I've been trying to deal with this situation without involving the media. However, no one is doing anything and I have no other option.
On Friday, a 9 year old cocker spaniel came in for an "ear appointment". When the dog got to the clinic, our reception girls noticed the dogs face was super swollen. They then realized why. The dog had three rubber bands tied around her muzzle.
We immediately took the dog in back and started treating. The owner is elderly, blind, and super sick. She can't take care of herself, never mind her animals. Her PCA (Personal Care Assistant) is in charge of taking care of the animals, and I believe he is the one who put the rubber bands around the dogs muzzle. (The PCA lives in the house).
I tried calling Worcester animal control multiple times, left messages.. And they have not returned my calls. I then contacted MSPCA. They investigated and told me we have to give the dog back and if in two weeks anything got worse, we can then either go to court or take the animals depending on what happens. But [they] won't charge anyone because there's no proof who did it. So you're telling me it takes something worse than wrapping three rubber bands around a dogs muzzle for something to be done?
If the elderly owner is blind and sick and has a home care aide that actually lives with her, he is the ONLY one who could have done it. Have the Animal Control worker have the elderly woman - who probably has arthritis in her hands - try to manipulate not just one, but three rubber bands with her hands to show that it would have been impossible for her to pull them open and then wrap them around the struggling dogs' muzzle. It's impossible.
The PCA, by law, is the owner - harborer - caretaker of the elderly woman and her dog. Therefore, he is the one responsible for what has been done to the dog. He needs to be charged with animal cruelty. If they cannot determine who exactly did it, charge them both. After all, they're both in the house and both responsible for the animal. Just because she's blind doesn't mean she didn't pet her dog and feel the rubber bands on his mouth - did she not wonder why he yelped or couldn't bark properly?
No District Attorney / Prosecutor wants to charge an elderly, blind person with animal cruelty - BUT MAYBE THAT'S WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE - to get her to fire this PCA and get him out of her house and away from her pets, which depend on her to be safe from abuse. She can take a plea agreement that gives her like a 90 day probation period and then the charge is dismissed - however, part of the plea agreement is that this man be fired and never allowed on her property, near her or her animals ever again. Another PCA can move in and care for her.
So I've left messages with animal rescue league of Boston and I am waiting to hear back. I've also reached out to the news in hope we can get the story to go viral so we can do something for this poor dog. It absolutely disgusts me that someone would even do that to a dog, never mind the fact that no one is doing anything about it. What is wrong with this world?! The laws need to be changed!!! Please share this post and make it go viral!
June 17, 2016 Update:
The owners ended up coming tonight to pick the dog up and take her home. And we can't by law stop her. So she is no longer with us and it very much upsets me. BUT I am not giving up.
Also, MSPCA stopped by work today. And I have to apologize to the officer I've been talking to. She showed up at work upset because of my post. I didn't mean it against you. I know you are doing exactly what you are legally allowed to do, you're doing your job and deep down wish you could do more. You are very strong and even called your boss to see what else we could do for me and I appreciate that. Thank you for your hard work and help. This post was to more push for laws to be changed and to help this dog find a better home. It was not to go against MSPCA. I want to change the laws. I want them to be in favor for the animals. To show they aren't just property. They're actual living things.
Massachusetts law regarding animal cruelty
"...whoever, having the charge or custody of an animal, either as owner or otherwise, inflicts unnecessary cruelty upon it, or unnecessarily fails to provide it with proper food, drink, shelter, sanitary environment, or protection from the weather... shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than 7 years in state prison or imprisonment in the house of correction for not more than 2-1/2 years or by a fine of not more than $5,000 or by both fine and imprisonment"
(Facebook - June 16, 2016)
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