Mountaintop Natural Pets

Source: Wkyt.com, December 31, 2009

A reward of up to $2,500 is offered for information about a horrible case of animal abuse in pike county.

A dog, that’s now being called “Miracle,” was burned with hot grease a few weeks ago.

The dog was found in the Broadbottom neighborhood just outside Pikeville. The person who found Miracle took him to the humane society, and now he’s in Louisville getting further treatment.

We chose not to show some of the most graphic images, but some of the photos in the story may still be disturbing to some viewers.

This small, mixed-breed male dog was found howling, suffering from burns.

Neighborhood Watch Coordinator Claude Stamper says, “We’d had a dog that had been scalded with bacon grease. And of course, neighbors were concerned.”

Stamper says one neighbor who found Miracle rushed to get help. Humane Society officials say the burns are not the dog’s only injuries.

Pam Rogers, the Kentucky Director of The Humane Society of the United States, says, “Somebody had been very abusive to the animal. He had apparently a broken jaw, a gouged out eye, his tail had been cut off.”

The cruelty shocked neighbors, but Stamper says unfortunately he has learned to expect cases like this one.

“It’s alarming that something like this would happen, but it is not a surprise. If you have neighborhoods that do watch what goes on, they see a lot of things,” he says.

The Humane Society of the United States is doing what they can to find who’s responsible.

“We’re trying to facilitate that by offering the reward and working with law enforcement to make that happen,” Rogers says.

Neighborhood officials also hope to see justice served.

“I would like to see the person caught, and reprimanded,” Stamper says.

Officials say this level of crime against an animal is a felony in Kentucky.
If you have any information in this case, you are asked to call the Pike County Sheriff’s Department. That number is 606-432-6260.

Source: kjct8.com, December 31, 2009

It’s one of the worst crimes park rangers have seen in years. A dog was dragged to death and then dumped on the Colorado National Monument early Wednesday morning. Now park rangers are looking for the culprit.

The male German Shepherd-Blue Heeler mix was found dead with a rope around his neck.

“Oh, that’s frightening,” said Betty Johnson, a dog owner. “I can’t believe people would treat a dog that way.”

“Absolutely horrible. It’s very inhumane,” said dog owner Sarah Speas.

A defenseless dog, dragged three miles to his death and left to die in the snow.

“We’ve not seen this type of heinous crime in the monument before and I certainly hope we don’t see it again,” said Colorado National Monument superintendent Joan Anzelmo. Anzelmo says one of her employees made the gruesome discovery early Wednesday morning.

“The animal apparently was attached to the vehicle at the base of the west hill, and as the vehicle accelerated, first it was walking then it was running. It couldn’t keep up and was being drug and strangled as it got to the three mile mark on the west hill,” she said.

The dog was found dead with a blue and silver synthetic rope still around his neck.

“This is one of the most sickening crimes that we have all witnessed,” Anzelmo said.

Park rangers believe the dog may have been stolen from its owner. Dog owners are shocked.

“I’ve heard that cruelty to animals is the start to other acts of violence towards humans,” Speas said. Speas says her dog Lily is a part of her family. “She has feelings just like we do. If she’s abused, it changes her personality.”

Dog owners want the culprit caught.

“I think they should be prosecuted and put in jail. Because dogs have souls. They’re a part of our lives and our families. To mistreat them like that is just– it’s criminal,” said dog owner Kent Johnson.

Anzelmo says they have several leads right now and hope to have the person who committed this crime in custody soon. She says they intend to prosecute this to the highest level of state and federal laws.

Source: MercuryNews.com, December 30, 2009

Only Leonardo knows what he’s been through. And the 108-pound mastiff isn’t talking.

He’s now up for adoption in Walnut Creek after having been locked in a bathroom for weeks with only a kitten and a Chihuahua for company.

In the other rooms of the vacant Central Valley house, there were two crates full of other Chihuahuas. None of them survived.

But Leonardo and his kitten and Chihuahua companions made it, likely drinking toilet water until being rescued by Kings County animal control officers. They had no food.

Their owners had moved to Las Vegas. Eventually, at the end of September, neighbors called animal control after seeing the driveway sit empty.

When Leonardo was found, he was so malnourished and underweight that he could not even be given his shots.

He had formed special bonds with the kitten and the Chihuahua, said Elena Bicker, executive director of Tony LaRussa’s Animal Rescue Foundation, where Leonardo is now.

When Leonardo was in pet therapy, they would bring in the kitten and he would immediately cheer up, Bicker said.

The kitten and Chihuahua were adopted in Kings County. But Leonardo’s time there had expired — he was to be put down until ARF brought him to Walnut Creek earlier this month.

His adoption sheet says he is mellow and “likes to snuggle.”

“He’s just such a big lug,” Bicker said, adding that she hopes whoever adopts him has a big couch. “He’s a couch potato.”

The Animal Rescue Foundation, 2890 Mitchell Drive in Walnut Creek, will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday and will be closed Friday for New Year’s Day. Call 925-256-1273.

Source: Fox43.com, December 29, 2009

Police & the Humane Society of Harrisburg Area are investigating the brutal death of a dog. The female Pit Bull/Terrier mix was about five years old. She was found dumped along a secluded trail in Cumberland County on or about December 27th. The trail runs along the Conodoguinet Creek in Hampden Township.

Kelly Hitz, Director of Public Relations for The Humane Society of Harrisburg Area says, “someone definitely took the animal purposefully down this trail and left it there, it was wrapped in a blue vest.”

The vest is made of two pieces that velcro together at the shoulder and waist.

“It’s a rare jacket used in construction, but I can’t imagine too many people wearing it & that is what was used to take the animal down the trail,” says Humane Society Police Officer William Sandstrom.

The dog suffered brutal wounds, including broken legs, numerous cuts and a fatal wound to the throat.

Kelly Hitz says, “we’ve seen dogs with similar wounds to these who have been used as bait dogs, for example where they’re used to test another dog and they might die in the process and are dumped so that’s one possibility.”

Officer Sandstrom says, “to say 100% that this dog was intentionally fought, it’s hard to say unless you catch the person in the act.”

Hitz concludes, “there are indications that it was someone’s pet, it looked like she was well fed and well groomed, so it makes it that much more upsetting.”

The dog was brindle colored with gray & white hair in her muzzle.

The Humane Society says she had no defensive wounds, which indicates she was not trained to fight. It’s feared she may have been stolen from her owner’s yard or gotten loose.

If you have any information about the dog or the blue vest, you’re asked to call Officer Sandstrom at (717) 564-3320 ext. 104, all calls can remain anonymous.

Source: Tampabay.com, December 30, 2009

Hillsborough County Animal Services officers seized 20 dogs living in deplorable conditions Tuesday from a woman forbidden to own any dogs at all.

In February, a judge ordered Patricia Dickson, 73, to part with her dogs and to own no more than three cats after she was cited for a third offense of not having valid registrations and current rabies vaccinations for her dogs.

But Tuesday, animal control officers acting on an anonymous tip found 19 poodles and a chow chow mix living in unsanitary conditions in a small space in Dickson’s home at 810 Lexington Blvd., said Pam Perry, the investigations manager for Hillsborough County Animal Services.

Dickson faces two felony charges and 20 misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty, said Marti Ryan, a spokeswoman for Animal Services.

The dogs were living amid their own waste, Perry said. Dickson had confined them to the kitchen, where pieces of urine-soaked cardboard served as beds, Perry said.

The dogs, including four 6-week-old puppies and six dogs older than 9, suffer from coccidia and whipworms — parasites caused by eating in the same place they defecate — as well as cataracts, hair loss and more, Ryan said.

Animal control officers discovered Dickson was breeding dogs after an anonymous tip from a potential puppy buyer, citing deplorable living conditions for the dogs, Perry said.

Dickson said she admits the dogs could be healthier but does not have the money to take care of them properly. She said she had plans to euthanize the older dogs but found she could not afford it.

“The old dogs are in bad shape, but the young dogs just need a haircut, that’s it,” she said.

John Watts, Dickson’s neighbor for the past 20 years, defended her.

“If she had the money, she would have had them all groomed,” he said.

Perry said the number of animals in Dickson’s care is the main problem.

“It’s just an overwhelming situation where she has too many animals to care for,” Perry said.

There currently are no plans to euthanize the dogs, Perry said.

Because Dickson said she will not voluntarily give up her dogs, Animal Services will fight for custody in court, a process that could take three months, Perry said.

Officers also found three birds and a sugar glider, a small marsupial, in Dickson’s home, and at least three cats on her property, Perry said. Animal Services did not take those away.

Dickson has been warned multiple times for rabies and tag violations, Ryan said. In 2003, a judge dismissed a case against Dickson for not having valid registration for her dogs. Dickson also was fined for an animal consumer guarantee violation, which Ryan said was probably a complaint by a buyer of a sick puppy.

“We’ve been trying to work with her, but at this time it’s got to stop,” Perry said.

Source: ToledoBlade.com, December 26, 2009

For nearly half of his dog’s life, Larry Friedman diligently administered insulin injections twice daily to keep Dock’s diabetes in check. So after years of doing well, first on human insulin and then on a product specifically for animals called Vetsulin, Dock’s downturn this fall caused his owner’s concern. It must be his age, Mr. Friedman believed at the time. The 30-pound terrier mix was more than 13 years old. But a call from the veterinarian pointed in another possible direction – the Vetsulin given to Dock probably was defective. “[The veterinarian] came to our home. We put him to sleep in his bed, with us petting him,” Mr. Friedman said of the Dec. 2 appointment to put Dock down because of kidney failure. Mr. Friedman has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against Schering-Plough Animal Health, the New Jersey company that manufactures Vetsulin. The complaint, filed last week, alleges negligence, violation of consumer sales practice, breach of warranty, and defective product. It also asks the court to find the complaint to be a class action lawsuit against the company on behalf of all consumers who at one time depended on the product to regulate their pets’ diabetes.

“This is about getting justice for all the people who bought this product with the belief that it was going to help their dog or cat,” Mr. Friedman said.

Representatives for Schering-Plough Corp. could not be reached for comment this week because the company shuts down for the holidays.

According to the lawsuit, the company sold a “contaminated or improperly manufactured veterinary diabetic medication” at least as far back as August. The complaint further alleges the company “knew or should have known for at least several months prior to the Nov. 3, 2009, warning by the FDA to stop using Vetsulin that the Vetsulin was either improperly manufactured or was contaminated.” Dr. Bob Esplin of Sylvania Vet, where Dock was a patient, said that diabetes among pets is not uncommon. In fact, he said he cares for about 50 or 60 diabetic dogs and cats at any given time in his practice. Until recently, each was given daily doses of Vetsulin, he said. “We got a notification from the makers of Vetsulin that there was a problem with the insulin and its ability to maintain a stable glucose level in the animal,” he said. “Insulin has various rates of absorption in the body so they work over a series of time.” He added the problem with Vetsulin seemed to be that it was not being absorbed into the animals’ bodies at a regular rate and was either causing a spike in sugar levels or allowing the level to get too low. The company sent letters to veterinarians disclosing a problem, first on Nov. 6 and then on Nov. 30, according to the company’s Web site. In the letters, the company told vets they “should consider starting all new diabetic patients on non-Vetsulin insulin products and transitioning existing diabetic patients to other insulins.” On Nov. 2, the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine issued an alert in conjunction with the manufacturer. Dr. Esplin said although he was forced to change his patients’ medications – many because they were reacting adversely to the product – the company did not offer a recall on the Vetsulin and so consumers were out the cost of the medications. He ultimately switched his diabetic patients to human insulin, he said. Vetsulin was sold by Sylvania Vet for $31.65 for 400 international units, and the cost of the necessary syringes was $40.50 for 100. How much insulin used per dose depended on the size of the animal and its level of diabetes. The lawsuit, filed by Sandusky attorney Dennis Murray, Jr., and Toledo attorneys Rick Kerger and Steve Hartman, will be heard by Judge James Carr. Mr. Hartman said that although the product was used by thousands of pet owners nationwide, he is not familiar with any other lawsuits filed against the company. He said a class action lawsuit would help each of those people. “There are so many people that use the product that the class action is the mechanism to bring all lawsuits of this type against a single party,” he said. No specified damages were listed in the lawsuit.

Source: ElPasoTimes.com, Dec 14, 2009

The family of Robert Sumrall, the rescued hiker, said Monday he is awake but still not talking.

They expect Sumrall will be transferred to an acute-care hospital today after 10 days of intensive care at University Medical Center.

Sumrall, 67, vanished with his dog Zulu, a black Labrador retriever mix, in the Black Range of the Gila National Forest more than two weeks ago.

After seven days in the frigid mountains of west-central New Mexico, two ranchers found Sumrall with 3-year-old Zulu on the east side of the Mimbres Valley near San Lorenzo, N.M. Sumrall was lying down semi-conscious with Zulu on top of him, but as the two people approached them, Zulu ran away and is still missing in the mountains.

Sumrall’s wife, Jan Sumrall, said it is taking him a while to recover, but she believes the frostbites on his body and feet and his body functions are looking a lot better. Jan Sumrall is a former city representative.

“Just the thought of him getting better each day keeps me going,” she said.

Jan Sumrall said doctors have not said anything about long-term effects her husband could suffer.

Because of the tracheotomy he had, Robert Sumrall cannot talk yet, said Chris Hoggard, his son-in-law.

As Robert Sumrall recovers, his family and the Animal Rescue League aren’t giving up on the search for Zulu.

“We are confident that we will get our little girl back,” Jan Sumrall said.

The disappearance of Zulu broke the hearts of many animal lovers in the area who have followed the story. She has been called a hero, a savior and the loyal friend who helped Sumrall stay warm in wintry conditions in the mountains.El Paso Times blogger Lorraine Kubala started an account to reward whoever brings back Zulu. But Cissy McAndrew, who owns the property where Sumrall was found, said that hikers are trespassing and that the search should be left to the professionals, the Animal Rescue League.

The group installed live traps and took food and clothes from Robert Sumrall to the search area last week. The efforts yielded no clues on Sunday however, said Loretta Hyde, founder of the Animal Rescue League.

Hyde went Sunday with another dog and did not find Zulu. They have also posted flyers in bed and breakfasts and gas stations around the area, but Hyde said the area where Zulu could be is large.

“It’s very discouraging because that place is so huge,” Hyde said. “It’s just wilderness. Every corner you go around it’s the same thing.”

Hyde said that it is hard to say whether Zulu is alive because of the threat wild animals pose in the forest. But doctors said Labradors can be strong enough to resist the cold and wildlife.

Source: AssociatedPress.com, Dec 17, 2009

About 100 starving sled dogs have been seized from a racing business in Colorado.

Colorado’s state veterinarian says an anonymous tip led authorities to Pawsatrack Racing Sled Dogs in the Park County town of Hartsel, about 70 miles southwest of Denver. The company’s phone number isn’t listed.

Authorities say they found six dead husky-type dogs and seized 30 starving dogs immediately. On Thursday, animal protection authorities took the remaining 70 dogs.

Dr. Keith Roehr (ROAR), the state vet, says the dogs were malnourished and that one dog has since died. He says the dogs were all crossbreeds of Alaskan descent used in sled racing.

Park County sheriff’s officials were investigating the dogs’ owners for possible animal neglect charges, but as of Thursday afternoon no one had been charged