What is known about ‘Cargo’ aka ‘Valerie’ dog dead just weeks after being adopted

53
156
What is known about dog found near death, dumped 2 wks after adoption
Spread the love

It is an animal cruelty case which has rocked the nation…Cargo, aka Valerie, was adopted from the Orange county animal shelter on July 23 and this week, she was thrown out of a car in south Los Angeles, California, by two men and she died from injuries a short time later.

What is known about this horrible crime

Valerie was adopted from the animal shelter by a Hispanic male – she was spayed and microchipped, but the information on her chip led nowhere. Ghetto Rescue FFoundation (GRFF), the agency which tried to save Valerie, wrote:

We know she was spayed and microchipped to a male Hispanic who we tried to contact once we found out she was chipped.  We were not successful.

An exam of Valerie’s body revealed vaginal trauma – she ultimately died from a ruptured aorta, believed to be the result of blunt force trauma.

Statement from the animal shelter

OC Animal Care has commented on the horrible situation:

OC Animal Care staff is aware of a situation with a dog, “Valerie,/Cargo” recently adopted from our shelter. Our staff and volunteers are deeply saddened to learn of her passing and the alleged circumstances involving her death. Valerie was with us for three months and was loved by many.
 
Although this incident occurred outside of our jurisdiction and we are not the investigating agency, we are working with the local authorities in Los Angeles regarding this case. OC Animal Care is providing them all the information we have about Valerie and will continue to assist in their ongoing investigation.
The OC Animal Care shelter does not discriminate against those wishing to adopt unless they are suspected of or have been convicted of animal offenses. We utilize information about investigations from our own animal control as well as other law enforcement agencies to make this determination.  We take the safety of all animals in our care seriously and, as a result of the circumstances surrounding Valerie’s death, the individual who adopted Valerie is now ineligible for future adoptions at our shelter.
If you have any additional information regarding this case, please contact the Los Angeles Police Department Animal Cruelty Task Force at 213-486-0450.”

Free adoption events

Valerie was one of many dogs adopted at a free adoption event. Many people are now calling for an end to the free adoptions because of what happened to Valerie/Cargo. Others, knowing that the animal shelters are over-crowded, believe that animal abusers will find victims regardless of the adoption events (many pets are given away free online) and they do not want to see the adoption events come to an end because of this week’s cruelty case.

What do you think should happen? Should free adoption events come to an end? Or will abusers find victims regardless? Should the adoption events continue but with better safeguards in place? Please feel free to weigh in with your comments and suggestions below.

(Valerie photo from OC Animal Care)

Find Ghetto Rescue FFoundation on Facebook here.

Yesterday: 13-year-old dog surrendered by his family, who didn’t want the hassle anymore. Learn more here.

In other recent news – Garbage kills yet another turtle – read about the latest death here.

More news and updates on the National Animal News Facebook page.


Dumped dog is dead just weeks after she was adopted from CA shelter – learn more here.

Dumped dog dead just weeks after being adopted from shelter


Spread the love

53 COMMENTS

    • I have been against shelters having anything to do with the adoption process at all!! They have no idea how to properly screen or get potential adopters. It’s all about emptying those cages and making their numbers. Shelters are a business!! Rescues get more crap about our adoption process for those who make it all about them and not the dogs. Clear the shelters is the worst thing the could ever do for those innocent animals who have no choice of who takes them and firs God knows what to them! That’s why Craigslist is the usual predatory playground for animal abusers but now the shelters have joined them. This is a man made mess and the only victims are the animals! I hate cleat the shelters! I would live for them to follow up on each adoption, the reality would be devastating for those who actually are in this for the animals. It’s all about emptying cages, not finding safe, responsible homes. I saw the lines of people lining up to get animals and it looked like a criminal line up to the say the least. Many of these animals will live on a chain, not receive proper medical care, end up in a life as bait or fighting. There is no happy ending to about 80% of those adoptions. The shelters do not impose any screening for if they did they would be denying applications left and right and they are in the business to move animals. Its cheaper to euthanize than it is to save, shelter mantra! Wake up people, stop living in a Disney movie and see it for the sh#t show it really is. If anyone gets offended by this then you are part of the problem!

  1. find the evil person who adopted this beatiful little girl, and throw his ass in jail, forever. along with this homies.

  2. Have the adoptions but have the person take a picture with the pup they are adopting. Make them give a drivers license and another form of ID. Water bill, gas, electric etc. If they are on the up and up they will have no problem doing that.

    • I like your suggestion. We have adopted several “free” pets (both from shelters AND “on-line”). Our adopted furbabies bevome part of our family (& I am ALWAYS willing to send snapshots of us with our furbabies or meet up with former “owners-family”)…..
      I think “Free” adoptions are fine IF & ONLY IF precautions are taken to truly identify the adopters AND check them out afterwards…..

      • Having been in this industry 18 years, I can say that when the concept of fee-waived adoptions (and, TNR!) were introduced, the sheltering community resisted, myself included. How can something like that even work?!? After being educated and exposed to others and after taking part in a study with UC Davis of fee-waived vs. paid adoptions in Northern California, we were pleasantly surprised by the results; there was no difference in how adopters valued, viewed or cared for their pet. In fact, there is anecdotal and scientific evidence that suggests many who adopt an animal at a reduced adoption price or fee-waived spend just as much if not more on veterinarian care and such. Here’s an overview of one such research: https://sheltermedicine.vetmed.ufl.edu/files/2012/06/MacArthur-Adoption-Outcomes-Maddies-Adoptathon.pdf. There are several studies out there that fee-waived adoptions, with a properly screening of applicants, do work. I ABSOLUTELY agree that a valid drivers license or ID is needed, if anything, that alone will deter those with ill intentions; who would want to go into a government facility, show their ID, and adopt an animal only to hurt it? We scan adopters drivers licenses or ID into our system attached to their person ID…

        The horrific story of Valerie/Cargo is something that has crushed the souls of many of us who fight this fight daily, to save and enrich animals lives! When something so horrific happens it makes us all pause and re-evaluate. My heart is with everyone who knew, loved and cared for her. It’s unimaginable that she went through so much after being loved by so many.

        I understand the calling for background checks for adopters, however, one must remember that municipal shelters are general fund and we don’t even have funding to do DNA tests on pets, let alone background checks on people. And, neither do rescues or non-profits. Sadly, the animals would never leave our facilities if that was required but we can and must remain ever so diligent, allow our teams to trust their gut during adoption matches, put follow-up adoption calls into place and keep listening to our community.

    • Also, how about requiring people to bring their adopted animals back in every so often, (maybe every two weeks) to make sure they still have those animals and that they are all right. The animal’s welfare and safety is worth the hassle. Some people have proven to be worthless pieces of crap that can’t be trusted with animals and don’t deserve animal companionship. So let owners have to go through the effort of proving they are worthy of the privilege of having that pet.

  3. I think there needs to more safeguards in place with the free adoption events. There are some shelters that adopt out animals that are not even spayed or neutered, they just give the adopter a voucher to have the animal spayed and neutered. That is trusting people too much, they won’t take the trouble to do it. There also needs to be more cooperation between shelters and ACC by networking, if they have a person that should not adopt an animal SPREAD THE WORD ON THAT PERSON! You are not an entity unto yourself, NETWORK! Good point for a national animal abusers registry. There should also be more home checkups after adoption, there must be some volunteers that would be willing to go checkup on the animals. Some shelters just want to adopt out the animals to make room for more. Many animals that come into the shelters are not spayed or neutered. Mandatory spaying or neutering unless the owner is a registered breeding facility.

    • I can say that when bad things happen in the sheltering world, shelters are pretty good about alerting others of the adopters name/information to flag for a DNA (DO NOT ADOPT)

  4. Free adoptions are better than euthanizing healthy dogs. Just barely… maybe. The only up side to free adoptions is that – in theory – the adopters have to provide id that should be able to be used to find them. But without these events, over crowded shelters would have no choice but to euth. Those who want to abuse animals have no shortage of sources to find their victims, unfortunately. At least with the free events, some of these animals found decent homes.

  5. I don’t think free is a good idea. If they can’t afford a small fee how in world can they afford to care for a dog? Or if they really want the dog and can’t afford the fee at least have them put in community service work as kind of a trade off, preferably at the shelter or dog rescue.

  6. I hate hearing stuff like this find the sobs THAT did this and LOCK them up 4 life also you need to do background checks on people that want to adopt these babies to make sure they are going to taken care of and in a loving home so sad to hear about this baby she had so much to live for i just hope you all find who did this

  7. Keep the adoption events in place but with stricter guidelines for potential adopters. I realize that the majority of people are sincere about adopting an animal but there are some that want an animal for other purposes. It sounds like she was raped and then kicked or hit in the chest. I hope they find the person/s responsible for Valerie’s death and send them to prison for a very long time! May justice prevail for that sweet girl!

  8. You want to make sure the person who is doing the adopting is a GOOD person. Someone who will be able to care for whatever pet it is.
    If you are going to continue allowing this type of adoption program. It should be standard practice to have a valid photo ID (2 types) , valid proof of address. Take a photo of the person and their fingerprints (IF .. their intentions are good and plan on giving the pet a good home .. they u’t have a problem with any of this.). *** Put it on a sign and explain .. WHY .. this is now being done***

  9. Free ads for animals,empty the shelters!!!!Bad, Bad,Bad(for all the animals)!!!? This poor darlin????????????????..trauma to the vagina???Rotten fuckers shouldn’t be alive!!!Hope they and their families die long very painful deaths!!Cargo/Valerie I am so very sorry humans let you down.. RIP sweetheart…

  10. What should happen is the maggot who did this should be found. Vaginal trauma????? That’s beyond reprehensible. If it’s a male, their dick should be chopped off as well as their balls and then shoved down their throat to choke them to death. And if it’s a female they should shove a palm tree up her twat thereby impaling til death. Either male or female they don’t qualify as a human being so they don’t deserve to be treated like one. Rather they should be disposed of like the trash they are.

  11. Kick the mexican out of this country. His entire worthless family. Prefer the bastard be given the most painful death, slow death. Must be raped. Must be hung upside down with hands, arms, legs and face sliced. Send in some dogs to finish off the worthless pos. Also the same for the person that adopted him.

  12. I understand the logic behind the free events but they need to go. I was always concerned about this. Why free? Why not low cost, maybe $30? If someone can not or will not spend $30 to adopt, they shouldn’t have a dog. They cost way more than that over their lifetime. There also must be much stricter rules in place. Photo ID, 2 current bills with the adopters current address, phone and a current copy of their rental lease or deed. If a lease there must be proof that they can have pets and any fees are paid before a dog is turned over to them. Also collect 2 months of paystubs, paychecks, etc. I also think a law should be passed stating that bully breeds can have longer stays in shelters to allow for criminal background checks.

  13. I volunteer for a animal shelter in A.Z
    We all hate free adoptions but what can you dp when the shelter is full there be more of a safe guard for the dogs i like the idea of making copies of the drivers licenses also should have a red flag date basis where if try and adopt from another shelter a red flag would pop up.
    Also as long as there free dogs from a shelter or a newspaper it will happen again

  14. There is nothing wrong with free adoption events, I am willing to bet more pets receive loving homes than end up like poor Valerie. The shelters just have to be more diligent in knowing who they are adopting to. Make sure a form is filled out, with identification etc. What happened to this poor pup should NEVER happen. Know who you are handing these dogs to.

  15. I agree with Patty and if those means of adoption were enforced, picture of person with dog,drivers license, other form of ID should help identify the adopter if this were ever to occur again. What they did to this sweet,loving dog, was murder and maybe someone remembers seeing this dog if only for a short time with someone. RIP Valerie, you were loved by those who rescued you and whatever those evil creatures did to you, may they rot in hell and never have a moments peace and are in return, tortured by others.

  16. Free adoptions are hugely dangerous to animals – no way should this be allowed – and this story is a prime example why they

  17. Maybe offer reduced adoption fees but require all the same information and background checks for potential adopters. All adopters should meet the same strict standards. Anyone interested in the reduced fee should come in prior to the event to give enough time to be qualified.

  18. Free Adoption is No Good A small fee,shows. They can feed the animal, free… ,look what happens.. Justice needs to be done. Find the abuser. Maybe this was not the first or the last. So sad and angry. This is awful

  19. YES, FREE adoptions to clear shelters need to STOP!! Yes, abusers and criminals will still find a way to get dogs however, atleast at a shelter they can be HUMANELY euthanized and not be subjected to torture and abuse! We need stricter laws regarding animal abuse and neglect AND we NEED safe guards in place for ALL ADOPTIONS to protect these innocent, living, breathing beings.

  20. Sounds like the two males that threw out the loving car raped her!! His else could there be trauma to her private part?? Catch those two and shove a thick tool handle, an axe?, and do it several times so they know what it’s like? then throw them off a moving bus!! It angers me so many ch! That agency that did the adoption—-why didn’t they check to see if the guy who filled out the papers checked out the info first????

  21. When you take a dog in (the animal shelter) you are responsible for that animal. It is up to the shelter to vet the potential adopters (whether adoption fees are waived or not). It doesn’t take long to look up public records, addresses, social media, a picture of the adopter and at least one home visit. All work can be done by volunteers. This shelter has her blood on their hands. To hand over an animal without checking that the potential adopters are who they say they are etc. is not good animal welfare. There are plenty of sicko abusers out there and the shelter with what they see on a daily basis is well aware of it. You work for the animals first, do your job.

  22. People say that rescues make it difficult to adopt because of all the questions and forms. I don’t think this person (I hate using that term for him) would have taken the dog if there was a home check or even an ID check. Free adoptions are fine because it helps people who can’t pay an adoption fee of 400-500 but you have to KNOW WHO you are handing this pet to, especially a pitbull.

  23. There needs to be better screenings for adopting pets, but ultimately, I don’t care for the free or discounted events. If you can’t afford the adoption fee, you probably can’t afford to take care of the pet properly.

  24. Adopters should be photographed and ID’d. I feel certain anyone up to no good will not adopt knowing they can be found out. Unfortunately it won’t stop someone who then commits cruelty or neglect and hides what they are doing. So sad.

  25. I too agree that free adoptions are prime opportunity for animal abusers to get a animal easily. We need to be doing more when adopting these animals out like reference checks photo id keeping it on file as well. That is what we do here in Canada. You adopt from the SPCA or another organization, you have to fill out quit a bit of information before you are approved – this is for the safety of the animal. Things need to change so animals like this don’t suffer or go through something so horrific like this.

  26. All animal shelters should change adoption policies. Thorough extensive background checks, valid photo identification, photograph/fingerprints, home inspections, etc. Individuals who committed this horrendous crime on Valerie need to be arrested and prosecuted.

    • I looked it up online that they are calling this bestiality and a misdemeanor! see how sick some human law makers are?? as if a crime is ALL ABOUT THE HUMAN..and not the animal!! an animal is INCAPABLE of making a choice to have sex with a human. its rape 100% and to call this bestiality and not rape focuses on the human and its a misdemeanor!! that is abhorrent. and vomitous. destruction comes upon humans who value animals as less then them and then abuses them!! God is called a ‘slaughtered’ lamb with wrath for a reason…and it even says all men blaspheme (and ‘blasphemy is only for God!) when they see it and “refuse to repent of all they have done” what else is a misdemeanor?? a traffic violation? so then the article about precious Valerie made me look this up some more and I found bestiality LEGAL in some states and PORN with animals LEGAL in some states….im not even legally allowed to say what I think needs to be done. I think we all know. theyre CRYING OUT FOR US TO HELP THEM.

  27. was sobbing this morning over this. I am in shock this is a misdemeanor. humans are a far long way from being considered even halfway normal or decent such as an animal. a loving dog :(::::::::::::::::::::::: our laws are proof of what we think of life. misdemeanor!?? that pissed me off more than anything else and made my stomach turn. just the way humans handle things…euthanize…. and call vicious abnormal crimes misdemeanors?? then what hope do we have? humans cant make laws they proved it. you have to take it into your own hands.

  28. If you’re going to continue offering these FREE Adoptions, then take the necessary precautions to insure tohat the animals left IN YOUR CHARGE receive every possible loving home they can. Driver’s License, obtain and visually verify the license plate number of the vehicle the individuals making the adoptions are driving, if they are there with ‘a friend’ making the adoption – get ID on both parties, take a picture of the animal and the adoptive family/parent and place it in the file for future reference, ask for a phone bill / gas bill / water bill / anything to confirm the address that they are giving is legitimate, microchip immediately – all of these measures take minutes to do and could prevent this from happening again. Have cameras EVERY WHERE so these pricks know someone is always watching. This whole case makes me sick to my stomach. To image the abuse this poor girl must have gone through her final days on earth. When you find the bastards that did this, make an example of them!!! THROW THE BOOK AT THEM AND DON’T ACCEPT ANYTHING LESS. Put them in a cage with people just as evil and sick as they are and throw away the keys. This SHIT HAS GOT TO STOP!!! And you, as the animals’ guardians, need to also be held accountable. CHANGE YOUR PROCESSES AND POLICIES if you continue to want to ‘clear the shelter’ and provide free adoptions!!!!!!!!!

    Cheryl

  29. what l would like to know is about why hasn’t there been any updates on the poor fur baby? they sad the were testing for human fluids in her to confirm that she was sexually abused since the LAPD said she was not ld like to know why this is not being addressed all of it to my understanding there was money received to make a arrest people or persons that did this too her are a danger to everyone l believe your busy but a lot of social media has been posted regarding this beautiful girl and not doing anything about it will prompt other sickos to do the same please have some justice for this dog

  30. Why are they saying there was no sign of sexual abuse OR a ruptured aorta???Now they say her death was from unknown causes?? And there was no evidence of her being thrown from a car? And that the adopter did not know she died and was saddened by it??? What the hell is going on?? Are we supposed to accept this and just forget about it?

  31. Well l see there has been no justice for Valerie Cargo you couldn’t even let her rest in peace she was disposed of by the LAPD but you sure took all those donations for Valerie but couldn’t do a damn thing for her and l see another dog was killed from a free clear the shelter same deal what a joke no justice lm mean really you get the public all upset and DO NOTHING

    • Like i say, the law stinks and they are the main ones that enable these fools to get away with the things they do. They don’t care. They don’t feel it is important enough for their time and effort. Thisis one time I feel vigilante justice is a must when it comes to these defenseless animals.

  32. Cut the fucking POS up. These damn shelters need to do a better screening for adopters. It is great to clear the cages but I would rather have an animal live at a shelter than to give the animal to a fucked up coward abuser. This shit makes me so damn sick I just want to get a hold of these bastards. I literally fume with anger. Jail time isn’t enough. Torture these assholes exactly what they did to animals, it is obvious they believe they will get away with this and they do. It is a different story if this happens to humans but not animals? Sick laws and sick of sick coward humans.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here