One case involves a cat who was thrown from a balcony; the other, a dog left to die in a plastic bag.
"This picture is just tragic. It's just haunting and disturbing," said Rebecca Eaves, Director of the Shamrock Arrow Fund.
In another case, a small dog was left to die in a plastic bag, found dumped at the intersection of East Chestnut and East Liberty Streets. "It was a white trash bag, like a kitchen trash bag, and it was tied shut. and she opened it so its little face was showing," said Eaves.
He was thrown out, just like trash.
"He had feces, he had urine, he had blood from the fleas and had actual worms crawling on him," said Eaves. "He was technically brown with color, we thought he was like a Yorkie mix. Underneath all that we have a little 3.4 pound white Maltese. He doesn't look like the same dog, and you'll see if you compare the pictures."
The dog has several broken bones, but is expected to recover. "Fingers crossed, he's not going to need surgeries in the future because he is so little his injuries should heal on their own," said Dr. Rizzo, Medical Director at BluePearl Veterinary Partners specialty and emergency hospital.
They gave him an appropriate name -- Karma. "A lot of people were taking about karma, and it's going to come back on these people," said Eaves.
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| Karma when he was found tied in a plastic trash bag |
It was the second case of extreme animal abuse reported Wednesday. Police say 21-year old Steven Cox took a cat by the neck and threw him from the second floor balcony of an abandoned hotel on Bardstown Road. "He's critical. This is going to be a much, much more complex case," said Eaves.
"We have fracture to the front left leg, the back left leg, and then multiple pelvic fractures that are very severe. It's going to require potentially multiple surgeries to correct," said Rizzo.
Cox has been charged with torturing the cat. "I hope that the felony charge of torture does stick. Because we have to send a message out there to these people," said Eaves.
A blind dog, Adelle, is still recovering from being thrown from a car in downtown Louisville a few weeks ago. Animal advocates aren't sure why there's been a rash of extreme abuse cases. In Karma's case, The Humane Society of the United States is offering a reward for the arrest and conviction of the person responsible.
"This is in your backyard," Eaves said. "These people are your neighbors. If someone abuses these animals ... what are they doing to children, and elderly?"
Metro Animal Services is investigating. Anyone with information is asked to call 502-363-6609.
(WDRB - Oct 26, 2012)
