West Virginia: Caleb Sutphin arrested after chaining his dogs so close together that they got tangled and fought

WEST VIRGINIA -- Deputies say an Oak Hill man faces animal cruelty charges after finding two dogs chained together, causing the death of one of the dogs.

Caleb Sutphin, 32, has been charged with two counts of cruelty to animals. A deputy with the Fayette County Sheriff's Department, and an animal control officer responded to a home at 1891 Summerlee Road in Oak Hill for an animal cruelty complaint.

The deputy said when she arrived at the home she saw two shivering dogs on chains, and the chains were intertwined so the dogs couldn't move.

There was a dog house on the porch, but there was no bedding inside, only a concrete pad.

“Both were terribly underweight and in critically poor health,” according to the sheriff's department release.

According to court document, they checked the area and found food and water bowls around the yard, but one of the bowls were broken and couldn't hold anything. Another bowl only had a little water inside and it was frozen.

One of the dogs, a white and gray mix had no hair on its behind and it looked like raw flesh. 

Both dogs were taken to the Fayette County Animal Shelter, but due to the time of day the dogs couldn't see a veterinarian until the next day.

Why wasn't it taken to an emergency clinic? It sat there all night suffering?? Good Lord.

According to the criminal complaint, the collie mix had to be put to sleep because of its injuries. The other dog, a brown boxer is underweight and lacking necessary vaccinations, but it survived.

"Mistreating your animals is inexcusable and will not be tolerated," Sheriff Mike Fridley said in the release. "They rely on you for food, shelter and care. If you can't handle the responsibility, you shouldn't cause them to suffer for it.”

Sutphin remains in the Southern Regional Jail on $7,500 bond.

ARREST INFO:
Full Name: Caleb Jeffrey Sutphin
Gender: Male
Race: White
Height: 6'02"
Weight: 160 lbs
Birthdate: 07/16/1985
Arrest Age: 32
Arrest Date: 01/18/2018
Arresting Agency: Fayette County
Charges
#1 CRUELTY TO ANIMALS-1
NOTES: PTF Pretrial Felon

#2 CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
NOTES: PTF Pretrial Felon

PREVIOUS ARREST:
CALEB JEFFREY SUTPHIN
Date of birth: Jul 16, 1985
Booking date: Jan 31, 2015
Booking location: Putnam County, WV
Imprisonment status: Misdemeanor Pre-Trial
Facility: Southern Regional Jail
Issuing agency location: FAYETTE COUNTY - Bail Amount: $2,500.00
Court info number: 15M-229-230

(WVNS - Jan 19, 2018)

Virginia: Beautiful Collie named Archie is mauled to death while being taken for a walk with his owner

VIRGINIA -- Molly Sebastian added 3 new photos to Facebook October 7, 2017 ·

This morning I got some terribly sad news.

Archie, from our 2016 Strathyre Litter was attacked and killed by a pit bull while out for a morning walk on leash with his owner Hannah Lucas.

 

Rest in peace, Archie

The pit bull wore no collar or tags and came shooting out from beside a house right in their own neighborhood.

Poor little Archie did nothing to provoke the attack and lay down and made no move to defend himself. The Pit bull did so much damage that even though they did rush Archie to the Vet's they were unable to save him and he died within the hour.

Archie is second from the left.

Hannah is truly devastated and says she doesn't know how she will ever manage without her sweet boy Archie. He was one and a half years old, but already very wise and a kind, sweet soul.

Dogs have inbred instincts and the instinct of the Pit bull, the reason he was bred, was to kill other dogs in a dogfight.

Please do not tell me it is the owner who makes the dog vicious. It is not! They were designed and bred to kill. 

In Ontario, anyone who chooses to keep such a dangerous dog must muzzle that dog whenever it is out of the house. Of course part Pit bull breeding also throws up many dangerous animals.

Dori's littermate Oliver was nearly killed by a Pit bull a month ago in a dog park. If Oliver's big strong owner had not been there to bravely choke the Pit bull until it let go of Oliver, and had they not been able to get to the vet fast enough, Oliver, Archie's uncle, would be dead too.

Please people be very careful in any public place particularly if you have a male. Two deadly attacks in two different states to our own dear Collie family is heartbreaking. Please pray for Hannah who is completely destroyed by this terrible tragedy.

UPDATE:

Hannah started a GoFundMe page to cremate Archie. In less than 2 weeks, her friends, family and Collie lovers donated and she met her goal. She posted some beautiful photos of sweet Archie. Collies are like Golden Retrievers; they've had excellent breeding and you rarely hear of them having aggression issues. I'm sure Archie was no match against this killer Pit Bull.

GoFundMe: Archie's Memorial

Created October 10, 2017

Hannah Lucas 

  Animals

  STAFFORD, VA

$505 of $500 goal

Raised by 16 people in 12 days

Hello, everyone.

As most of you know I had recently lost a child due to a sensless act of violence. 

Everyone who knew Archie was touch by his kind, gentle soul.

I've already paid off his vet bills but wanted any sort of help possible for paying his cremation and memorial. His ashes should be delivered to us by Saturday, next monday at the latest and I can provide a photo receipt for proof then.

http://www.rainbowbridgehearts.com/order-a-memorial/

That's a link to the memorials I would like so there can be price verification.

To those who has, I'm choosing not to bury him because we are moving soon and I want to always have him with me.

Thank you so much for your time.

 RIP, rest easy, Archie 

Rhode Island: Two Pit Bulls jump fence and attack man and his Sheltie-Collie mix. Officer that arrives shoots both Pit Bulls dead to stop attack. Pit Bull owner says his Pitties were "provoked"!

RHODE ISLAND -- A man was injured when he was attacked by two dogs in Warwick Tuesday night, according to police.

Witnesses told NBC 10 News that two pit bulls jumped the fence and attacked the man, identified as 57-year-old Robert Joyal, who was walking his dogs on Titus Lane at about 6 p.m.

“Oh, he was right on top of him, shaking him like a rag dog,” Paul Taylor, who said he saw the attack, told NBC 10.

Taylor said he dropped his gardening tools and started running down the street to help.

“I noticed a dog on top of another dog, giving it a good beating,” he said.

Taylor said the pair of pit bulls wouldn't let go of the man's Sheltie-Collie mix. The man's second dog ran away.

“I ran down there and I was going to help anyway I could,” Taylor said. “Thank god the police officer was there and took care of it very quick.”

Warwick Officer John Zaborski happened to be nearby, according to Taylor.

When Zaborski approached, police said both dogs went after him. Zaborski stunned one of the attacking canines with his Taser, but he had no time to subdue the other aggressive dog using non-lethal means. Fearing himself or bystanders could get hurt, police said the Zaborski killed the second dog with two shots from his service weapon.

Police said Officer Zaborski went to tend to Joyal and the smaller dog, but the dog he had Tased revived and resumed its attack. The officer tried to fight off the dog, which police said kept lunging and biting at him.

Meanwhile, the man is screaming, his little Sheltie mix is screaming and they're both being viciously mauled by the two attacking Pit Bulls.

He had to do SOMETHING to stop them.

“When he wouldn't get off, the cop shot that dog and stopped it,” Taylor said.

When the second Pit Bull didn't run away and instead came after him, the officer shot and killed it too.

Even underneath the fear and the adrenaline, Taylor remembers hearing at least three shots fired before both pit bulls were killed.

NBC 10 arrived around 6:45 p.m. as officers were processing the scene. Two dead dogs, which were laying in the street, were covered in white sheets.

NBC 10 asked Taylor if the shots seemed necessary.

“Yes, yes. Definitely,” he said.

Police later told NBC 10 that they had to use force, which resulted in them shooting both pit bulls.

Authorities said the man was rushed to a hospital and that his dog was taken to a veterinarian. Their conditions were not immediately available.

It was also unknown if any charges would be filed.

 

 

 

Earlier in the evening, police had blocked off the end of Titus Lane where the street meets Post Road.

A group of people stood outside 658 Post Road near a fence along Titus Lane.

After police left, they swore at a Providence Journal reporter who approached on the street to take a photo of the property.

A neighbor declined to comment.

Police said in a news release Wednesday that their initial investigation determined Officer John Zaborski’s actions “were lawful and necessary to protect the lives of citizens and him[self] from serious bodily injury.”

UPDATE TO STORY:

The owner of both dogs told Eyewitness News their names were Buddy and Bella. Buddy was a six-year-old Full-Blooded Texas Red Nose Pit Bull. Bella was a seven-year-old half Pit Bull, half Terrier.

What in the hell is a Texas Red Nose Pit Bull? And a "half Pit Bull, half Terrier"? Give me a break. They both look like Pit Bulls to me.

“Everyone loved them and they loved everyone. They weren’t mean dogs,” Amanda Hallock, the sister of the owner, said.

The dog’s owner said Bella got out on Tuesday night, and when a neighbor went to put her back in their yard, the gate didn’t close. Still, Hallock said the smaller dog provoked the pit bulls on Tuesday night. “That dog was antagonizing them and it was just an accident.”

VIDEO NEWS CLIP #1:

VIDEO NEWS CLIP #2:

 

  

 

(Turnto10 - June 20, 2017)

Canada: German Shepherd that had been terrorizing and attacking woman's Collies has been euthanized

CANADA -- A German shepherd at the center of a sidewalk dog attack recounted in The Journal recently has been euthanized.

The owner voluntarily had the shepherd put down last week one day prior to the case being heard in provincial court.

Charges related to the unnamed owner allowing the dog to be unleashed and unmuzzled on the sidewalk in front of its home have also been dropped.

Animal Control had previously deemed the dog dangerous.

On March 29, she was exercising her collies – Piper, 3, and Maggie, 9 – late in the afternoon when she heard loud barking coming from inside a house.

“The dog was going ballistic as we rounded the corner,” Parsons said. “Then a young woman opened the door and the dog made a beeline, coming at us full force with its teeth bared. It attacked Piper.”

Piper, the younger and stronger male, was able to fend off the shepherd. But the unleashed dog then turned on the smaller and older Maggie.

“He hit her so hard she went flying,” said Parsons. “I held on tight to her leash. I wouldn’t let go. Then he was on top of her, biting at her.”

Parsons said she started screaming and a man in the driveway told her to calm down. Minutes later the young woman came out of the house and called off the German shepherd.

“The dog obeyed and followed her back in. She never said anything to me,” said Parsons. “And she never bothered to come back out.”

Maggie was initially unable to walk and Parsons didn’t have the strength to carry her. Nor did she have a cell phone to call for help.

“Maggie finally hobbled home,” she said.


It was the fourth time in nine months the Shepherd had been loose in its yard and acted aggressively toward her dogs, Parsons said. But it was the first time she made a formal complaint.

“I feel really, really bad for the (German Shepherd),” she said. “There’s no bylaw against irresponsible people or ignorance. I am a dog advocate and it’s really sad that dog had to pay that price.”

Animal Control investigated the attack and concluded the dog should be seized and euthanized, said Adam MacDonald, supervisor of bylaw enforcement at City Hall.

Charges were laid at Provincial Court under the Dog Owners Liability Act, and while the city recommended euthanasia it was up to the courts to decide.

A decision against the owner could have resulted in anything from a court order to erect a higher fence to putting the dog down.

However the owner, after being served the papers, took matters into her own hands on April 26 and had the dog euthanized. A veterinarian provided proof the dog was dead.

“That was their call,” said MacDonald. “They obviously saw the severity of the issue and took steps to rectify it.

“It’s tough for anyone to have to put down their pet but, at the same time, you have to be responsible for your pet. They did the right thing.”

With the danger to the public gone the shepherd’s owner was still facing fines related to it being off-leash and unmuzzled.

However, Parsons decided not to pursue the charges and the case has been closed.

“I just want this to be over,” she said. “I don’t want to wave the red flag any further.”

As reported on April 13, Parsons is concerned about a perceived increase in aggressive dog attacks on pets and people in Sarnia.

Following the shepherd incident in her own neighbourhood, she changed her walking route only to encounter other dogs she needed to avoid.

“When I spoke out about the attack I was inundated with stories from other people who have experienced aggressive dogs,” she said.

“It’s not the dogs’ fault. I want to tell people, please don’t get a dog on a lark. Make sure you have the time and energy to put in for training.”

MacDonald confirmed the euthanized German shepherd was involved in “at least three” incidents of aggression, including the Collie attack. None resulted in extensive injuries, he said.

The city has received complaints about four dog-on-dog biting incidents so far this year.

In the three years he’s been on the job, there’s been one reported dog attack on a person, MacDonald said.

Animal Control has the authority to seize a dangerous dog without a court order but only in the most severe cases, he said.

Otherwise, the case is handed to provincial court for a decision, as this case was.

“I think the system is working,” said MacDonald.

(The Sarnia Journal - May 2, 2017)

Earlier:

• Canada: Dog owner seeking stiffer fines after her beloved Collies attacked by German Shepherd which has attacked them before

Canada: Dog owner seeking stiffer fines after her beloved Collies attacked by German Shepherd which has attacked them before

CANADA -- A Sarnia woman is pleading for local dog owners to be more responsible after her two collies were attacked while being walked on a sidewalk in Coronation Park.

She also wants stiffer fines imposed when dogs are caught running at large.

Georgette Parsons said the recent confrontation between her two leashed dogs and a large German shepherd was terrifying. She’s concerned more dogs and possibly children will be attacked unless owners leash their aggressive dogs and keep them properly enclosed on private property.

“Sarnia has a problem,” said Parsons who has owned dogs and walked them in her generally quiet residential neighbourhood the past 40 years.

“I see people with huge dogs who don’t train them. They don’t walk them either and they can’t control them.”

She was exercising her collies – Piper, 3, and Maggie, 9 – late in the afternoon when she heard loud barking coming from inside a house.

“The dog was going ballistic as we rounded the corner,” Parsons said. “Then a young woman opened the door and the dog made a beeline, coming at us full force with its teeth bared. It attacked Piper.”

Piper, the younger and stronger male, was able to fend off the shepherd. But the unleashed dog then turned on the smaller and older Maggie.

“He hit her so hard she went flying,” said Parsons. “I held on tight to her leash. I wouldn’t let go. Then he was on top of her, biting at her.”

Parsons said she started screaming and a man in the driveway told her to calm down. Minutes later the young woman came out of the house and called off the German shepherd.

“The dog obeyed and followed her back in. She never said anything to me,” said Parsons. “And she never came back out.”

Maggie was initially unable to walk and Parsons didn’t have the strength to carry her. Nor did she have a cell phone to call for help.

“Maggie finally hobbled home,” she said.

It was the fourth time in nine months the same dog was loose in its yard and acted aggressively toward her dogs, Parsons said.

Previously, Parsons’ husband was there to ward off the shepherd, she said.

This time, she wants action from the city.

Parsons called Animal Control and filed a police report. The incident is under investigation and cannot be discussed, said Adam MacDonald, supervisor of bylaw enforcement at City Hall.

Municipal bylaws dictate that if a dog is on its own property it doesn’t have to be leashed, he said. But the sidewalk is municipal property and a leash is required.

An owner that allows a dog to run unleashed on public property can be subject to a $150 fine, a penalty Parsons said is too low.

Dogs that bite or severely attack will automatically receive a muzzle order and be required to wear a muzzle when off their own property. Animal Control can also enforce a Dangerous Dog order, which requires the owner to have $2 million in liability insurance and a muzzle and leash on their animal whenever on municipal property.

MacDonald said every case is different and left to the judgment of the investigating officer. In the most serious cases, the provincial Dog Owners Liability Act kicks in and aggressive dogs can be seized and euthanized.

MacDonald didn’t have statistics that reflect how often such measures are taken by Sarnia authorities, but he said the frequency of complaints increases with better weather.

In the past two weeks, Animal Control has responded to three different attacks, MacDonald confirmed. There were no complaints the previous six months.

Parsons is convinced Sarnia has a growing number of aggressive dogs and irresponsible owners.

“I walk dogs for other people in every neighborhood of this city,” she said. “I’ve encountered aggressive dogs everywhere, and many are on the loose and can’t be controlled.”

Maggie was checked by a vet and no fractures or punctures were found. She is sore but expected to make a full recovery.

The vet bill was $310, but Parsons said she won’t try to have it paid by the dog owner for fear of retribution.

But she is fighting back. She posted her experience on social media and many people responded with similar experiences. Some suggest she walk with bear spray or an air horn.

“I’ve changed our walking route again and I’m considering an air horn,” said Parsons. “I love my dogs and I’ve always loved walking them.

“Now I’m just fed up.”

(The Sarnia Journal - April 11, 2017)

New Hampshire: Police found woman who ran off after her vicious dog attacked a three-legged German Shepherd; police not bothering to charge her for attack

NEW HAMPSHIRE -- The owner of a dog who allegedly attacked and injured a three-legged German shepherd has come forward.

Police had been looking for the woman after the alleged attack on a recreational trail on March 31.

The owner of the German shepherd reported to police he and his dog were walking on the Mraz Loop on the property owned by the South East Land Trust behind the Piscassic Greenway around 1 p.m. when the loose dog attacked.

The dog owner mentioned to police that there was a woman walking two dogs in the same area during the time of his walk. One of her dogs was on leash while the other was not, police said.

According to the owner of the German shepherd, the woman began yelling to control the unleashed dog while it attacked the German shepherd named Boru, who has a prosthetic front leg.

Once the woman's vicious dog was dragged off the victim dog, the woman quickly disappeared with both of her dogs, police said.

Boru was brought to the Brentwood County Animal Hospital and it is unknown how he is doing.

Police said the owner of the attacking dog took responsibility and likely will not face charges.

Why not???

(NH1 - April 7, 2017)

ORIGINAL

Police are looking to identify the owner of a dog that allegedly attacked and injured a three-legged German Shepherd on a recreational trail March 31.

The owner of 7-year-old Boru reported to police the incident happened between noon and 1 p.m. on Friday. He said he was walking Boru on the Mraz Loop on the property owned by the South East Land Trust behind the Piscassic Greenway, where a loose dog attacked Boru.

The dog owner told police there was a woman with dark hair walking two dogs in the area during the time of his walk. One of her dogs was on leash while the other was not, police said.

 

According to the reporting party, the woman began yelling to control the second dog while it attacked the German shepherd, who has a prosthetic front leg. The attacking dog was described as "collie-like." Once the dogs were separated, the woman quickly disappeared, police said.

Boru was brought to the Brentwood County Animal Hospital for treatment. A Newfields police officer said in his report that Boru suffered lacerations and cuts in and around his ear.

According to Newfields police Lt. Mike Schwartz, the reporting party said the attacking dog was all black, between 40 and 50 pounds, and was "collie-like with long hair." He said the woman was Caucasian, with long black hair and approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall.  The second dog she was walking on a leash was "boxer-like, tan and white."

Newfields police ask anyone with information about the attacking dog or its owner to call them at (603) 772-9010.

United Kingdom: House of horrors where an elderly dog with a giant tumor on his face was locked in house full of trash, rotting food and feces by Christine Daley

UNITED KINGDOM -- This appalling footage shows the house of horrors where a sick and elderly dog with a huge ulcerated, bleeding tumor was kept surrounded by two feet of rubbish, rotting food and feces.

The heartbreaking video captures the moment the RSPCA discovered 16-year-old collie mix Timmy in a house in Wallasey, Merseyside, which he had been forced to use as a toilet for 'several months'.

Timmy was found with no fresh food or water and looking 'defeated' in the living room of the house, which was strewn with piles of rubbish inspectors said were two foot high.

His former owner Christine Daley has pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a dog by failing to investigate and treat a lump on his face.

She also admitted and failing to meet the needs of a dog by failing to provide a suitable environment between 1 October and 25 October last year.

Daley, 60, was slapped with an eight week prison sentence suspended for six months, at Wirral Magistrates' Court yesterday and was also disqualified from keeping or owning any animal for 10 years and ordered to pay £1,075 in costs.

Anthony Joynes, who was the RSPCA investigator on the scene, said walking into the squalid house to a smell of ammonia so strong it 'burnt his eyelids' will stay with him forever.

Anthony said: 'The smell from the outside was bad enough and there were flies all over the house but then as we walked in the ammonia was so strong it burnt my eyelids.

'In my experience when you walk into homes where dogs have been kept in such horrific conditions, they are usually happy to see you or not happy to see you - you usually get all sorts of temperaments but Timmy just didn't react.

'He was just lying on the sofa looking so defeated, like he had completely given up. He was just this broken animal.

'The conditions he'd been left it were absolutely appalling. He was surrounded by feces and rotting food.

'It looks like he had been forced to use the house as a toilet for several months. There was no food or water and he had this horrific open and bleeding tumor on his face.

 

 

'You don't come across cases this bad very often. The smells and sights from inside that house will stick with me forever.

'It is just so heartbreaking, an old dog like Timmy should have been living out the last of his years on a nice sofa in front of a fire being cared for properly and loved.'

Timmy was discovered at the house on October 25 last year after Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service raised concerns while carrying out routine door-to-door fire safety checks.

The smell coming from the house was so bad that fire crews forced entry to the property and alerted the RSPCA when they found Timmy inside.

Since his rescue, Timmy has defied all the odds for a dog his age, making a full recovery from surgery on the tumor on his face.

The rescue dog is now living out his days on a farm with a family who 'adore' him.

Anthony said: 'It is such a relief that fire crews took action when they did. I can only assume from the smell and the flies, they thought there was a deceased person inside the house.

'If we had found Timmy just a week or two later, there is no telling what we would have been dealing with.

'For a dog of Timmy's age that had been given such an appalling level of care from his owner, his chances of survival were not looking good.

'If the cancerous tumor on his face had been attached to any bone or if the cancer had spread at all, the vets only option would have been euthanasia.

'But we went ahead with the surgery and Timmy has pulled through it all. He has fought to survive and jumped over ever hurdle put in front of him.

'I was worried that a dog of his age was going to struggle to find a new home but a family has taken him in and they absolutely adore him, he is such a loving dog.

'It makes me so happy to know that he is now living out his days on a beautiful farm in Cheshire getting the care he deserves.

'So many people overlook the older and middle-aged dogs at rescue centres but taking home an older dog can be the most rewarding thing.

'You might not get as many years with them but that short time means absolutely everything to that dog.'

(Daily Mail - March 9, 2017)

United Kingdom: Man left his Collie to suffer with giant testicular tumor, that got so bad the dog couldn't be saved

UNITED KINGDOM -- A man has been fined €250 after he was convicted of neglecting his dog which had to be put down after it was seized.

Carlow District Court heard that the man, who is from Graiguecullen, was also ordered to pay €2,250 in costs following the incident.

The case related to a visit made by ISPCA chief inspector Conor Dowling to the he man’s property on 24 September 2015.

Dowling said he discovered a Collie at the house in poor physical condition with a massively swollen scrotum. 

Further inquiries revealed that the dog’s scrotum had been swollen for four to five months and that in that time the animal’s health had been deteriorating.

Chief inspector Dowling seized the dog and brought him for immediate veterinary attention. The dog was found to have a large testicular tumor and his bladder had prolapsed into the scrotum. The dog was put down as the condition was inoperable.

The man’s defense attorney said that his client had had the dog for almost ten years when it developed the tumor and he had been in denial, hoping it would heal naturally.

Dowling said, “This case highlights the responsibility that pet owners have to provide appropriate treatment for the animals in their care in all circumstances.”

Members of the public should report animal welfare concerns to the ISPCA by contacting the National Animal Cruelty Helpline on 1890 515 515.

(The Journal IE - Feb 3, 2017)

Texas: Town's legendary stray dog to soon have new home

TEXAS -- For more than five years an infamous dog, Bear, has been making his home in a Hutto community.

But Bear isn't like most stray dogs. Too smart for traps and too quick for animal control, he's become a well known member of the neighborhood for avoiding capture and survival skills.

But thanks to one Irma Mendoza and her son's dedication, Bear could soon have a new place to call home.

"It all started a couple of years ago when my mom found Bear by the block where we live." Alfonso Salinas, Irma's son, said, "But she found him and after that she just started to feed him and try to take care of him."

Irma Mendoza and Alfonso have been taking care of Bear for more than five years. The catch? Bear isn't their dog, in fact he isn't anyone's dog.

Every day Irma comes to a field to give Bear food. She also gives him his annual medications and brought him a doghouse to sleep in.  Over the years, others have also pitched in to make sure Bear is taken care of.

"This dog is pretty much a family member," Salinas said.

Bear has been seen roaming the Hutto neighborhood alone since 2010. Many believe Bear's owners left him behind when they moved. He eventually settled into a nearby field and became part of the neighborhood.

"He is a survivor that's for sure. He's smart, he stays out of the way, stays out of the street, avoids people, and everybody has grown fond of him." Richard Rodriguez, who lives in the neighborhood, said, "He's got his own Facebook page so that speaks something to how people like him."

Bear has also managed to avoid Hutto Animal Control officer Wayne Cunningham and many others who've tried to take him in.

"No one can get close to him but Irma so we haven't been able to catch him. He's gotten wise to our dog traps, he recognizes the animal control truck so he's very leery about new people," Cunningham said.

But construction of new homes threatens Bear's current home. So Mendoza and Cunningham are working together to help find Bear a permanent place to stay and Niroshini Glass, who became familiar of Bear because of her job,  has opened her door after spending years helping Irma .

"If he has been through all of this and he is still going strong. He is not skin and bones, thanks to Irma, I mean he deserves to be in a loving home and being able to adapt to people," Glass said.

Which means Irma's daily trips to the field won't be necessary but her years of hard work appear to have paid off.

"It's really great that the dog is finally going to have a home," Salinas said.

A home where love will not be hard to find.

 

"He would be so spoiled. He would get anything and everything he wanted, when he wanted, how he wanted it. He would be very, very spoiled," Glass said.

Cunningham said the process to eventually capture Bear will take some time. Once caught Bear will be taken to the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter to be evaluated.

(Fox7 - Dec 11, 2016)