(December 2017) Oklahoma: Veterinarian removes 21 baby pacifiers from Shar Pei’s stomach

OKLAHOMA -- A veterinarian in Oklahoma has quite a tale to tell after removing 21 pacifiers from a dog's stomach.

The veterinarian at Gentle Care Animal Hospital said he had to share the story because "this was the most fascinating and exciting surgery I have ever done..."

A local couple recently had a baby and were wondering what was happening to all of their child's pacifiers.

One day, the child's grandmother saw the dog, Lovey Dovey, jump up on the counter and take off with one.

The couple told the veterinarian that Dovey had slowed down her eating and had been vomiting a little phlegm for a few days, but other than that, they said the dog seemed fine and that they hadn't noticed any other changes.

When Dovey vomited up a pacifier one day, the couple decided it was time to take the dog in for an x-ray, according to the hospital's Facebook post.

 

Judging from the x-ray, the local veterinarian believed there were between 7 to 9 pacifiers in the dog's stomach.

However, during surgery, the veterinarian found 21 pacifiers in the dog's stomach!

Fortunately, Dovey is doing great and gets to go home today, the veterinarian told KFOR.

"Dog’s will eat anything, anytime and at any age so always be watching!!!" the veterinarian posted to Facebook.

 

 

So fair warning, some people may find the following series of photos disturbing!! I have to show them for two reasons, first, this was the most fascinating and exciting surgery I have ever done or my staff has ever been a part of. We love Dovey, and she is doing GREAT post op. Dr. Dad (who incidentally sutured my forehead together last year when the leaf blower fell off the shelf in the garage onto my face!!!) and Mom recently had their second beautiful child but were having a missing binkie dilemma, then grandma saw Dovey jump up on a counter and take off with one. She recently had slowed down her eating and vomited a little phlegm for a few days but other than that was acting fine. When she vomited up a binkie, plus the story from grandma, dad brought her in for an x-ray. You can see the binkie’s stacked up in the stomach, we counted 7-9. Well......by the end of surgery we had pulled 21 out of her stomach. That is the second, and most important, reason I am sharing these photo’s. Dog’s will eat anything, anytime and at any age so always be watching!!! Thank Dr Dad and Mom for letting me share this with clients!!

 

VIDEO NEWS CLIP:

(Fox5 San Diego - December 11, 2017)

Related:

• Virginia: A Virginia Beach dog ate 7 corn cobs, and they nearly took her life — until a charity stepped in
• United Kingdom: Malamute rushed to vet's office after eating box of chocolates. Then they find out he's also got FIVE dog toys in tummy
• Oregon: Vet removes 43-1/2 socks from Great Dane's stomach
• United Kindgom: Labrador puppy Gypsy undergoes emergency surgery after X-ray revealed she had swallowed piece of cutlery
• United Kingdom: Pit Bull puppy swallows EIGHT INCH kitchen knife - and survives life saving surgery
• United Kingdom: Family's Chocolate Labrador has to have 79 stones removed from his stomach after eating them during walk on the beach

Florida: Man sues woman claiming her Bobcat attacked him; wildlife officer shows up and finds just a regular housecat

FLORIDA -- Christine Lee wants the world to know she does not own a bobcat.

She spent much of Thursday fending off phone calls from friends and news reporters who had learned of a lawsuit alleging she does.

The civil complaint claims a bobcat attacked a contractor who entered her home on the 18th floor of the Skypoint Condominiums in downtown Tampa.

That man, Marcos Hernandez, is suing Lee and the Skypoint Condominium Association for unspecified damages he says he suffered as a result of a creature clawing his arms, according to court and police records.

But the feline in question is not a bobcat, Lee demonstrated Thursday. Rather, Calli is a domestic long-haired cat with a fluffy mane of black, brown, blond and gray.

"How he could even think this was a bobcat, I don’t know," Lee said as she cuddled Calli. "He must not know cats."

Calli was a kitten when Lee rescued her from a salvage yard in Georgia about four years ago. She lives with Lee, her husband, Rex, and a black cat named Max.

*  *  *  *  *  *

The incident at the center of Hernandez’s civil complaint happened May 16. Hernandez visited the apartment to conduct a scheduled fire safety inspection, Lee said. He arrived about noon, earlier than she expected.

"All I know is he was in here alone and he must have startled her," Lee said.

Upon entering, Hernandez was scratched, he reported. Tampa police records state that he was bleeding and was taken to Tampa General Hospital.

Lee arrived home at 12:40 p.m., after Hernandez had left, she said.

Calli was near the front door. Max, who also looks nothing like a bobcat, was in a bedroom.

Condo rules require owners to be present when an inspection is conducted or cage their animals, Lee said. But she said she didn’t expect the inspection to occur until late afternoon. She was surprised upon her return to learn that Calli had attacked the man.

The next day, an employee with Hillsborough County’s Pet Resource Center visited and photographed Calli. Lee was cited for not having Calli’s rabies certification readily available, but she later produced it.

That was the end of it. Until the lawsuit.

A flurry of media reports Thursday brought Lee to tears. Calli hissed at a reporter who came to visit.

"I’m agitated, and she’s agitated," Lee said.

Among her visitors Thursday were officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. A spokeswoman confirmed the agency was looking into the matter. Lee said they would put out a statement.

 

"They were like, ‘Really?’?" she said. "I said ‘You’re welcome to investigate the premises and see that I don’t have a bobcat.’"

Lee doesn’t know what to make of the lawsuit. She has yet to hire a lawyer.

"It’s not a wild animal," she said. "It’s just a cat."

She's lucky her cats didn't end up dead. This guy could've gotten mad, chased them around the condo, stomped them, beat them and killed them. 

If possible, never let anyone in your home when you're not home. And even when you're home, keep your pets closed off in a separate room until that person is gone. Of course, meter readers usually come during the day when everyone is at work so there's always a risk if your pets are where the meter is located... 



Texas: Homeowner calling for changes after Entergy worker pepper sprays her dogs



Iowa: Woman says repairman beat her small Poodle mix; prosecutors refuse to file animal cruelty charges




Texas: CenterPoint worker caught on tape taunting, then beating customers' dogs



North Carolina: Plumber is fired from PF Plumbing for viciously kicking client's dog in the face, but what about the coworker who saw it and never told his employer what this guy had done???



Texas: Entergy utilities employee caught on camera pepper spraying small dog


(Tampa Bay Times - January 4, 2018)

Ohio: Woman selling her dog allows couple to "try it before you buy it". Now, says the seller, they won't pay her or give the dog back

Note: I'm tired of all this "rehoming" and "adopting" nonsense. Stop with the craigslist semantics, people. You're selling your dog. There's nothing wrong with simply saying that. 

OHIO -- A complicated canine case out of Stark County, where a dog trainer is planning to take legal action against a couple she said kept the dog she was trying to adopt out sell -- without paying for it.

Tricia Michel, a dog trainer, wanted to sell “re-home” or adopt out a German Shepherd named Dago that she said was given to her by its owner and that she had trained in the past.

After putting up an ad that received more than a dozen inquiries, Michel said an interested couple came to her home to meet the dog. She liked them so much, she offered to let them keep Dago for two nights to see if he would be a good fit for their family.

When she reached out about the $350 SALE PRICE re-homing fee, Michel said the couple wanted to negotiate it down to $175.

She refused and asked that the dog be returned. She said she then didn't hear back from the couple.

“In the back of my mind, I’m thinking, did they ship him away somewhere? Has he bitten someone? Have they euthanized him? There are so many different scenarios that could have happened that I know nothing about,” Michel said.

Michel said the purebred German Shepherd was initially purchased for $3,000.

Under state law, a dog is considered property, so when Michel went to file a police report with Jackson Township Police earlier this week, she was initially told it was a civil matter, not a criminal case.

Police told News 5 Friday that they were now completing a police report and sending it to the prosecutor’s office to determine if any criminal charges would be filed.

Seems to me it's no different than if you let someone test drive a car you were selling and they drove off, kept the car and refused to pay you. That's theft - not a civil matter.

Meanwhile, the couple has said that Michel is not the dog's original owner and that the dog's original owner signed a "bill of sale" for $0. 

They have also retained an attorney.

"Basically, it comes down to the fact that it wasn't her dog," the couple told News 5. "The owner signed the bill of sale, the owner signed the AKC papers."

Stark County Dog Warden Jon Barber said it is a reminder to everyone to make sure you get things in writing — or get the cash upfront.

“Make sure you have something contractual, something on paper, something that is signed,” Barber said.

Michel said she has also retained an attorney and plans to pursue the matter in civil court.

“All I want is the dog back,” Michel said. “I don’t want money, I don’t want to press charges, all I want is the dog back.”

(News5Cleveland - Dec 15, 2017)

Illinois: Ten-hour standoff between cops, 3-foot lizard ends peacefully

ILLINOIS -- A 3-foot pet lizard held authorities at bay for more than 10 hours Wednesday after it holed up in a storm drain in Yorkville.

By the time the 6-year-old female lizard was finally secure, it was about 9 p.m., said Yorkville police Deputy Chief Terry Klingel.

Yorkville police responded to a "found animal" report at 10:36 a.m. Wednesday near Cannonball Trail and Fairhaven Drive.

The monitor lizard, which has not been named, had been in a drainage ditch "basking in the sun," police said in a statement.

When an officer saw the lizard, it immediately retreated into a storm drain, police said.

Considering the "possible territorial and aggressive nature" of the animal, and how close it was to residential homes, authorities decided they should to try to get it out of the drain safely, according to a news release from the Police Department.

Monitor lizards typically live on islands in the southwest Pacific, Australia, Africa south of the Sahara, and south and southeast Asia, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. Monitors include 50 species that can range from 8 inches to 10 feet long, and most are carnivorous, according to the encyclopedia.

Klingel said he had no clue about the monitor's species.

Officials with the Department of Natural Resources, Kendall County Animal Control and the Bristol Kendall Fire Department became involved, making what police described as "numerous attempts to extract the lizard" as the day wore on.

"Multiple times, the lizard came within inches of the openings only to re-enter the storm drain and avoid capture," police stated.

Following a series of failed attempts, the team tried a new strategy, blocking off one side of the drain pipe and setting a live trap on the other side, police stated.

Meanwhile, as many as 30 people had gathered to watch the activity, Klingel said.

"Once all the excitement calmed down and most individuals were gone, the lizard emerged," police said in the statement.

The live trap caught the lizard without hurting it, police said.

A qualified zoologist cared for the lizard until its owner showed up, reportedly unaware of how it got away, according to the statement.

Authorities determined the lizard was legally owned and appropriately housed in Illinois. Police said no charges had been filed against the owner, and the investigation is ongoing.

Laura Pawson, director of Kendall County Animal Control, said during her time on scene, she barely caught a glimpse of the lizard when its head peeked out from the drain.

Animal Control doesn't deal with lizards much, and handling this one involved a lot of brainstorming among the agencies who responded, Pawson said. They considered some kind of trap early on, but worked out other ideas while waiting on equipment, she said.

"It was more about trying to be patient, trying to wait for (it) to pop (its) little head up and see if we could possibly maybe get (it) with a catch pole," Pawson said.

Though the situation was unusual, it wasn't stressful and turned out to be a good learning experience, Pawson said. She said there is certainly one thing she learned from the situation.

"I guess there is no quick way to get something out of a drain if it doesn't want to come out," Pawson said.

(Chicago Tribune - August 31, 2017)

Wisconsin: Shoppers at grocery store get a surprise when small deer runs through automatic doors into store

WISCONSIN -- Employees at a northeast Wisconsin Festival Foods store got a special visitor Monday evening.

 

According to a Facebook post, a deer walked through the Wine & Spirits Department.

Associates and guests formed a "human fence" to usher the little guy out an emergency exit door.

SURVEILLANCE VIDEO:

(NBC 26 - July 11, 2017)

California: Patti Guy speaks with police about the killing of three dogs at Vonna Hughes' pet boarding facility; investigation ongoing

CALIFORNIA -- PATTI GUY, the woman wanted in connection with the situation at the pet bath house in Angels Camp turned herself into Angels Camp Police custody on Thursday, July 13, but an arrest was not made.

Guy was interviewed twice, and leads were investigated following the interview, but a decision was made not to place her under arrest at this time.

The investigation remains open, and the location of Steven Mendoza's three dogs remain unknown. According to Angels Camp police, Guy will remain a suspect in this case.

Original Story (Monday, July 10):

An Angels Camp woman was arrested and another is wanted by the Angels Camp Police Department on suspicion of allegedly killing three dogs under the care of her kennel, according to officials.

The owner of the dogs contacted Angels Camp police on Friday, July 7, and reported that he believed his dogs were illegally killed while under the care of VONNA HUGHES, 68, co-owner of the Pet Bath House boarding and grooming facility on Main Street, in Angels Camp, California.

  

 

Previous to moving his dogs to the Pet Bath House, the owner of the dogs boarded them at a kennel in Valley Springs, where they stayed for 18 months after the owner lost his home in the Butte Fire. According to police, he visited the dogs on a regular basis, but in mid-June he was advised that the dogs were showing signs of “kennel stress” and would have to be moved.

Police report that the victim moved the dogs to the Pet Bath House on June 21. Eight days later he received a call from Hughes, who advised him that the dogs escaped and got into a fight with another dog and needed veterinary attention.

 

 

Hughes then asked the victim to compensate her for the ensuing veterinary bills, which the victim did.

Why is she making the owner pay the bills? It's her fault the dogs escaped and either got into a fight with another dog or was attacked by another dog and was injured.

A second-incident was reported to the dog’s owner on July 1. Hughes allegedly told the owner of the dogs that they were involved in another fight, this time causing injuries to the other dogs and Hughes as well.

A day later, Hughes allegedly called the dog owner again to notify him that the three dogs were “put down” due to aggressive behavior and indicated to the victim that police were involved in the matter.

On July 4, Angels police obtained the information and an investigation commenced. It was discovered that Hughes allegedly provided false details to Calaveras County Animal Services regarding the status of the dogs and the severity of the injuries. According to Angels police, the victim’s call was the first call they received on the matter.

According to officials, Hughes initially told Animal Services that the dogs were returned to the custody of the owner. She later advised police that the dogs were released.

However, it was discovered that Hughes arranged for a third party to “take care” of the dogs. Angels Camp police later identified 60-year-old, PATTI GUY as being involved in the alleged slayings.

Thus far, PATTI GUY has been uncooperative in the investigation and is currently wanted for charges related to animal abuse, including killing, maiming or abusing animals and stealing or defrauding animals.

VONNA HUGHES was arrested and booked into Calaveras County Jail on multiple charges related to animal cruelty, animal neglect, theft of an animal and conspiracy.

At this time, it is unknown if the dogs are alive or dead, nor the location of the dogs. The investigation is still ongoing.

According to the police press release, the investigating officer believes that the three dogs have been killed in a felonious manner and is currently attempting to gather additional information.

If you happen to see Patti Guy, do not approach or attempt to detain her, police said. Instead, report her location to Angels Camp Police Department by calling 736-2567.

 

 

 

Photos from her Facebook page 

(Calaveras Enterprise - July 13, 2017)

North Carolina: Jonas Dellinger, 24, arrested for falsifying an animal's pedigree

Full Name: Jonas Kelly Dellinger
Gender: Male
Race: White
Arrest Age: 24
Date: 07/13/2017
Location: Lincoln County, North Carolina
Charge
#1 OBTAIN PROP BY FALSE REPRESENTING ANIMALS PEDIGREE

PREVIOUS KNOWN ARRESTS:

January 6, 2012
"Jonas Kelly Dellinger, 18, charged after deputies find runaway"
A 15-year-old girl who ran away from her west Lincolnton County foster home was found safe in Burke County, officials said Friday.

Burke deputies located Molly Eileen Hill at 18-year-old Jonas Kelly Dellinger's 3256 Music Mountain Road, Morganton home on Friday, according to a Lincoln County Sheriff's Office press release. Her foster family reported her missing from their 800 block of North NC 18 Highway home at 2:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Dellinger was arrested Friday and charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

According to the release, the warrant alleges that Dellinger "unlawfully and willfully did knowingly aid Molly Eileen Hill by providing shelter and assistance for the juvenile as a runaway."

His first appearance is Feb. 22.

The release says Hill was on her way back to Lincoln County where Detective Matt Burgess was seeking a secure custody warrant. She will be turned over to juvenile authorities.

*  *  *  *  *   *

July 29, 2016
Jonas Kelly Dellinger, 23, of 2981 NC 126, in Morganton, was charged with one misdemeanor count each of simple worthless check, probation violation, harassing phone calls and eleven counts of misdemeanor failure to appear or comply. He was transported to Burke-Catawba jail and placed under a $15,000 secured bond. He was also issued an additional $50,300 in secured bonds and $300 in cash bonds. His trial date was set for Sep. 6.

*  *  *  *  *  *

November 7, 2016
Jonas Kelly Dellinger, 23, sentenced to for being a pathetic thief
A Morganton man will serve time in prison for breaking and entering and writing bad checks.

Jonas Kelly Dellinger, 23, of Morganton, pleaded guilty last week to felony breaking or entering, felony larceny, felony failure to appear and multiple counts of obtaining property by false pretense during Burke County Superior Court.

Superior Court Judge Dan Kuehnert sentenced Dellinger to serve three to seven years in prison with an additional suspended sentence of 10-21 months, with 60 months of supervised probation when he is released from prison, according to a release from District Attorney David Learner’s office.

Kuehnert also ordered Dellinger pay back nearly $6,000 in restitution to the victims of his crimes.

The release said on April 7, 2015, Dellinger broke into a storage shed and stole a generator belonging to his landlord. Detectives were able to trace the generator to a local pawn shop where it had been pawned by Dellinger, the release said.

Over the course of several weeks in April and May 2015, Dellinger visited several local businesses and cashed checks made out to himself from his purported business account, one that had been closed for a while, according to the D.A.’s office. The District Attorney’s Office said Dellinger received several thousand dollars from the illegal transactions.

Dellinger also failed to appear for a scheduled session of Burke County Superior Court in July, while out on pre-trial release, the D.A.’s office says.

Detectives Burton Wilbur and Caleb Mace of the Burke County Sheriff’s Office investigated the cases jointly with Casey Kinard of Morganton Department of Public Safety. Chris Back handled prosecution for the District Attorney’s Office.

Oregon: Joseph Sallman opens fire on his friend, injures him, shoots and kills his dog and a stray bullet kills a camel at an animal refuge

OREGON -- A man who fired dozens of rounds from a rifle and wounded a former friend he was feuding with also shot and killed a camel at a nearby animal rehabilitation center in southwestern Oregon, officials and witnesses said.

Joseph Carl Sallman of Grants Pass opened fire on July 1 near a group of cabins where he lived south of Cave Junction, Oregon State Police officials and witnesses said.

Across the Redwood Highway is the Tiger Preservation Center, where Camille the camel had lived for two years. One of the rounds struck the one-humped dromedary above the eye, said Robert Ringo, who runs the center.

Ringo said five or six bullets came close to him and other employees.

"We all heard bullets coming through the trees, and we heard one ricochet off of metal," he said. "We were trying to see where the shots were coming from."

He later found the camel lying wounded in the hay. Due to the holiday weekend, Ringo said he was unable to have a veterinarian look at Camille.

The camel died two days later.

Another bullet struck John LaRue, a resident of a trailer near the cabins who told the Daily Courier that he and Sallman were friends who'd had a falling out over two pistols LaRue had taken from him.

LaRue said Sallman starting shooting as LaRue drove past him in his truck.

LaRue said that he was sore, but recovering from his wound, and that his service dog had also died in the shooting.

Sallman, 30, was arrested on July 4 in Selma and charged with attempted murder, two counts of unlawful use of a firearm and one count of menacing.

He has not entered a plea, and is expected to appear in court on Wednesday.

Pete Smith, Sallman's court-appointed attorney, confirmed to The Associated Press that Sallman and LaRue knew each other.

"They had had a physical altercation in a dispute over the ownership of some firearms," Smith said.

(ABC News - July 10, 2017)