In fact, it was the day she was going to put down Samira, her 14-year-old shepherd/border collie / keeshond mix she had raised from puppyhood.
Still, she had decided to call the Wyoming County Animal Shelter to let them know she would be looking for a dog in about a month. With county fair season about to begin in the region, Staffehl, a livestock inspector who also inspects the animal shelter in Gainesville, knew she couldn’t bring home a new animal until after the fairs were over.
To Staffehl’s surprise, Animal Control Officer Justa Goodell said she had some puppies that had just been rescued from a Gainesville residence. And that’s how one of the puppies, now named Chandra, was connected with her new owner.
“‘Oh my goodness, I’m done. She bought me,’” Staffehl remembers thinking when she first saw Chandra’s irresistible face.
Chandra had been discovered at the residence of 23-year-old Robert J. DeCarr, whom state police had gone to arrest on child abuse charges on July 27. Investigator John Neeley of the New York State Police and Trooper Darren Fanton were in the enclosed porch of DeCarr’s residence when Neeley glanced down and spotted some movement, Goodell said.
In a single dog crate were four puppies, one deceased and the others clinging to life. The puppies were about one-third the size or less than they should have been at eight to 10 weeks old. Chandra was in the worst condition of the survivors, weighing around two pounds.
Goodell was called to the scene right away.
“I would say within 12 hours from the time I picked them up, if (Neeley) had not seen them, (Chandra) wouldn’t probably be here,” Goodell said.
Goodell estimated the other dogs, one male and one female, might have lasted a day or two at best. They were so malnourished, it was difficult for them to keep their backs straight.
DeCarr and his roommate, 20-year-old Thomas M. Hyde, were both charged with animal cruelty and animal neglect.
The puppies, which are labrador retriever - pit bull mixes, were whisked away to an emergency appointment at the Perry Veterinary Clinic that afternoon. They suffered from anemia, dehydration, malnutrition, fleas and worms.
On the scale used to evaluate an animal’s body condition, the puppies scored a 1 out of a possible 9 – and that was only because they were still breathing, Goodell said.
When it came time to schedule a follow-up visit for about a week later, the veterinarian, Dr. Jolie McCutcheon, didn’t think the puppies would still be alive then, Goodell recalled.
“She said, ‘You’re being very optimistic. You probably won’t need that appointment.”
McCutcheon’s instructions were to give the puppies one cup of food over a 24-hour period for a few days, then increase it from there. But that amount of food would have to be given in small increments to a tiny, malnourished puppy. So Goodell chose to stay at the shelter to oversee the animals’ care for more than 48 hours straight.
Chandra stayed separate from her siblings in their crate.
“She spent the first night in here. She was so bad, that I thought, ‘She’s going to die.’ I didn’t want her to die alone, so she slept with me here” on a couch in the shelter, Goodell said.
Within a week, Chandra’s condition began to improve greatly.
“She put on four pounds in six days,” Goodell said. “I could not believe it. She put on the most.”
The employees at the Perry clinic were equally surprised when all three puppies made it to their scheduled appointment.
Staffehl finally took her puppy home on Aug. 20. Chandra is now an energetic, nearly 20-pound puppy, as of her most recent vet visit on Sept. 20.
Staffehl gives Chandra regular puppy food plus an extra supplement as a boost since she was deprived of essential vitamins and nutrients at a critical age. Even today, despite numerous treatments, she still battles a persistent worm infection, but she has an infectious personality.
“She’s just really sweet and loving, to tell you the truth. She really is,” her owner said.
Not everyone was so happy about the new addition to the Staffehl home, however. The cat, Roscoe, was less than thrilled, but his owner says the two are learning to get along. Staffehl also has two horses, Grace and Jade.
Staffehl is quick to clarify that she did not rescue Chandra by bringing her into her home, as some might say. She said the state police and Goodell are responsible for the rescue, and “I adopted her.” Goodell hailed Neeley as a hero for noticing the crate.
Chandra is not the only one who found a new family. Her siblings went to homes in Warsaw and are doing well, Goodell said.
The mother dog, formerly named “Lola” and now called “Mama,” is still available for adoption. She is around 2 to 3 years old, with one ear that always stands straight up.
Thankfully, Goodell said, people in the area are on the lookout for cases of abuse these days.
“There’s a heightened sense of responsibility from the community to watch out for those that can’t speak, you know, the dogs, and the children,” she said.
“We live in the world where people do care, and you’re not going to get away with it for a long time… You might think you are, but you're not.”
(Neighbor to Neighbor News - Oct 8, 2013)
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