Stray cat enters the home of a blind dog and becomes his guide

UNITED KINGDOM -- Here we have a wonderful heart warming story of the bond that is possible between a cat and a dog.

In 2012, a stray cat entered the home of a blind dog named Terfel, and became his seeing-eye guide.

 

 Terfel had been diagnosed with cataracts and was finding it very difficult to navigate around the house. In fact, so bad was his condition the poor dog was confined to his basket to stop him from bumping into things.

However, after his owner allowed a stray cat to enter her home the dog was given a new lease of life and an incredible new friend.

“One night a tomcat arrived here. He just stood there outside my front door and looked at me as to say: ‘I want to be a house cat, ‘” the dog’s owner, Mrs Godfrey-Brown, from Holyhead, North Wales told the Daily Post.

Rather than fighting like the proverbial cat and dog, the cat immediately approached Terfel and seemed to sense his condition.

“I’ve never seen anything like it – most cats and dogs hate each other.” Mrs Godfrey-Brown said. “he  seemed to know that Terfel is blind through some sort of sixth sense that animals have.”

From the very beginning Terfel trusted the cat, (subsequently christened Pwditat by her new owner) and followed his lead out of his basket and into the garden.

By gently nudging him around objects so he doesn’t bump into things, the cat has become the 8 year-old dog’s eyes.

“He uses his paws to help guide him around the house and into the garden where they play together,” the owner said.

With the cat lovingly taking on the role as Terfel’s guide, he even assists for trips down to the local park.

“They are glued to each other and even sleep together now.” Mrs Godfrey-Brown said.

A cataract is any opacity within a lens – they can blur the vision of the lens of an eye.

Dog cataracts can be caused by diabetes, the animal inheriting the condition, nutritional deficiencies, traumas, age – most commonly after the animal turns eight years old – and birth defects.

(Cancats.net - Dec 3, 2012)

Update to case: Local horse breeder found guilty on all five counts of animal neglect

MONTANA -- After seven days of listening to testimony, it only took three hours for the jury to reach a decision in the animal cruelty trial of a Billings livestock breeder.

James Leachman was found guilty on all five counts of cruelty to animals.

Those convictions stem from the death of five of his horses on his former ranch south of Billings and represent all five of the charges he faced.

Expert testimony during the trial confirmed that hundreds of other horses were starved and dehydrated as well.
 

According to Judge Larry Herman, a sentencing date has been set for December 12 at 3 p.m. Leachman faces a maximum penalty of five years of jail time and a fine of $5,000.

Before the trial concluded, proceedings convened at 9 a.m. Tuesday morning when James Leachman's testimony continued with cross examination from the prosecution.

The line of questioning extended to Leachman mostly surrounded his use of leg bands on his horses.

Questions over the role the leg bands played in injuring the horses set the tone for the rest of the day as, at the end of Leachman's testimony, both the prosecution and defense moved into rebuttal cases for the remainder of the morning.

During that time the prosecution recalled several witnesses from earlier in the trial who were eye witnesses of the conditions on the ranch when the injured horses were discovered.

Other key considerations were breached during the rebuttal cases as well, such as Leachman's financial problems and the quality of character displayed by Leachman and other witnesses while events were playing out with the horses in 2010 and 2011, but the conversation inevitably always came back to pictures, videos and testimonies given about the leg bands.

Following a recess for lunch, the trial restarted shortly after at 2 p.m. with instructions for how the jury would proceed with coming to a decision once the case was handed over for deliberation.

The trial then concluded with closing arguments which, once again, mostly focused on the leg bands and if using the bands made Leachman criminally negligent.

"The defendant's failure to care for these horses created significant injuries to these horses," said Yellowstone Deputy County Attorney and prosecuting attorney Ingrid Rosenquist. "Injuries which caused them (the horses) to suffer. Injuries that, without care, created and directly caused the death of four of these five horses."

"In 2006 and 2007 when he decided to start using that banding practice-- had it been reasonable for him to see that those bands would not become the center of his criminal case, do you really think he would have started using them," asked Yellowstone County Public Defender and defense attorney Roberta Drew.

If the jury finds Leachman guilty on all five counts of neglect, he could face the maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

(KTVQ - Dec 5 2012)

A website called North Horse had some very interesting opinions as to what the punsishment should be to Mr. Leachman:

Speaking of criminals, remember James Leachman? He was the horse breeder who had about 1,000 horses living rough on the range in Montana. After he had to sell his ranch, he just sort of left them. All winter. With no food or water. Some of them had plastic ID bands on their legs that were not loosened as the horses grew, causing horrific injuries. Leachman was eventually convicted of five counts of cruelty to animals, but got off with a $5,000 fine and a few days in jail. To the very end, he denied that anything he had done was abuse, and said that if he could do it all over again, he'd manage the horses in the same way. In his unbelievable, delusional arrogance, he appealed, this time saying that "the horses weren't his." The judge just dismissed that nonsense. I wish the judge would have slapped him with a bigger sentence too, but it doesn't work that way. Dammit, we need some sort of vigilante hero of the horse world who could go tie Leachman to a tree and tighten some plastic bands around that asshole's scrotum.

Earlier:

• On witness stand, Leachman says leg bands were 'never too tight'

Anne Arundel officer recounts saving dog attack victim

MARYLAND -- Cpl. Larry Martin shakes his head and apologizes. He can’t seem to find the words.

He’s trying to explain why some police calls linger, so you might be stringing Christmas lights one day when the scene returns.

Martin can still see the dog lunge, then its body jerk from the bullet. He can still see steam rising from the boy’s scalp.

The 7-year-old is curled on the deck, offering a few faint words. Martin is pressing his police shirt to staunch the bleeding.

He lives with this scene now.

“I’ve been thinking about the child’s injuries and the feeling this family must have. How would I feel if it was my child?”

It’s been seven weeks since Derek Heckler’s son lay bleeding outside a Pasadena home. That evening, Martin held steady the boy’s neck. He spoke softly to the child as sirens screamed toward the 3400 block of Barnsley Court.

“That man’s a hero,” Heckler said. “If he hadn’t acted the way he did, my son would be dead.”

Martin says instinct took over in those few frantic moments. The 17-year veteran with the Anne Arundel County Police Department credits his firearms training:

First — assess the situation.

The call came from dispatch: an “unknown disturbance.” He arrived to find the front door open. There was blood on the kitchen floor; commotion from the back deck.

Prepare for the worst.

The sliding-glass doors were closed. Outside, two American bulldogs lunged at a woman. She curled over something — a child, bleeding from the head and neck.

Stay calm.

Martin feared for their lives. He met the woman’s eyes. She lowered her head.

Breathe.

He was taught to focus through disruption. In training, he learned to run two miles, then stagger through a gassed building, step to the line and aim.

Martin drew his gun.

Steady.

There was no other choice. He fired through the glass.

One dog fell. Martin stepped out. Then a bark — the second dog lunged at him, he said. He shot again. The dog fell away, then fled inside.

Martin bent toward the woman and child. He called for aid and removed his shirt to wrap the boy’s bleeding head.

Healing
Dakota Heckler suffered fractures to his skull, jaw and pelvic bone. Rescuers recovered part of the boy’s scalp. It was reattached by doctors at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore.

The boy spent 11 days there, undergoing four surgeries. Staples were removed from his head on Christmas Eve. Skin grafts will be done in the coming weeks.

“If the police officer hadn’t acted so quickly, this could have been devastating,” Derek Heckler said. “It’s hard to look at my son and see the pain he’s in. I’d rather do that than visit a grave site.”

Dakota lives with his father in Baltimore County and was visiting an aunt on Dec. 1. He was unfamiliar to the dogs in the house and they attacked. The two dogs pursued as the woman and child fled outside. There, she curled over top Dakota, shielding him until Martin arrived.

Martin and two other officers visited the boy in the hospital. They brought coloring books and crayons, a toy helicopter and monster truck. Dakota just finished surgery when the officers stood bedside to offer encouragement.

Now, a life-size Superman poster hangs in Dakota’s bedroom. The boy wears Superman Band-Aids. The doctors, nurses and police officers are all calling on their “little Superman” to be strong.

There are days when Martin considers his actions.

No officer wants to shoot, he said. But there was too much blood to hesitate. Dakota couldn’t survive more.

“It’s sad. These were family pets,” he said. “They probably had them for years. What if it was my dogs?”

His actions have been praised by Dakota’s family. Their support and counseling have helped him live with the memory of the boy’s injuries.

Hours after the attack, Martin called the hospital to check Dakota’s condition.

Then he went home and gave his own son a hug.

(CapitalGazette.com - Jan 23, 2013)

Earlier:

• 2 Dogs Shot By Officer After Attacking A Boy In Pasadena, Md.
• Neighbors, police acted to save boy in Pasadena dog attack

12/21/12: Report: Half Moon Bay mountain lion cubs were size of house cats

CALIFORNIA -- A necropsy report released late Friday showed two mountain cubs shot to death by California Department of Fish and Game wardens Dec. 1 were much younger and smaller than the agency had previously stated, and Director Charlton Bonham acknowledged the agency needs to do better.

The report, conducted by Fish and Game, found the cubs were about 4 months old and weighed 13-14 pounds, the size of a house cat.

Their stomachs were empty and they were in poor condition when they were gunned down while huddling under a porch on the outskirts of downtown Half Moon Bay.

[What was it like for the second little cub, starving, weak and cold, waiting its turn to be shot? Maybe it tried to run and he shot its little body full of holes? We don't know how this whole pathetic thing played out other than officials saying it was an "unfortunate incident". What an embarassment.]

In defending itself against criticism after the shooting that it should have tranquilized the animals, the department initially described them as about twice as big -- 9 months in age and 25-30 pounds. Officials referred to the cubs at the time as "sub-adults" who had likely been preying on local pets.

"I now realize these animals were smaller than assumed. I regret this unfortunate incident in Half Moon Bay for all involved," Bonham said in a statement. "The department intends to learn from this experience. We take the safety of the public and the welfare of California's wildlife with the utmost seriousness."

Tim Dunbar, executive director of the California-based Mountain Lion Foundation, is one of several experts who had expressed skepticism about Fish and Game's initial reports on the shooting. The foundation is now working with the agency and Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, to formulate legislation that aims to prevent such incidents in the future.

"This just reinforces our opinion that the actions taken in this situation were incorrect," Dunbar said. "And we're hoping that this will help bring some fundamental changes to the department in how it responds to public safety incidents involving mountain lions."

The legislation would likely put in place protocols to require wardens to give greater consideration to tranquilizing or trapping cougars. Hill said Friday that, if talks go well, he will have an announcement in the next few weeks. Under Proposition 117, which banned mountain lion hunting in 1990, such a change to the law would require a four-fifths vote of the state Legislature.

Bonham said Friday that an internal review was under way before the shooting and will likely wrap up in January.

"Prior to the incident at Half Moon Bay, I directed the department's leadership team to evaluate our guidelines on how we respond to interactions with mountain lions and bears and determine how we can do better," Bonham said.

The necropsy did not note anything abnormal about the cats, other than that they appeared to be starving, with little to no fat deposits. One of the cubs, which wildlife experts presume were orphaned siblings, had congestion in its lungs.

(mercurynews.com - Dec 21, 2012)

Earlier:

• Citing safety, state officials kill young mountain lions
• HMB residents outraged over cougar shootings

12/30/12: Teen boy, dog rescued after falling down embankment near Vermilion River

OHIO -- A teen and his dog were rescued from freezing temperatures near the Vermilion River this weekend.

Vinny Ragnoni, 17, and his dog Mia went through quite an ordeal Friday afternoon. Mia ran toward the Vermilion River, slipped and fell 40 feet down an embankment. While trying to rescue Mia, Vinny slipped and found himself also trapped at the bottom of the slippery hill.

"I grabbed a branch and it broke. I slid another 45 feet," Vinny explained.

Chief William Rennie, with the Florence Township Fire Department, was among the first at the scene. He, along with two dozen other firefighters and a park ranger, used a rope and harness to bring Vinny and Mia back to higher ground.

Vinny's mom was concerned about her son's condition because he ran out of the house wearing only a T-shirt and shorts. The rescue lasted 90 minutes.

"I went to the hospital with Vinny. He had some hypothermia on his legs and fingers. He was released Friday night around 8:30," his mom said.

When it was all over, Chief Rennie explained how lucky both were to be found and be alive.

"He could have got trapped there and if nobody knew he was there, it could have been a long time.."

Vinny said, "Who knows what would have happened if they didn't get down as fast as they did and helped me out. Thank you."

Friday's cliff rescue was the second one this year for the department. Two teenagers were rescued in April just a short distance up river.

(newsnet5 - Dec 30, 2012)

12/31/12: More animal neglect at troubled property, authorities say

CALIFORNIA -- More neglected animals have been found at a 5-acre property near Murrieta where more than a dozen skinny horses were seized in 2011, but authorities say well-meaning animal lovers are thwarting their efforts to intervene.

The property owner, Janice Susan Deutsch, 47, who has been charged with animal cruelty in the 2011 case, has been in jail since Nov. 26 in connection with another investigation involving allegations of abuse against her elderly mother.

Animal control officials have made nine visits to Deutsch’s Hitt Lane property since receiving a report early this month of several dogs and goats abandoned there, said John Welsh, a spokesman for the Riverside County Department of Animal Services.

Officers found 14 dogs and eight goats left without food or water on the property in the rural La Cresta area, court records say. Some of the animals appeared to be underweight. Officers could see dogs confined to areas that had become filthy with feces and at least one goat had a wound on its neck, court records say.

After receiving no response to notices left at the property, officers tracked down Deutsch, who is in custody at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside. They told her about the condition of her animals and asked if she would sign a release turning them over to animal services.

Deutsch declined, court records say, “insisting they were being taken excellent care of by friends.”

In the meantime, word of the animals’ plight made its way to Facebook. An animal lover who had visited the property appears to have told a friend who, in turn, posted a call for help from the public on Facebook.

“EMERGENCY IN CALIFORNIA,” a woman who identified herself as Kelley White wrote. “Please share this with your friends in CA, time is running out for these animals.”

The post gave the address of the property and said animal control had refused to take the animals. It described dogs and goats left to fend for themselves, adding that they were facing starvation and eating livestock carcasses.

On Christmas Eve, an animal control officer returned to the property after two injured goats were reported, court records say. The officer found the goats underweight and dehydrated, with infected, oozing wounds to their necks that appeared to have been inflicted by dogs, court records say. One of the goats was unable to stand.

Officers impounded the two goats and, after an evaluation by a veterinarian, the animals were euthanized.

Welsh said officers returned to the property with a search warrant later in the week, planning to seize the animals, but found them with ample food and water. Animal lovers apparently had seen the Facebook post and driven out to the property with supplies, he said.

“Folks have essentially gone onto a property illegally and begun to feed these animals,” Welsh said.
The animals’ situation is insufficiently dire for officers to seize them from private property, Welsh said.

Welsh said that while he understands the animal lovers’ frustration, they are impeding authorities’ efforts to remove the animals.

“They’ve got to allow us to do our job,” Welsh said. “We’re on top of this.”

On Friday, several large dogs and pups were roaming the fenced property and livestock could be seen in a pen with an attached barn.

In the previous case involving Deutsch’s horses, animal control officials said authorities failed for months to heed their warnings that she needed to feed them more. When the horses were seized last year, several had become extremely emaciated and were living in poorly maintained stalls, authorities said.

Deutsch was charged in October with causing great bodily injury on an elderly person, court records show. Orange County sheriff’s officials began investigating Deutsch after she brought her 86-year-old mother, covered in urine and feces, to a hospital in Mission Viejo on Sept. 30. Deutsch told investigators she had left her mother outside on a chaise lounge for more than a week because she had refused to move or cooperate with efforts to help her, court records say.

Deutsch has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges, court records show.

(pe.com - Dec 31, 2012)

Earlier:

• Animal-cruelty suspect charged with elder abuse
• 16 horses seized from La Cresta ranch

12/23/12: Miracle boy's special day

NEW ZEALAND -- Last year, little Ozyris Beeching had "no Christmas".

The Bay of Plenty toddler suffered a vicious pitbull attack on Christmas morning, putting him in hospital with gaping wounds to his face. His mum still cries at the memory.

This year will be different. This year, the Beeching family plan to make up for a lost Christmas and a lost year by putting on a very special day for their special boy. He is their Christmas miracle.

And there will be plenty of presents for the 2-year-old.

"We had no Christmas last year so we have all the family coming here this time," says Tracy Beeching, his mother.

"Ozyris has been really spoiled. His brother and sister have bought him a little motorbike and we have a swing set we will put up on the day."

On the day of the attack, Ozyris had only just opened presents. The 15-month-old toddler wandered next door with his new toy lawnmower - and came within reach of a pitbull terrier.

The dog bit him on the stomach, then picked him up by the the head and tossed him in the air. Ozyris sustained serious wounds to his face and head - and his family feared for his life.

Tracy said she was still upset by the savageness of the attack and felt lucky to have Ozyris with her.

"It still brings tears to my eyes thinking about that day, seeing the scars above his eye and ear and across his forehead," she said.

"He has two teeth marks on the other side by his ear where the dog apparently picked him up."

Tracy said she would never forget seeing her son covered in blood and with with face "ripped up" and a gaping wound above his eye.

With family, she rushed Ozyris to Whakatane Hospital.

"We left straight away, there was no way we could wait for an ambulance - no way."

The dog that attacked Ozyris was destroyed the day after the attack but Tracy says the nightmare continued for her and her son.

"We had counselling for a few months after the attack and Ozyris would wake up a night screaming, 'No, no'."

Apart from that, Ozyris doesn't like to talk about it, beyond occasionally touching his head.

"Mamae", he says, which means "sore" in Maori.

Tracy is trying to help the physical scars heal.

"I rub vitamin E oil into the scars on his face a few nights a week to get them to fade but they are a constant reminder," she says.

The little boy is still very wary of dogs and is easily terrified when he hears dogs barking. When they walk down to the local SuperValue store, he stops as they pass the house where the attack happened, and asks his mother to pick him up. "Mummy, cuddle me."

So what about the emotional scars?

Tracy says she feels fortunate to have her son's extraordinary strength and warmth. When they get to the store, he chats with the women who work there, laughs, holds their hands ...

 "He is such a loving boy," his mum says gently. "So friendly and always wanting a cuddle."
 This Christmas, she says, will be special.

 She'll make sure of it.

(New Zealand Herald - Dec 23, 2012)

Earlier:

• Pit bull terrier savages toddler

12/27/12: Vicious pitbull attack

UNITED KINGDOM -- A man whose stomach was savaged by a suspected pitbull as he tried to visit a village shop has today spoken of his horrific ordeal.

John Hulls, 48, from Ingol, Preston, was viciously attacked as he visited the shop on his way home from work.

The incident comes as new figures from Preston Council show more than 1,800 escaped, dumped and suspected out-of-control dogs have been seized by enforcement officers in the city in the past six years.

Seized: Cash, a suspected pitbull

Mr Hulls was attacked by an animal that had been left tied up outside the Nisa convenience store, in Village Green Lane, Ingol, at the door and as Mr Hulls walked in the dog attacked him without being provoked.

He managed to pull away and was left with a number of injuries, but believes the attack would have been much worse if the dog had not been tied up.

Mr Hulls said following the attack, on December 3, concerned customers in the shop asked him if he was all right as blood started to seep through his top.

When he arrived home and saw the actual damage he had to go to the Royal Preston Hospital for treatment. He had the puncture wounds from the dogs teeth and severe bruising. He has to have his wounds dressed for a week and take a course of antibiotics.

He said: “ I confronted the dog owner in the shop and he basically said the dog was tied up, so it was not his responsibility. He didn’t even apologise.

“I’m glad action has been taken. If the dog had attacked a child at the height it bit my stomach, it would have been the child’s face or neck. It has made me a bit wary of dogs, I was never a great lover of them anyway.”

The Evening Post joined a team of six officers as they seized a dog from a terraced home on Tag Croft, Ingol. It is believed to belong to a window cleaner who lives at the address with other family members.

Two children watched from the window as the dog was led into a plastic crate and put into a waiting police van. Neighbours came out of their homes to watch and one man gave verbal abuse to police officers.

A short time later the dog’s owner returned home. He will be interviewed by police at a later date.

Two trained dog officers at the scene said the animal needed to be properly examined but the initial indications were that it was a pitbull - a banned breed.

The incident comes as official council figures show that upwards of 200 dogs are expected to be seized by council officers this year.

(lep.co.uk - Dec 27, 2012)

12/31/12: Owner moves to keep pit bull that attacked police horse from being euthanized

CALIFORNIA -- There was a last-minute push Monday to save a pit bull named Charlie that attacked a police horse in San Francisco from being euthanized.

Late Monday afternoon, the attorney for Charlie's owner obtained a federal restraining order preventing the dog from being euthanized.

The move came as the city has proposed another deal to spare the dog's life.

Charlie is a Staffordshire terrier, more commonly known as a pit bull. Last August at San Francisco's Crissy Field, Charlie attacked Stoney, a U.S. Park police horse.

He chased Stoney for more than a mile and a half, tearing gashes into the horse's legs.

"It's been portrayed of being afraid of the horse and being sort of typical dog behaviors, said San Francisco Animal Care & Control Director Rebecca Katz. Based on what we know of the incident, it's not typical to pursue a horse that you're afraid of for a mile and a half."

Charlie is being held by San Francisco Animal Control and has been facing death for months. His owner David Gizzarelli mounted an online campaign to raise public support for the dog.

"I saw the wounds but I'm not sure how they occurred, said Gizzarelli during a phone interview with KTVU. During that scuffle is that there were a lot of things that happened that were just like a combination of bad things that were bound to occur."

On the Monday deadline for Gizzarelli to formally surrender the dog, the city attorney's office said it would stay Charlie's death sentence and try to transfer him to a rescue or pet sanctuary.

"We're looking at that option, but we can't do anything unless he surrenders the dog. Charlie is still his property," said Katz.

Documents obtained by KTVU indicate Charlie was diagnosed with severe predatory behavior in an examination done by an independent veterinary behaviorist after the attack.

Gizzarelli describes Charlie as a typical family dog. Monday afternoon, he told KTVU he wasn't sure whether he'll legally surrender his pet.

"The record on this shows that they aren't capable of handling the situation, said Gizzarelli. The way they've been treating Charlie, the way they've been treating me."

A hearing on the dog's fate is set for January 11th in federal court.

(KTVU San Francisco - Dec 31, 2012)

Earlier:

• Owner of pit bull in attack on police horse says his dog isn't aggressive
• SFPD Statement on Decision in Vicious & Dangerous Dog Investigation

Man hospitalized after dog attack

GEORGIA -- A man attacked by dogs in Worth County is out of the hospital. 

39 year-old Michael Towell has been discharged from Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital after he sustained serious wounds to his arms, legs and hands.  

Worth County animal control officials say Towell was touring the property of a home off Woodcrest Road when three bulldog mixes attacked him. 

A neighbor shot and killed one of the dogs, the other was taken into custody.Animal control officials say the third dog that ran off has not been found, but they believe it died in the woods from a gunshot wound. 

The three dogs, along with four others had been tied up in the back of the house bordering the property that Towell was on. 

Officials believe the dogs chewed through their leashes. Charges are pending.
 
Worth County animal control officials are looking for a dog who attacked a man earlier Saturday.

The dog was just one seven that had been tied up outside for several days. Three of those dog escaped this afternoon and attacked a man who, sustained serious injuries.

Officials with the Sheriff's department say 39-year-old Michael Towell was touring the property of a home off Woodcrest Road when a pack of bulldog mixes came looking for trouble.

"Three dogs attacked him as he came out. They had a scuffle here on the ground," says Best Friends Humane Society Director Sherri Hendley.

That's when a nearby neighbor came to the rescue.

"I shot one of them. He ran off and then another one was standing there and I shot him," says neighbor Fleming Barfield.

One dog was killed and another badly wounded but not before Towell sustained serious injuries to his arms, legs, and hands.

"That guy was in terrible pain and he was eaten up from the feet to his waist," says Barfield.

Neighbors say the dogs were no strangers to the area. For at least a week now, the three dogs, along with four others, had been tied up in the back of the house bordering the property that Towell was on.

"We don't know how long the dogs have been here alone and we don't know how long they've been off the chain running loose," says Hendley.

Officials believe the dogs chewed through their leashes and Towell was just in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

"He is a pretty good size man, over 6'5 and he was unable to fend them off when he was biting them," says Hendley.

Best Friends Humane Society picked up the remaining dogs and took them back to the shelter where they will remain in custody for at least 10 days.

Deputies believe the owner of the dogs has been in Florida since Monday. And animal control officials say all seven dogs seemed to be malnourished. Charges are pending. Michael Towell is in Phoebe Putney Memorial hospital in fair condition.

 (WALB - Dec 30, 2012)

Dog attack gran returns to her home

UNITED KINGDOM -- A GRANDMOTHER who was left needing surgery twice after she was mauled by two dogs returned to her Oxford home for Christmas.

Sushil Giddy, 51, suffered deep bite wounds to her right arm after the attack in Aldebarton Drive, Barton, on Saturday, December 15.

Ms Giddy spent a week in Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital before going home on Friday, December 21.

Her daughter Natasha said she was “still shaky” and unwell after undergoing two surgeries under general anaethestic – including a skin graft.

She also said her mum was having regular check-ups at the hospital and could face another operation.

Pensioner Ken Deadman was bitten on his left arm in the same incident, spending nine hours in hospital.

After the attack, police arrested a 30-year-old man from Headington, Oxford, on suspicion of being in charge of a dangerously out-of-control dog that injured someone. He was released on bail until January 22.

The two dogs were seized by police and will be kept until the investigation is over.

(Oxford Mail - Dec 31, 2012)

Dog attack victim's family speaks out

GEORGIA -- Kristina Towell was looking at a prospective house on Saturday with her grandmother and husband, Michael, when three bulldogs from a neighboring house chewed through their leashes and attacked Michael.

"He was just screaming help me, help me, somebody help me, just help. Even after they were gone, he was just screaming help me,” said Towell.

 

Towell says she tried to chase the dogs away with her car while her grandmother dialed 911 but the biting continued for 10 minutes until a neighbor heard the honks and came outside with a gun.

"I said thank you, dear Lord and then he started shooting the dogs and I thought 'Oh, great! Thank you!' because I was really afraid for Mike,” said Kristina’s grandmother, Carole Huff.

Michael was able to hold one off one of the dogs long enough for the neighbor to take action, killing one and injuring another before it ran off into the woods.

The third was captured by the Best Friends Humane Society who [made excuses and] says there are a number of reasons, like being tied up without food or water, that can provoke an animal.

"Those things all factor into it, it's not just tying it up, it's what goes with the tying it up," said Best Friend’s president, Shelly McPhaul.

Michael received around 40 staples to the bites that covered his legs, arms and head. Kristina says although he was hurt, it could've been worse.

"I'm just very thankful it wasn't a small child or me or my grandmother out there ‘cause it could've really hurt somebody bad. My husband's a pretty tough guy and he held his ground pretty good.”

The remaining dog is quarantined at a Worth County facility until rabies tests come back. For now, Kristina says she's focusing on getting Michael better and how she should take legal action against the owner.

Both Huff and Towell say the accident could have been prevented had the dogs not been chained up and urge anyone with pets who show signs of aggression to take them for proper training. McPhaul says although dogs can be considered part of your family, they're still animals and can get angry.

Despite what happened, Kristina says now that the dogs are gone, she and Michael are still thinking of renting the house once he recovers.

(mysouthwestga.com - Dec 30, 2012)

IMPD shoots, kills dog after attack on animal control officer

INDIANA -- Indianapolis police fired three gunshots into a pit bull Saturday, killing the dog after he attacked an animal control officer and another person.

Two officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to the 2400 block of Asbury Street, where the dog’s owner lives, shortly after 5 p.m. Saturday. An IMPD report says they were responding to a request for help from the Animal Care and Control officer.

The dog had bitten ACC officer Michael Bonito several times, the report says, and was behind the house when the IMPD officers arrived.

Before the officers found Bonito, the report says, the white pit bull, with blood visible on him, charged at them. Officer Nicholas Hubbs fired his handgun, striking the dog in the neck.

The dog retreated behind the house, but the altercation wasn’t over.

After Hubbs and officer Jose Navarro helped Bonito, who was limping, Hubbs headed back toward the house, his IMPD-issued 12-gauge shotgun in hand.

The report says he found the dog behind the house, on the other side of a chain-link fence. The dog growled and showed his teeth. When the dog attempted to jump the fence, Hubbs fired twice, striking him in the neck and chest.

Those shots “ultimately destroyed the dog,” the report says.

No name was provided for the dog. ACC took his body into custody.

Bonito, the injured ACC officer, was treated at Wishard Memorial Hospital and released later Saturday, ACC spokesman Adam Garrett said Sunday.

The officer originally came to the house to take a report of an earlier bite by the dog Saturday morning.

“He’d gone out to get photos and a statement from the victim, and somebody had the animal in question contained in their car,” Garrett said.

When the dog was let out of the car, Garrett said, he attacked Bonito.

Garrett didn’t have further information about the earlier attack except to say that it was serious and that the victim, a woman, also needed treatment at Wishard. The dog’s owner, Michelle Gonzalez, was issued citations as a result, Garrett said. Gonzalez could not be reached for comment.

(indystar.com - Dec 30, 2012)

Vermilion Parish Sheriff defends his deputies for shooting pit bull

LOUISIANA -- Vermilion Parish Sheriff Mike Couvillon defends his two deputies who shot a charging pit bull last week.

On December 23, just after noon, deputies with the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a complaint regarding a leash law violation.

According to a report filed by the deputies, after speaking with the complainant, they received information that a dog belonging to Brittany Meche at 2825 Orangewood Drive of Abbeville, was loose and in violation of Vermilion Parish Ordinance 2008-O-37. The complainant further stated that the dog was seen running loose in the neighborhood often and growls at people.

 Deputies proceeded to the home of Meche to investigate the complaint. Upon speaking to Meche, it was verified that she did in fact own a white pit-bull dog but did not know if it was on a leash or not.
Deputies attempted to verify compliance with the parish leash law by looking around the home for the dog. Deputies observed a white pit-bull dog on the porch at the rear of the residence and in doing so, the dog jumped off the porch, running quickly toward the deputies barking and growling in an aggressive manner. Deputies shouted for Meche to restrain her dog, but the dog kept running toward the deputies barking loudly. Both Deputies drew their service weapons as a defensive and protective measure, firing a total of 7 shots at the approaching dog, striking it 3 times.

 The dog was brought to a local veterinarian clinic and treated for injuries.

 According to Sheriff Mike Couvillon, deputies have made at least three prior calls regarding complaints of a loose dog belonging to Meche (02/24/2010, 07/27/2010, and 01/11/2011).

“Our deputies understand that animals may get loose and subsequently pet owners may be found in violation of the parish leash law,” Couvillon said. “It is our practice to respond to and investigate these complaints and take appropriate actions, depending upon the circumstances (issuing a summons, filing of charges, having the animal picked up in cases of dog bites or if no owners can be found etc.). It is not our practice to shoot animals found to be in violation of this ordinance. However, our deputies are trained and authorized to use reasonable and necessary force to protect themselves from attack and/or injury, regardless of the type of threat.

“In this particular incident, I stand by my deputies and the actions used as a means to protect themselves from what appeared to be an aggressive pit-bull dog that was barking, growling and advancing upon them rapidly”, said the Sheriff.

Meche is being charged with Leash Law Violation which states that it is unlawful for any person to permit any dog owned by him or in his possession, or kept by him about his premises to roam at large on the public roads or public places, or on enclosed or unenclosed lands or other properties, unless such dog be in the immediate presence of the owner or keeper and under restraint.

(VermilionToday.com - Dec 30, 2012)

Dogs Rescued From Filthy Pen in Delco Yard

PENNSYLVANIA -- Animal Control officers rescued four badly malnourished dogs -- wet, cold and without water or food for up to a week -- from a locked mud-covered pen in Delaware County Thursday evening.

The mother, father and two pups, believed to be Cane Corsos, were found in the filthy pen outside a home on the Bailey Road in Yeadon, Pa.

NBC10 was the only news station there as Delaware County Animal Control officers served a search warrant to remove the animals from the miserable conditions.

According to Animal Control Officer Lisa Stewart the dogs were outside since last Friday.

"That's when we got the first complaint from the police stating they were out here. We did the follow-up. Posted notices, unfortunately nobody responded."

The dogs could have died if they remained outside another day or two.

Animal control said the owner is somewhere in Georgia and allegedly left a friend in charge of his dogs. Once the owner is found he could face animal cruelty charges.

"These dogs are starving," Stewart said. "They lunged at all the food we gave them. That means only one thing they haven't eaten in days."

Neighbor Alice Honeywell is glad to finally see the dogs go. She says back in July the older Cane Corsos attacked her and her dog.

"Tried to kill me, no question, mangled my leg, I'm still being treated for it [six months later]," said neighbor Alice Honeywell. "And my dog almost died."

Animal Control officers tranquilized the older dogs to keep them calm. After about two hours, all four were finally removed from the muddy mess and put in good hands at the Delaware County SPCA -- it's not clear what their future will be.

"I feel sorry for them," Stewart said "They could have had a better life."

(nbcphiladelphia - Dec 28, 2012)

June 2013 update to story: Details are odd. The most recent article says that authorities executed a warrant and removed two Cane Corsos from this same property, again being abused. Are these the same dogs? Did the owner ever get charged for cruelty for these starving dogs? Did he just go buy more Cane Corsos to breed them again? -- "'Very aggressive' Cane Corsos, cat removed from squalor by officials"

New York: Swaneka PJ Danzler, 21, charged with animal cruelty in puppy-dumping case

NEW YORK -- An Amityville woman has been charged with animal cruelty in the abandonment of two sick puppies in Riverhead Dec. 18.

The Suffolk County SPCA said Sunday SPCA officers have charged Swaneka P.J. Danzler (aka Swaneka Pertiece Danzler), 21, with animal cruelty. The SPCA said Danzler admitted to SPCA officers that she dumped the puppies at the Riverhead Animal Hospital on West Main Street about 1 a.m. on Dec. 18.

The two pit bull puppies, 10-12 weeks old, were found in a window well at the animal hospital. They had severe mange and were near death, SCPA Chief Roy Gross said.

[Other news reports say she dumped them down a six-foot deep window well and left them to die.]

They puppies were treated at the animal hospital and subsequently released to the town animal shelter. The North Fork Animal Welfare League then took custody of them.

One puppy died Christmas Day, but the other was expected to make a full recovery, according to NFAWL executive director Gillian Wood Pultz.

The Suffolk SPCA had posted a $2,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the crime. The humane organization increased the reward to $3,000 after the puppy died.

How many other people are named Swaneka P.J. Danzler?
Swaneka Pertiece Danzler
Arrest Age: 18 Years Old
Gender: F
Current Age: 21 Years Old
Birth Date: 3-13-1991
Weight: 130 lbs
Height: 5'07"
Race: B
City: CHARLOTTE, NC
Arrest Date: 3-24-2009

Charge 1
CHARGE: DAMAGE TO REAL PROPERTY
BOND: 500
Charge 2
CHARGE: BREAKING AND/OR ENTERING (MISDEMEANOR)-WITH FORCE
BOND: 2500

SCPA chief of operations Steve Laton said in a news release Danzler's apprehension was credited to "the diligent work of SPCA officers in the apprehension of" Danzler.

Editor's note: A criminal charge is an accusation. By law, a person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

(Riverhead Local - Dec 30, 2012)

Update:

• New York: Swaneka P.J. Danzler waited until her Pit Bull puppies were emaciated and covered in mange and then dumped them into a window well to die. One puppy died after being rescued. Yet today the judge gave her probation.
• New York: This is what happens when judges won't punish animal abusers. In the middle of the night, Swaneka Danzler threw two dying puppies six feet down into a window well and drove off. The judge gave her three years probation. Not even a year into her probation, she is arrested for assaulting a police officer.

Fundraiser set for 2-year-old mauled by pit bull

FLORIDA -- The photograph shows a cute 2-year-old girl, with a heart-shaped face, yellow flower in her auburn hair, smiling delightedly at the camera, a slight wrinkle in her perky nose.

Shelby Churey, daughter of Joe, 29, and Michelle Churey, 31, of Boynton Beach, already had modeling agencies seeking her out.

A little girl who loves Mickey and Minnie Mouse, her stuffed animals and rabbits, fingerpainting and riding a four-wheeler outdoors, Shelby is the Churey's only child and their pride and joy.

Last month her pretty face was mauled by a relative's pit bull.

The dog has since been euthanized.

"My father-in-law was holding her and Shelby was holding the dog's toy. We think the dog was trying to get his toy, but he attacked Shelby," Joe Churey said. "Her face and eyes were badly scratched and he took a chunk of skin from her cheek."

Shelby was rushed to JFK Medical Center and then to St. Mary's Medical Center where she stayed for 10 days and underwent a number of surgeries. She received many stitches in her face and surgery to repair the tear ducts in both eyes. Luckily, her eyesight is not permanently damaged, but she will need additional laser surgeries to minimize scarring to her face.

"Shelby needs one more laser surgery and possibly a skin graft. Because the insurance companies consider it cosmetic surgery, they do not want to cover the procedure," said Michelle Churey, a paramedic and nursing student at Palm Beach State College.

When she was notified of the accident Churey said, "I totally freaked out and went into shock.
Because of my training as a paramedic and nurse, I didn't get emotional. You have to be strong for your child. I felt like I was in a dream, that I would wake up and she'd have only a little scratch on her face."

"When I got to the hospital, it began to sink in. I'm a religious person. I was staring at her face and thinking how can God let something like this happen to my little princess?"

On Saturday, family and friends will have a fundraiser to help defray the medical costs of Shelby's surgeries.

Her uncle, Benny Townend, owner of Benny's Boynton Grill, will sponsor the family day event with activities, including a bounce house, barbecue, family portraits, a DJ, raffle and snow trucked in for the children.

"The community has been great and supportive and everyone is rallying around the Chureys, offering help and support," he said.

Shelby's prognosis is good, although her mother said she is left with a residual fear of dogs and of anyone wearing scrubs.

"When I try to put cream on her face she winces, 'it hurts too bad.' Shelby looks at herself in the mirror all the time and jokes, 'this is my monster face, this is my princess face.'"

How you can help

An account has been created for Shelby Churey at any Bank of America branch.

Benefit at Benny's Boynton Grill, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., 9803 S. Military Trail, Boynton Beach.
In January, Lake Clarke Beauty Salon, 1777 Florida Mango Road, will have Haircuts for Shelby. Call Kimberly Henderson at 561-967-3161.

(Sun Sentinel - Dec 29, 2012)

Earlier:

• Boynton Beach toddler recovering after pit bull bite to face

Alabama: Police officer Gregory Allen Scoggins, 47, fired... what's next for him?

ALABAMA -- Gregory Allen Scoggins, 47, a resident of Muscle Shoals, was terminated Thursday from that city's police department where he had worked since 2001. End of story?

It doesn't seem so. Scoggins will have the right to appeal, but our expert on police matters (infractions) says the Deshler High graduate's conduct was so unbecoming of an officer that there would be no chance of winning.

Apparently, after the misdemeanor charges relating to killing the deer on TVA property have been adjudicated, the ABI could assist Muscle Shoals in charging Scoggins with a felony.

We've been inundated with e-mails concerning Scoggins, running 15 to one in favor of, well, up to doing bodily harm to the man. We're not ever in favor of violence, but we have to admit those who are seeking to reclaim money given to Scoggins last summer are very vocal about it.

We usually consider a gift a gift, but we didn't contribute to the shamed officer. Yet most of us have given to someone who claimed to be in need only to find out we'd been scammed. Isn't it better to do that than not to give to someone who's in desperate need?

If anyone does wish to pursue any charges in connection to Scoggins' plea for money after his home burned, you should contact either the Colbert County District Attorney or the Attorney General's office in Montgomery.

 

We are still receiving a few communications stating Scoggins shot the deer for food. It seems Scoggins' wife left him two months ago, ostensibly citing cruelty, and the deer slayer had to set up housekeeping anew for the second time this year.

So, was he hungry? Since Scoggins now has only himself to feed, we doubt it. Many restaurants offer large discounts to armed police officers, some even providing free meals in exchange for the presence of such a crime deterrent.

What next for former Food World employee Greg Scoggins? Since he has approximately 23 years before he can claim a full retirement, we foresee a future asking about either choice of bags or french fries.

(Shoalana Speaks - Dec 29, 2012)

Earlier:

• Alabama: Muscle Shoals Police Officer Greg Scoggins Fired After Being Arrested, Accused Of Shooting Deer From Patrol Car

Mounties called heroes after saving dog from freezing water

CANADA -- Larry LaVallee, of Seaside Drive in Kippens, is calling several RCMP officers heroes after they rescued a dog from the freezing water of a pond near his home.

The mature golden retriever broke through the ice sometime between Boxing Day night and Thursday morning, before LaVallee spotted him from his bathroom window overlooking the pond.

Rose Madore, a receptionist with the West Coast Veterinary Clinic in Stephenville, said it looks like the dog will be OK after his ordeal.

The golden retriever was discharged to his owners, who were not identified but live on Kippens Road, on Thursday afternoon. Madore said they would be monitoring the dog for the next 24 hours.

Const. Kelsey Ford of the Bay St. George RCMP, said the owners reported the dog missing after they returned home late Wednesday night. They went out searching for their pet, but never found him.

LaVallee said it was shortly after 8 a.m. when he noticed something unusual towards the edge of the pond. He took a photo with his cellphone and, since the object wasn’t moving, thought it might be a box or something that blew onto the ice.

A short time later he looked out again and noticed the object moving, then discovered it was a dog on the other side of the pond. He said the dog looked like it was about to die, with its head down on the pond ice.

He then went to the next street over, Youngville Drive, to see if he could get to the dog. When the animal saw LaVallee he lifted up his head, but seemed to be frozen from the hips down.

Shortly after, the police officers that he’d called arrived.

Ford credited Const. Kris LeGresley for finding a path through the brush in order to grab the dog from the ice. The two officers took turns carrying the dog back to their vehicle and transported him to the veterinary clinic.

“These are heroes of the community,” said LeVallee of the police officers. “Despite doing a very long shift they were very respectful and worked really well together saving that dog’s life.”

(The Western Star - Dec 28, 2012)

12/20/12: Future uncertain for 2 dogs rescued from chained confinement

TENNESSEE -- Metro Animal Control wants to know who tied up two dogs and left them to fend for themselves.

Thursday morning, animal control officers were called to a dwelling behind Nashville Vehicles in the 1900 block of Elm Hill Pike, after an anonymous call about a suspected dog fight.

Instead of a dog fight, officers found two dogs nearly bound together and desperate to get free from a tangled mess of chain and wire.

"The chain had got wrapped around the runner, and the poor dog couldn't move," said Metro Animal Control Field Supervisor Billy Biggs. "He couldn't get back to his dog house. He couldn't go anywhere."

Biggs told Nashville's News 2 the pit bull mixes are two to four years old and appear to be in good health. Despite one dog escaping the bind, the overall conditions were unacceptable.

"He was confined to that one little spot, and you know, you just can't do that," he said.

The owner, who has not yet been identified, is believed to live in the dwelling where the dogs were found. Attempts to find the owner were unsuccessful on Thursday. Animal cruelty charges are pending.

"Right now, the owner faces an environmental court citation. There's no jail time involved, but there is a fine and court costs if he's found guilty," said Biggs.

Guilty or not, the judge could allow the owner to get his dogs back. However, if the owner does not reclaim them, the dogs may not survive.

Due to concerns over safety and illegal activity, pit bull breeds cannot be adopted from animal control.

"We do make exceptions sometimes for animals," Biggs said. "These two appear to be really friendly. Hopefully, they would let us get 'em to a rescue."

Rescue groups must meet certain requirements to take over the care of animal control seized pit bulls.
Prior to Thursday's seizure of the dogs on Elm Hill Pike, there were no previous complaints about that location to Metro Animal Control.

Biggs also noted the department's efforts to educate animal owners who violate local laws.

"We don't just give them a citation," he said. "We like to educate them and show them the proper way and give them a copy of the laws."

A court date for the case cannot be set until the owner is found.

(WKRN - Dec 20, 2012)