 via the GoFundMe.com page. “Here’s to a speedy recovery and a harness for your future adventures!” she wrote.

Dogs are required to be leashed in Clark Reservation. Hopefully Remy’s — and all — pet parents will follow this rule in the future.

Photos via GoFundMe.com

The part of this story describing Nate Farrington’s rescue of Remy has been corrected — he did not use a harness to free Remy, as I originally wrote.

Amazing Progress for Cabela, the Dog Tied to Railroad Tracks and Shot

Although she was shot three times by a 17-year-old thug and then tied to railroad tracks, a sweet Pit Bull mix named Cabela defied the odds and is getting better and better each day.

Cabela was released yesterday from Tampa Bay Veterinary Emergency Service (TBVES), where she’d been staying since the night of March 4, when hero Tampa police officers Nick Wilson and Sr. Sgt. Rich Mills untied her from the tracks as a train was approaching.

“She has left the building to go into super secret, never to be revealed, protective custody. Hiding: to heal, socialize and begin her transition to a new life,” TBVES wrote in an update on its Facebook page yesterday.

Cabela Wouldn’t Kill, So Thugs Tried to Kill Her

Cabela had been bought for dog-fighting purposes. But since she was too sweet tempered to viciously kill other dogs, a group of losers decided to viciously kill her.

On March 4, after Cabela had proven to be a lover, not a fighter, Bobby Hollinger, 17, threw her into the woods and fired a few shots at her. But Cabela ran back to his house and sat, bleeding, on the porch. So Hollinger and three other monsters walked the injured dog to the railroad tracks and tied her down with a belt. Natwan Callaway, also 17, shot Cabela three times in the neck and right shoulder.

Thanks to a surveillance video, investigators were able to identify the criminals. Callaway and Hollinger were arrested on animal cruelty charges March 11. The next day, Darnell N. Devlin and Kenny Bell — who said they were Cabela’s owners — were charged with possession of a fighting dog after evidence of a fighting operation was found in their home, including two dogs with bite injuries.

Callaway and Hollinger will be tried as adults. They are scheduled for a court appearance on April 8.

As for Devlin and Bell, Hillsborough Circuit Judge John Conrad denied bond for both of them. In Florida, a felony dog-fighting conviction can result in up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

“Darnell and Kenny, Cabela sends her best wishes for each of you into the future and is thankful that your accomplices were such bad shots and bumbling criminals.” TBVES wrote on its Facebook page yesterday.

“Enjoy your time in a cage where you will still be treated better than you ever treated her and the other dogs. 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!”

Amen.

Cabela’s Amazing Recovery

When Cabela was admitted to TBVES, the staff did not predict a great outcome for her, due to her severe injuries. (By the way, Cabela got her new name from vet technician Teena Hicks, who’s a fan of country singer Luke Bryan. The sporting-goods retailer Cabela’s is sponsoring Bryan’s tour.)

Veterinarian Dr. Jamie Davidson initially thought Cabela’s shattered right front leg would need to be amputated, but fortunately it was saved.

“Cabela came through surgery with flying colors and four legs,” TBVES wrote on its Facebook page March 5. “The surgeon decided to pin it instead of amputation. It will be 6 to 8 weeks before we know whether she will regain full use and motion.”

When Cabela’s original owners saw media coverage of her rescue, they contacted Tampa police. They claimed at the time that she had either escaped or been stolen from their yard four months ago. It seemed strange that, after reuniting with their dog last week, they decided not to bring her home. Apparently their decision was not all that strange: They had actually sold Cabela, according to the Tampa Bay Times, but not to Devlin or Bell, the owners said.

TBVES rescue coordinator Steven Pahl told the Tampa Bay Times the hospital has received adoption inquiries from all 50 states and several other countries.

When Cabela is ready for a loving forever home, TBVES and the Humane Society of Tampa Bay will start the adoption process, Pahl said.

This video taken Thursday shows the amazing progress this sweet girl has made, just one week after her surgery. Look at that tail wag!

Donations Pour in From Around the World — and a Certain Namesake

TBVES is covering the cost of Cabela’s veterinary care, but is accepting donations via its website.

“All donations above what is necessary to cover the cost of Cabela’s care will be used for other animals rescued by Tampa Bay Veterinary Emergency Service (last year over 500 injured, ill or orphaned dogs and cats were cared for at our hospital) or will help care for injured or ill pets whose owners are financially limited,” the website states.

When Cabela’s heard about its namesake, the company sent the dog a care package “in a box as big as Cabela’s kennel,” TBVES wrote on its Facebook page. It included a bed, toys, treats and a metal food bowl with the name, “Cabela’s.”

Photos via Facebook

US Senators Want FDA to Investigate Beneful-Related Dog Deaths and Illnesses

In response to the class-action lawsuit filed last month claiming that thousands of dogs were sickened or died after eating Beneful dry kibble, U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Dick Durbin sent a letter to U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg earlier this week.

They asked Hamburg to have the FDA investigate the claim and provide updates about measures being taken to prevent contamination of pet food.

“To our knowledge, the FDA has not issued any investigations, warnings, consumer guidance or product recalls to address these alarming issues,” the senators wrote.

After thousands of dogs and cats died eight years ago as a result of eating contaminated pet food, Congress passed the FDA Amendments Act of 2007. It requires improved regulations for pet food safety, including stronger labeling requirements, an early warning system for tainted food, and establishing standards for ingredients and manufacturing.

“However, eight years later, most provisions of the pet food safety law have not been implemented and protections Congress enacted are not in place, amid allegations of contaminated Beneful dry kibble,” the senators wrote.

“To put it frankly, the food safety system Congress fought to develop has not been put in place by the FDA.”

Beneful Contains Automotive Antifreeze Ingredient

Frank Lucido, who filed the suit against the Nestlé Purina Petcare Company in a California federal court, said he began feeding his three dogs Beneful dry dog food in December. Within a month, all three began suffering stomach and liver problems. His English Bulldog died on Jan. 23 due to internal bleeding and lesions on his liver. His other two dogs, a German Shepherd and Labrador, are showing similar symptoms.

These were far from being isolated cases. According to the lawsuit, there are thousands of complaints on the internet (including several hundred on ConsumerAffairs.com) “about dogs becoming ill, in many cases very seriously ill, and/or dying after eating Beneful.”

All of these dogs had the same symptoms: vomiting and liver problems.

The suit says the food’s main ingredient, propylene glycol — which is also a component of automotive antifreeze — is toxic to dogs. This ingredient apparently helps keep the kibble moist, but it has lead to problems including internal bleeding, liver malfunction or failure, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, weight loss, seizures, bloat or kidney failure in at least 3,000 dogs who digested it, according to the lawsuit.

Beneful may also contain mycotoxins, which are toxic byproducts of mold.

“If it’s a hundred or so [dogs], it’s like, ‘Okay, a lot of dogs eat Beneful; things happen,’” Jeff Cereghino, one of Lucido’s attorneys, told The Daily Beast. “But when I look at 4,000? Holy hell, there’s a lot of people out here.”

Nestlé Purina Says Lawsuit is ‘Baseless’

Nestlé Purina Petcare Company issued a dismissive statement in response to the class-action lawsuit.

“We at Beneful want you, our valued customers, to know that this lawsuit is baseless; you can continue to feel confident feeding your dogs our food,” the company stated on its website Feb. 26.

“Adding to the confusion, social media outlets can be a source of false or incomplete information, as many other pet food brands have experienced themselves.”

Keith Schopp, vice president of corporate public relations, said in a statement to The Daily Beast, “We intend to vigorously defend ourselves.”

Photo credit: Jason Meredith

New Study Will See if Kissing Your Dog Is Good for Your Gut Health

Could kissing your dog — and giving her belly rubs — actually be good for your health?

Scientists at the University of Arizona (UA) think so. They’ve started the Human-Animal Interaction Research Initiative (HAIRI) “Dogs as Probiotics” study to see if healthy bacteria from dogs’ saliva, skin and even poop (ew) can help improve humans’ gastrointestinal health.

The researchers were partly inspired by previous studies. In 2013 the University of Colorado found that parents share more bacteria with their four-legged kids than they do with their two-legged ones (as well as their spouses). A 2002 study discovered that babies raised with dogs are less likely to develop immune-related issues like asthma and allergies.

“We are doing this study in older adults specifically to see if the changes science has shown for children can be replicated in older people, and to see if dogs can improve the physical and mental health of these adults,” the study website states.

“These organisms help us survive,” Charles Raison, M.D., the study’s principal investigator, told KTAR. “If your microbial material is not rich, you’re much more susceptible to Alzheimer’s … even cancer is beginning to be associated with the microbial species living in our guts.”

The study will be conducted in two phases. In the first phase, in partnership with the Humane Society of Southern Arizona (HSSA), the UA researchers will pair 20 older adults with foster dogs for three months, during which the participants’ saliva, skin and fecal samples will be compared. “All medical assessments on the dogs are non-invasive, meaning that they will not harm or cause the dog discomfort in any way,” the HAIRI website assures. The samples will be obtained by gently rubbing a cotton swab inside the dogs’ mouths or on their skin (or in their poop).

Once those samples are obtained, the second phase of the study will analyze how dogs improve humans’ immune systems.

“It’s always surprised me how many diseases and disorders are linked to inflammatory processes that link back to your immune system,” Dieter Steklis, Ph.D., an animal behavior specialist, told Arizona Sonora News. “If having a dog actually tames your immune system, which is what it seems to do, then elderly [people] who have a dog may have a lower chance of depressive illnesses.”

The researchers looked for volunteers between the ages of 50 and 80 who had not owned a dog or taken antibiotics in the past six months. After passing a screening process, the volunteers will be paired with dogs from the HSSA, and provided with free veterinary care, food and training. At the end of the study, the volunteers can adopt the dog they have been paired with.

“Based on the data we have to date, we think that dogs really are protectors of the gut,” Dr. Raison told KTAR.

Researchers said if the study proves this to be true, it could increase the adoption rate of homeless dogs.

HAIRI is asking for donations to help fund the study. To contribute, click here.

Photo: That’s me getting a smooch from my pooch, Ella.

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