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Text message depicting abused dog sparks a firestorm of controversy

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A text message sent in error to the wrong recipient has started a firestorm of controversy nationwide and has concerned animal lovers questioning the actions or lack thereof of the Palestine, Texas police department. According to a story posted in the Palestine Herald on May 15, 2017, a Facebook posting depicting a dog bound around the mouth and legs with duct tape went viral sparking outrage.  It was also stated in the Herald that the person sending the text message worked for the Palestine Independent School District.

It all started when an unknown male received a text message from an unrecognized sender showing the dog bound to a small wooden post.  According to animal activists, this is an antiquated method to force one animal to breed with another. Upon further research, the phone number where the photo originated is registered to Eugene Carr.

Carr’s name has been linked to multiple sites on Google offering breeder pit bulls. On October 8, 2016 Eugene Carr advertised a breeder dog. Alongside the advertisement was a photo showing a fawn colored female pit bull restrained to a similar wooden post with a male dog behind her. In April of 2016, a similar post offered stud services via a male pit bull for $700.00. The name was Carr, and the contact number was the same.

Palestine interim Police Chief John Herod declined to confirm the name of the suspects, only stating it was an ongoing investigation of possible animal cruelty. The Palestine Independent School District also stated on its website that it is investigating one of their employees in connection with the case. In their public statement, they disclosed that one of their employees was allegedly engaging in animal cruelty through improperly breeding dogs and evidence of this was sent via a text message.   Although the claim is not school-related, it does involve a school employee, and they will investigate the situation thoroughly. In the interim, the employee whose name was not disclosed has been relieved of their duties.

Animal advocate Lola Olive has been following the case since it first appeared on Facebook. When voicing her concerns to the Palestine Police Department, she received the following response:

“The case is still being investigated. It is not over, yet. You stated that the Carrs were infamous for ‘exploiting dogs’. Do you have more evidence than the original post’s single picture? If there is more information than the original Facebook post that you have, would you mind sharing it? The original poster has ignored our attempts to contact him/her and since deleted the original post. We have been investigating what we can in our jurisdiction and have contacted other agencies that have been investigating this case as well. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.”

This author has also reached out to the Palestine Police Department and interim Chief Herod but has not yet received a response. Concerned citizens can contact the Palestine Police Department at 903-729-2254 and ask them to investigate Eugene Carr, his wife and their friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Witnesses horrified as emotionally charged man hangs dog from fence with belt

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Newark police are investigating a disturbing animal cruelty incident which occurred at the South Ward when an emotionally charged man killed a dog on Friday afternoon. According to RlsMedia, an apparent stray dog appeared on Runyon Street and began chasing people in the area. As one man tried to run away, he tripped and fell and the dog attacked, but quickly retreated and ran away. 

Moments later, a stranger appears walking down the street and spots the dog resting near a car. The man removes his belt and ties it around the dog’s neck walking the animal over to a nearby parking lot at which time the man lifts the dog up on a fence as the dog strangled to death. Horrified bystanders, including young children, witnessed the disturbing action and rushed over to save the dog, but it was already too later – the dog had died. The man responsible walked away, but not before shouting to witnesses it was not his dog.

The victim was not seriously injured. Authorities are continuing to investigate.

(Photos of emotionally charged man kills dog via screenshots from RlsMedia)

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Heartbreaking death of juvenile whale after he beached himself and couldn’t get back to the ocean.

When her hours are numbered and all she has left before she dies is her favorite stuffy

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Update: Layla has until 5:00. Please keep her story out there and help save her life.

Layla is on death row scheduled for humane euthanasia on Tuesday afternoon at the Brooklyn facility of Animal Care Centers of New York City. It’s not that Layla isn’t an affectionate snugly pup, and it’s not that all adoption care centers aren’t promoting adoptions; it’s that no one has come for this sweetheart. The shelter suggests Layla has special needs. Does Layla know? Who can be sure, but she won’t let go of the only thing she has left in this word – her stuffy. She carries the toy down the street and through the yard.

Once upon a time, Layla played with five young children –  the little ones aged two and seven were her favorites; she followed them everywhere. Barely out of “puppyhood,” Layla needs time to unwind, patience and love in order to become a model canine citizen. A volunteer writes:

 “Layla is a super beautiful lady that has not been well socialized with strangers. She was very reserved and nervous with me initially but on our most recent walk really came out of her shell! She loves to play with toys and carried a stuffy with her our entire walk (of course getting lots of compliments from passersby). She seems housebroken, has been easy on leash, and knows ‘sit’ and ‘paw.’. She’s previously lived harmoniously with children of all ages and spending time with them was her favorite thing. She might need a little work, but I have no doubt that she will be a very loyal, loving companion!”

Follow Layla’s Facebook page here or here. Gentle, playful and careful with the children, her family called her a model pet, but she was one of too many pets, and since the family only had her with them for six-months, and didn’t want to spend their time socializing her, Layla drew the short straw. In other words, she was the last one in, and the first one out. Already house and crate trained and easygoing, but reported to need some patience helping her with her manners, this youngster could be someone’s best friend. Layla has been recommended to be placed with a New Hope partner who can provide any necessary behavior modification – namely force-free and positive reinforcement. It is also recommended her behavior be re-evaluated once in a stable home environment before she is adopted.

 

Adoptable dogs can be RESERVED via http://www.nycacc.org/PublicAtRisk.htm. If you can, get to the NYC ACC ‘in person’ within 48 hours to complete the adoption process and bring home your dog. If you cannot get to the shelter in person, please message Must Love Dogs – Saving NYC Dogs for assistance with filling out applications with rescues to foster or adopt both publicly adoptable or ‘Rescue Only’ dogs.

The tragic reality for today lists 13 dogs slated to die because their humans let them down. Having a puppy, a grown dog or a senior is a life long commitment. Everyone suffers here; just look into Layla’s eyes. Today might very well be the last time her light shines. Share her plight with approved rescues, friends, family and social media contacts. Her time is short, and all she has is US. When inquiring about Layla, be sure to reference A1113134.

Photo of Layla holding her stuffy via Must Love Dogs Saving NYC Dogs

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Watch her video here:

 

And a very sad goodbye to TatorTot, the pit bull who saved a little boy’s life

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On May 1, at 12:55 p.m. Christi Smith of Plymouth hugged TatorTot for the very last time. The brown and white pit bull had been on death row four years ago at the Minneapolis Animal Care and Control, but he was one lucky pooch – when he was rescued him from euthanasia.

And that’s when a Ruff Start Rescue volunteer Christi raised her hand and offered to foster the rather lively puppy and teach him some doggy manners to help him find a home. TatorTot had only spent a few nights with Christi and her family, when the dog alerted her to a medical emergency involving her then four-year-old son Peyton. The child had been sleeping, but had lapsed into a life threatening low glycemic state and had to be rushed to the hospital.

“I’m never going to let this dog go,” stated Christie after her son was revived with an adrenaline shot. “I owe him for the rest of his life.”

Christie had no trouble keeping her promise; tragically TaterTot was a victim of cancer. On the family’s Facebook page, devoted to her dog’s incredible life – but way too short, his distraught mom wrote:

“I lost my heart and soul today. Words can not explain the devastation I feel. I did the best that could for him; he had a great life, I owed him everything I had.”

Going back down memory lane, for anyone not remembering or having been familiar with this awesome’s dog story, here was the original post. This writer reported on it when I wrote for the Examiner.com and kept it – I was so moved:

“I put my son to bed at about 8:30 in the evening. He woke up between 12 and 1:30 to ask for something to drink. He was acting weird, really out of it. I chalked it up to being deliriously tired. I wasn’t too concerned. TatorTot was concerned, though. After putting Peyton back to bed, not even 20 minutes later, TatorTot began running back and forth from Peyton to me. He was barking and acting like something was wrong. I was like, ‘What, didn’t you get enough exercise today? Come lay down, it’s bedtime.’ He didn’t let up.”

“Finally, I went to check on my son. He was barely breathing. TatorTot was on his bed, barking and pawing at him, licking his face. Any normal child would have woken up. He wasn’t waking up.”

Rest in peace TaterTot – you are the ultimate ‘spokesdog’ for anyone questioning the bully dog breeds.

Follow the National Pet Rescue on Facebook.

Detroit animal shelter owner accused of killing thousands of pit bulls

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A disturbing post on a  Detroit dog rescue’s Facebook page continues to create a media frenzy as irate animal advocates are asking for a thorough investigation.  On Saturday, No Place Like Home Rescue of Michigan, founder Anne Marie Rogers, allegedly wrote the following biting comment on her organization’s page alleging she killed thousands of pit bulls:

“Person (Britt) asking a question.” Are you the whack job killing all the bully breeds?”

“Anne Marie Rogers” (accepting the person’s invitation to join her No Place Like Home Rescue’s Facebook page)  Yep, by the thousands Britt. Did you want me to take care of yours? They only scream a little…”

Rogers denies she has killed any dogs. In a statement to Fox News, she admitted she doesn’t rescue any pit bulls, but she doesn’t hate the bully breeds; she just doesn’t think they are safe to be around children or other animals. So why did she say it advocates ask?  There are multiple media articles on Rogers’ page about pit bull attacks – including her own opinion:

“Every day another victim of a pit bull attack.
Where are the responsible pit bull owners on this?
According to the pit bull apologists who troll this page, it’s never the dog, but it’s always the victim’s fault they were mauled or killed. Sociopaths!”

The all breed Detroit Dog Rescue weighed in on the apparent controversy on their own Facebook page, stating that they didn’t find anything amusing about Rogers’ comment referring to killing thousands of dogs:

“I will never take it lightly when someone threatens an animal’s life. Let’s remember, defining a Pit Bill visually is completely subjective, so it’s not Pit Bulls she may be killing, it’s dogs in general. Where does she get these dogs? Does she report them to authorities or are these loved pets being killed? Who is directly euthanizing these dogs and what are their ethics? These are all things Detroit Dog Rescue is looking into.” Detroit Dog Rescue Director, Kristina Rinaldi, said in a statement earlier today.

This also serves as a reminder to know the rescue groups you support. Are they transparent with their animals and funds? Are they certified by the state? Does their social media or website show a long list of rescues and, more importantly, adoptions. All of these indicators can give you a pretty good idea of who you are supporting.

Even more important, if you need to re home a pet, always try to obtain support from a reputable organization and scan potential adopters. Never offer an animal for free on sites such as Craigslist or Facebook groups.”

Follow the National Pet Rescue on Facebook.

 

Five dogs who mauled pit bull mom euthanized

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In a tragic situation in Fresno, California, five dogs who mauled and traumatized a pit bull mom have been euthanized. The attack occurred last week as the mother dog, who had just given birth to four puppies, went over to the neighbor’s fence when she heard dogs barking.

According to Fox News, the dog named Sophia had pushed her paw through an opening in the fence, when the other dogs grabbed onto her left leg and attacked. Authorities state the dogs had been neglected and were extremely malnourished. The mother dog was rescued and rushed to a local animal hospital where her left front leg had to be amputated.

The owner of the mother dog and her newborn puppies surrendered them to the Central California SPCA, stating she could not afford the costs incurred as a result of the situation. Sophia is recovering and is expected to live a normal life. There are many “tripods,” who with just a little practice can run, jump and play as well as their four-legged counterparts. Once healed, the dog will go into foster care and when she and the puppies are healthy and ready, all will be available for adoption. On the organization’s Facebook page, Sophia’s condition was updated:

“Sophia, the attacked Pit Bull momma, is resting well and tending to her adorable puppies at our animal care center. She is very sweet and is handling this traumatic situation with patience and grace. We are pleased to announce that this community came to her support and has donated over $3,000 to help with her medical expenses! We are extremely thankful for the outpour of donations and support.

We are able to help emergency situations, like Sophia’s, due to YOUR financial support. To help future injured animals, please make a donation to our Wellness Fund.”

(Photo and video for five dogs who mauled Sophia courtesy of Central California SPCA)

To donate to the special fund for situations just like this, please click here.

Check out Sophia’s video with her adorable puppies:

Update on Hank: Dog holding his toy facing death at NYC shelter

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It was a photo of a happy pooch named Hank, wagging his tail and carrying a favorite stuffed toy in his mouth, at the Brooklyn Care Center for New York Animal Care that attracted the attention of thousands and thousands of animal advocates. Following the dog’s viral photo came the question – “Could life be anymore innocent?” Sadly, the answer was sobering; Hank had been facing humane euthanasia on Wednesday afternoon.

After two days of nail biting pleas and thousands of “shares” on social media, Friday evening, however was one for celebration. Hank safely left the building. Not long after the pup happily padded out the front door of the shelter, Animal Care Centers of New York City posted the smiling pup’s photo with his new mom:

“Check out Hank! He’s spending his first night with his new family. Many thanks to Sav-a-Bull for making this wonderful connection!”

It wasn’t long before volunteer Julie Carner posted the good news on the dog’s Facebook page. Many thanks to all of the advocates who shared his story. Many thanks to everyone for caring about a dog, who because of his misunderstood breed and prejudice, always deserved a chance to be loved and cherished. And many thanks to the staff at Animal Care Centers of New York City who worked very quietly behind the scenes to help a dog in need. 

 

 

 

Check out Hank’s freedom video courtesy of Animal Care Centers of New York City:

Puppy’s leg amputated after suspected animal cruelty

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An eight-month-old puppy had his leg amputated after the dog owner’s boyfriend became angry  after the pooch chewed up some of the couple’s belongings. According to the Moon Township Pennsylvania Police Department’s Chief Leo McCarthy told WpixNews, the puppy was just being a puppy and getting into mischief as puppies commonly do:

“The boyfriend was rather angry because the dog had torn the house up a little, like dogs do sometimes. Then he gave it an extremely powerful kick.”

The puppy, named Jinx, was removed from the home in Mooncrest last week. His rear right leg had been badly injured and was reported to have been broken even though the sweet puppy continued to wag his tail. Local animal rescuer, Jess Horvatin, was so angry about the apparent cruelty situation, she recorded a cellphone video of the abused puppy to make sure someone would be held accountable.

Sadly, veterinarians had to amputate the puppy’s leg, but he has already been re-homed and is reported to be recovering. Authorities state animal cruelty charges are pending although the suspect has not yet been named.

(Photo of puppy’s leg amputated via screenshot from WpixNews)

Get well soon Jinx. We hope you find some justice. Follow the Pet Rescue Report on Facebook.

Philly cop accused of dumping emaciated dog into trash

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In a very disturbing incident, a Philadelphia police officer has been arrested for allegedly dumping an emaciated dog stuffed in a trash bag at a local park last November. According to the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Philly cop Michael Long, 33, was arrested on Thursday; the officer has been with the police force in the 18th District for 11 years. Long has been suspended for 30 days with the intent to dismiss

According to CbsLocalNews, Long dumped the three-year-old pit bull in Wissahickon Valley Park. He has been charged with one count of possession of an instrument of crime and one summary charge of animal cruelty.

On November 23, a woman had been walking with her own dog when she spotted an emaciated dog wrapped in a sheet and in a garbage bag with her head sticking out. The Good Samaritan contacted the SPCA. The dog dubbed Cranberry (because she was found near Thanksgiving) was brought to the shelter to receive veterinarian care.

“The dog had been micro-chipped, which led us to Mr. Long,” stated Pennsylvania SPCA Director of Humane Law Enforcement Nicole Wilson. “We found what we believe is the matching sheet in Mr. Long’s possession.”

When rescued, Cranberry was nothing but skin and bones and barely alive. She was administered life saving intravenous fluids and nutrients to save her life. Cranberry has since made a full recovery and has been adopted; she is living a great new life:

“She is currently living in a home in Malvern soaking up life as a couch potato very happy and most of her updated pictures come back exhausted by how happy she is,” stated Nicole.

Long’s arrest culminates an intensive investigation conducted by the Philadelphia Police Internal Affairs Unit. Hopefully Cranberry will get some justice. Sometimes, investigators just have to follow the evidence – no matter who might be involved.

Photos of Philly cop

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Read about a mother leopard protecting her cubs from a hungry snake. 

Dog’s face and the desperate look in his eyes plead for help

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Chester is the tragic face of dog fighting. The desperate look in his eyes pleaded for help; surely the monsters who subjected this innocent victim to hell never cared. Surely the monsters who subjected this innocent victim to this hell never loved a dog. Odds are he was used as a bait dog.

And on Thursday afternoon, a rescue volunteer walked into a rural Texas shelter and knew Chester deserved more than an untimely death. From the moment the rescuer entered the dog’s kennel, he slowly approached her as he left a trail of blood behind him. For once in a long, long time, Chester felt a soft human touch, and then he slowly retreated back into the corner of his cage and began to lick and tend to his wounds. When contacted, Rescue Dogs Rock NYC stepped up; co-founder Stacey Silverstein explained the situation on the organization’s Facebook page. She could not refuse to help:

  “He had lived through this before, injured with puncture wounds from dog fighting. Chester was covered in blood. He was covered in scars. His body told us his past and through his eyes showed us his pain.”

Chester has been rushed in for emergency medical treatment. Let’s hope this poor dog survives. To help with this latest case of extreme abuse and cruelty, donations for the dog’s care can be made by clicking here or PayPal at donate@rescuedogsrocknyc.org.

(Photos of Chester’s face and desperate look courtesy of Rescue Dogs Rock NYC and Leslie Ysuhuaylas)

 

 

Short video can be viewed here: