Source: Fox59.com, Nov 7, 2009
Police and animal control officers are investigating a gruesome case of dog fighting, after a pit bull was severely injured and left for dead on the northwest side of Indianapolis on Friday.
A man and woman found the dog limping toward their care near the intersection of 71st St. and Guion Rd. When they stepped out of the car they noticed the dog was suffering from multiple puncture wounds and bleeding heavily. They then wrapped it up in a sleeping bag and rushed it to the local Humane Society of Indianapolis.
“You want to think the best of people,” said Nina Gaither, who works with the Humane Society and serves on the board of the Indy Pit Crew, an advocacy group for the breed. “You want to think that maybe this was an accident.”
As a proud pit bull owner, Gaither says her heart sank when the dog named “Valor” came into the Humane Society Friday night.
“This is probably the worst it would get for a dog to come in the doors alive,” Gaither said.
Unfortunately, Gaither said, the pit bull didn’t live for long. Humane officers were forced to euthanize “Valor” after finding two severely broken legs, one which would have required amputation, along with more than 50 puncture wounds. Gaither says they quickly identified “Valor” as a victim of dog fighting, because his injuries were located on the front of his body, and his wounds were inflicted over a long period of time.
“There were wounds from 4-5 days ago,” Gaither said. “There were wounds from three weeks ago. There were wounds from 6 months ago from the varying degrees of healing. That’s when we realized this was nothing new for this dog.”
Gaither says illegal dog fighting isn’t a new problem in our area. The Pit Crew created an educational video in hopes of shedding light on the practice two years ago. The Humane Society receives dogs rescued from fights once every couple months. But Gaither says this latest case shows how previous efforts haven’t been able to target the underlying problem.
“I’m just reminded that this is a human problem,” Gaither said. “This isn’t a dog problem.”
Though it’s unclear exactly how widespread dog fighting has become in Indiana, in the past few months IMPD has joined forces with animal control to crack down on that human problem. The new task force investigates animal fighting complaints and handles cases like “Valor’s”.
“The only thing that ever happened to this dog that was humane was the peaceful end he was given,” Gaither said.
Now she says she hopes the increased effort brings justice to what she calls a cowardly act.
“The whole manner about it makes them a coward,” Gaither said. “The fact that they are engaged in this practice. The fact that they would just dump a dog, you know, out on the street to fend for itself and for the rest of the community to deal with.”
If you have any tips regarding this case or any other cases of dog fighting, please call CrimeStoppers at 262-TIPS.
Source: wset.com, Nov 6, 2009
A dog has been rescued after being stuck in the mud for more than 24 hours. Danville Humane Society officials found him on the Riverwalk trail near Dan Daniels Park after walkers reported hearing the dog whimpering.
The humane society knows this dog. They say a woman came to the shelter on Wednesday to drop off the dog, but when she took him out of the car, he got scared and ran away.
Meko Purdue was out walking on the Riverwalk trail with family, when she heard something strange.
“I heard the whimpering and the crying and we looked over we saw the dog,” Meko said.
She and her sister, Chablee, called 911.
“I looked over the ledge and I saw his face, and I was like it’s sitting there and I kept hearing it and hearing it and then that’s when everyone came over police and everything and they were like ‘we don’t see it at all’ and I’m like ‘it’s still under there’,” Chablee said.
Animal Control and Humane Society officials found the dog down a steep bank.
“You could just see his head through the branches and leaves and everything stuck in there, he was hiding underneath the tree,” Linda Cottrell with Animal Control said.
Rescuers were able to get him out. Paulette Dean with the Humane Society is sure he was out there overnight. She says a woman tried to bring this dog to the shelter on Wednesday.
“When she got him out of the car he got scared and he ran and she let go of the leash so she told us that this dog was now running towards the river,” Dean said.
If it hadn’t been for Meko’s call, they might not have found him.
“I’m glad we walked back through here, because a lot of people have been walking back and forth and I can’t believe no one heard him. It was pretty loud. I just feel like we were in the right place at the right time,” Meko said.
He really is a sweet dog. He was taken to the vet and expected to make a full recovery, and he’s available for adoption immediately. If you live in Danville or Pittsylvania County, call the Humane Society.
Source: PittsburgPostGazzette.com, Nov 3, 2009
A domesticated mutt is acting as the surrogate mom for nine newborn African painted dog pups at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium, a ground-breaking arrangement for the rearing of the wild dogs, whose mother died shortly after they were born.
Honey, a mixed-breed dog from the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society’s North Side shelter, is nursing the black and white puppies that were born at the zoo Oct. 25, and zoo officials say all are gaining weight and doing well.
It’s the first time such a domestic surrogate has been used to mother and feed new-born painted dogs. The pups’ natural mother, 10-year-old Vega, died of a ruptured uterus.
The mortality rate for African painted dog pups, even with a healthy mother, is 50 percent in the first 30 days, in the wild or in captivity.
Source: MediaNewsWire.com
Thanks to the efforts of local animal advocates, nearly 50 Chicago area pet stores have signed The Humane Society of the United States’ puppy friendly pet store pledge — committing not to sell puppies, but instead support local animal adoption programs or provide literature that helps customers learn how to locate a reputable breeder. The HSUS applauds these independent retailers because their actions prove it is not necessary to support the cruel puppy mill trade to operate a successful pet-related business.
“These stores have set a positive example of corporate responsibility for other businesses to follow,” said Stephanie Shain, senior director of The HSUS’ puppy mills campaign. “Pet stores that profit from the cruel puppy mill industry need to step up and do the right thing by stopping their puppy sales. Shelters and rescues are brimming with all types of dogs in need of homes.”
Store owners and managers who sign The HSUS’ pledge receive a placard proclaiming, “We love puppies; that’s why we don’t sell them,” to display in the store, as well as materials about adopting a dog or finding a responsible breeder. The HSUS encourages shoppers to purchase pet supplies at stores displaying the puppy-friendly sign.
The independent retailers in the Chicago area that have most recently signed the puppy friendly pledge to not sell puppies are:
Animal Feeds & Needs ( Arlington Heights )
Bark Bark Club ( Chicago )
Barker and Moewsky ( Chicago )
Bentley’s Corner Barkery ( Arlington Heights )
Birds and Beasts Pet Shop ( Crystal Lake )
Cody and Carl’s Blvd ( Barrington )
Dog-A-Holics ( 2 locations Chicago )
Doggy Style Pet Shop ( Chicago )
Earth Pups ( Chicago )
Famous Fido ( Chicago )
Fetch! Dog Boutique & Spa ( Chicago )
Follow Your Nose ( Evanston )
Four Legs Pets ( Algonquin )
Groomingayle’s Pet Salon ( Glenview )
Kriser’s Feeding Pets for Life ( three stores in Chicago, Park Ridge and South Barrington )
Liz’s Pet Shop ( Chicago )
Orland Pk Boarding Kennel & Natural Pet Food Center ( Orland Park )
Pans Pet Place ( Morton Grove )
Parker’s Pets ( Chicago )
Paw Lickin’ Good Treats ( DeKalb )
Pawprints of Richmond, Ltd ( Richmond )
Pet Central Inc. ( McHenry )
Pets Etc ( Naperville )
Reeses Barkery & Pawtique ( McHenry )
Ruff Haus Pets ( Chicago )
Suburban Pet City ( Oak Park )
Tails in the City ( Chicago )
The Animal Store ( Lincolnwood )
The Barking Lot ( Chicago and Deerfield )
The Dog House of L.G. Ltd. ( Long Grove )
The Houndry ( Chicago )
Thomas Tails ( Crystal Lake )
Three Dog Bakery ( Chicago )
VIP Pet Salon ( McHenry )
Wet Nose ( Geneva and Oak Brook )
Wicker Pet ( Chicago )
Wigglyville ( Chicago )
Policy Helps Dogs Across the United States
The majority of pet stores that sell puppies carry dogs from puppy mills, which are mass production facilities that churn out large numbers of puppies under inhumane conditions. The breeding dogs at puppy mills spend their entire lives in cramped cages or kennels with little or no personal attention or quality of life. Consumers who purchase puppies from pet stores or over the Internet without seeing a breeder’s home firsthand are often unknowingly supporting this cruel puppy mill industry.
