Four legged friends (and enemies): cat cruelty

Showing posts with label cat cruelty. Show all posts

Sunday, April 1, 2018

Rhode Island: Accused animal abuser Rachel Duarte (Rachel Gouveia) was allowed to keep a cat that she claimed was her son's therapy pet. Now she's claiming a seized dog is also his therapy pet

RHODE ISLAND -- Back in January, East Providence Animal Control seized dozens of animals from Rachel Duarte (Rachel Gouveia)'s 26 Floyd Avenue home, including 22 cats and 20 dogs. There has been no mention of her husband Bryan Duarte being charged as well even though he was also living in the residence.

Conditions at the house were so poor that the house was condemned on the spot by a building inspector.

Al Quattrucci, the city’s building inspector, said Duarte tried to attack him and police when he told her he was condemning the house, but an officer “picked her up and dropped her like a missile into the snowbank.”

Duarte pleaded not guilty to 17 counts of animal cruelty and 365 counts of operating as a breeder and pet shop without a license, which is one count for each day of 2017.

Now she's taking her case online, posting on a Facebook group known for having a rule which says no one is allowed to find fault with anyone charged with animal cruelty. In their world, (alleged and convicted) animal abusers are all innocent (or fault-free due to being 'overwhelmed') and are being railroaded by corrupt officials and law enforcement. In the court of public opinion, this is who Duarte is appealing her case to. That says a lot.

Also, in an earlier article it was said that Duarte was allowed to keep one cat that she claimed was her autistic son's therapy pet. Well now she's claiming that a dog is his actual therapy pet and she's wanting people to give her money in an effort to get it back. What about the cat? Was she lying to police when she claimed it was a 'certified therapy animal'?

Check out all the amazing things she claims to have trained the dog to do including guarding the teen when he has an 'episode'. That will not end well if a situation occurs where police respond because this 6'1" teen is in a rage about something and this dog turns vicious; it will end up shot and killed. Of course to worry about this scenario, I'd have to believe she really trained this dog to do all of these things- which I don't.

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Help Bring Luna Sevice Dog Home
Created March 29, 2018
Rachel Gouveia
Animals
GREENVILLE, RI

Meet Luna she is a Louisiana Catahula Leopard dog and she is very special. You see my 14 year old son is autistic and she is his service dog. I trained this dog to aide my child in going out into stressful public situations. Children with autism as many know are easily overwhelmed by the world around them.

Luna's tasks included physically blocking my son when he attempted to elope she acted as a living weighted support if he had an episodes she could block strangers from inadvertently stepping in meaning to help but making the anxiety much worst as well as her physical weight acting as a grounding weighted vest. She could sense his anxiety rising and would alert me and lean into him to provide support. She can help nudge him forward if he freezes and can not move dew to stress. She was ti start training in tracking as well to track his scent in the event he did elope so he could be quickly and safely found.

On January 12th our life was turned upside down our home raided with out a seizure warrent or search warrent. Our beloved pets ripped out of my husband and daughters arms. Many are still being held awaiting my trial. They are beloved pets with vet records that go all the way back to when they were babies. My own dog an adopted french bulldog is also there. They are the only 2 dogs we own both are spayed and up to date.

The loss of Luna has severely restricted my son being able to goto stores movies parks and such. I am trying to raise $3,500 to pay an additional lawyer to represent Luna and her friends so they may return home as soon as possible. My son needs his service dog back and he needs her back now!

Earlier:

Friday, March 30, 2018

Rhode Island: Cat dies while being groomed at Petco in Providence

RHODE ISLAND -- A cat died while being groomed at Petco's University Heights location in Providence, Eyewitness News has learned.

A Facebook post by a relative of the pet's owner said the office cat, named Cloudy, suffered from potential hypothermia (or hyperthermia aka heat exhaustion) and died hours later after going into cardiac arrest at a local veterinary hospital.

Petco, University Heights

The post said Petco told the owner around 11:15 a.m. on Feb. 26 that Cloudy and another cat were being dried. By 1:30 p.m. Cloudy was being rushed to the vet, according to the post.

"I was horrified," said Maureen Sullivan, who saw the Facebook post and was one of dozens who shared it. "Not only was it horrific for you to take your beloved animal in for grooming and have that happen, I just can't even comprehend how that could happen and how a cat could almost freeze to death during a grooming."

In a statement to Eyewitness News last week, a Petco representative said, "All of us at Petco are deeply saddened by Cloudy's passing."

"The health and safety of pets is always our top priority and we take this situation very seriously," Petco's statement continued. "We take full responsibility for all animals in our care, and we're conducting a thorough investigation to understand everything we can about Cloudy's time with us. Our thoughts are with Cloudy's family during this very difficult time."

Rhode Island State Veterinarian Scott Marshall said he's skeptical the cat could have died from hypothermia, or low body temperature, in a facility where the temperature is comfortable for customers and workers. Although he said he does not know the specifics of the incident, he believes it's more likely the cat overheated while being dried.

"If the condition was hyperthermia, that could be more easily explained," Marshall said in an email. "Overheating in a grooming facility has been reported as a cause of death for animals. Typically, this happens when a dryer is attached to the cage the animal is kept in."

Marshall said cats and dogs don't sweat the way humans do, and can succumb in a matter of minutes if the temperature is hot enough.

"Normally cats have a temperature around 101 (100-102), anything above 103 is high and anything over 105 can be life threatening," he said. "This can happen from application of a hair dryer."

Eyewitness News reached out to Petco on Friday for an update on the investigation into the animal's death, but did not immediately hear back.

Officials at the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RISPCA) said they were alerted of Cloudy's death and conducted their own investigation, but found no criminal wrongdoing. RISPCA said the cat's owners did not want to have a necropsy performed.

Cloudy is the third Rhode Island animal to die while being groomed in the past year, according to RISPCA. Last March, a 5-year-old Pug named Ollie died while being groomed at the Petco in Middletown. Another dog died last year at a groomer in Warren after it hanged itself while tethered to a grooming table, according to RISPCA.

Currently, local grooming facilities do not need to be licensed by the state, but a bill introduced by House Majority Leader Joe Shekarchi seeks to change that.

The proposal would require groomers and grooming facilities to pay an annual fee of $25 to register with the state. The bill would also require them to obtain certification based on standards approved by the Rhode Island Professional Pet Groomers' Association. Shekarchi, a Warwick Democrat, introduced a similar bill in 2013 and 2017, but it was held for further study.

"There were a lot of people who thought I was trying to add a new licensing requirement or regulation on small businesses and that was not the intent," said Shekarchi, who told Eyewitness News the bill has been completely re-written this session. He said the goal is to have groomers go through some sort of training, whether it be online, an apprenticeship or a formal course. He said he knows the vast majority of groomers are competent and caring people, but he feels there needs to be a formal standard.

"Anybody can hold themselves out there as a groomer," said Joe Warzycha, director of operations at the RISPCA. "I can say tomorrow I'm a groomer and operate out of my basement."

Warzycha, a former animal cruelty officer, is in favor of training and licensing for individual groomers.

"The issues we're having are not necessary about the facility," he said. "It's more about the level of care that is or is not being provided to the animals while they're there."

Petco said its workers "follow very clear policies and procedures in our grooming salons to ensure accountability, safety and satisfaction for our grooming partners, pet parents and the pets in our care, and we take pride in having the highest standards of animal care and safety in the industry."

Petco said it grooms millions of pets each year, and "the total number of these incidents make up less than a fraction of a fraction of a percent - but even that is unacceptable to us." The company said it works with outside experts to implement best practices.

"Accidents happen," Warzycha said. "And as unfortunate as they are - and I certainly don't mean to downplay the significance of any of these issues - there are a lot of reputable groomers out there. Like anything else, do your research. And I think that part is where licensing could possibly be a benefit."

(WPRI 12 Eyewitness News - March 16, 2018)

PETSMART horror stories:

Other pet store/grooming store business horror stories:

In the video, it appears that she punches
the dog several times when it
innocently it pulls its paw away from her.

Sunday, March 4, 2018

Missouri: Kyle Williams, 18, and Jordan Hall, 19, are jailed for four years after posting a video of themselves laughing while killing a kitten by dragging it behind their car

** WARNING: There is a graphic photo of the cat at the end of this post **

MISSOURI -- Two Missouri men who sparked outrage by tying a kitten to a car's bumper and dragging it to its death were sentenced Friday to prison.

Kyle Williams, 18, also from Branson, was sentenced to four years for animal abuse and three years for armed criminal action, to be served consecutively after posting footage of his cat's death to Facebook.

Jordan Hall, 19, of Branson was also sentenced to four years behind bars for animal abuse.

According to the Taney County, Missouri prosecutor's office, Williams will also serve five years for 'possession of a weapon in a county jail, relating to the sharpening of a spork into a 'shank'.'

The two had plead guilty to animal abuse charges, after the horrifying incident.
It started last June when, according to court documents, a video was posted to a private Facebook group.

'Keep going. Don't stop. He's almost dead.'
The video shows a gold Jeep accelerating while people laugh and watch the kitten's plight, with one person filming the incident from the trunk.

The kitten's tiny legs couldn't keep up with the SUV, and after being dragged for several laps, the little animal lay dead on the asphalt.

"Dude, kill his ass," one person says in the video after the cat appears to lose strength and start bleeding.

At one point, the vehicle stops, and the people behind the camera discuss the "semi-alive" kitten's vitality and whether to "slam (the cat) into the ground, kill him."

"Should we put him out of his misery?" one person asks.

In response, the vehicle speeds up and the laughs start again.

Later in the video, the SUV stops and starts once more. A person in the trunk can be seen jerking on the rope so the kitten goes airborne and bounces off the pavement.

The kitten was in bad shape at the end of the video. Before the camera cuts off, one person continues jerking the rope to move the dying cat's head up and down like a macabre marionette.

"Shake your head for me if you're dead," the person says.

The video showing the torture death of the cat is nearly five minutes long.

According to the Kansas City Star, members of the group Cellulites: Salvation 'were furious after he allegedly posted a photo of himself next to the tortured, bloodied kitten, one eye popped out of its head, the newspaper reported.

The caption allegedly read, 'Try to guess how I killed my cat, bet you can't.'

Members of the private group then figured out who Williams was through his social media activity, and contacted police.

'He posted it in the wrong group,' one group member wrote. 'Animal cruelty is not okay.'

After the sentencing, Taney County prosecutor, Jeff Merell thanked the people who reported the crime, posting on Facebook.

He said: 'We are satisfied with the sentences handed down today by the Judge for this senseless act of depravity against a helpless kitten. We appreciate the help of good Samaritans in our digital community in reporting this crime as it might have gone unpunished without their assistance.'

(Daily Mail - March 4, 2018)

Earlier:

Thursday, February 15, 2018

Rhode Island: Rachel Duarte (Rachel Gouveia) pleads not guilty to running illegal pet shop

RHODE ISLAND -- A woman accused of illegally breeding and selling dogs out of her East Providence home faced a judge Wednesday.

Rachel Duarte (aka Rachel Gouveia), 40, of Riverside, pleaded not guilty to 17 counts of animal cruelty and 365 counts of operating as a breeder and pet shop without a license, which is one count for each day of 2017.

East Providence Animal Control last month seized dozens of animals from Duarte's Floyd Avenue home, including 22 cats and 20 dogs. Conditions at the house were so poor the house was condemned on the spot by a building inspector.

Of the 20 dogs, 17 were puppies. Some of those puppies were infected with parvovirus, which caused the East Providence Animal Shelter to go under quarantine. One of the puppies ending up dying of the disease.

Court documents reveal police were notified on Jan. 12 that a "suspicious looking white van" pulled up to the home and dropped off a load of puppies in filthy conditions.

Police said Duarte told them she had gotten the dogs - 17 puppies and 1 bulldog - off of Craigslist. Investigators said that wasn't the case.

According to police, Duarte rented the van and conspired with an unknown person to pick up the puppies in Arkansas. Court documents state the puppies were transported "inhumanely" in the van in "crates too small for all the puppies to freely move, while covered in feces."

Police said there were no health certificates for the dogs and determined Duarte had been running a breeding and pet shop operation from her home since as far back as 2014.

Duarte was released on $10,000 personal recognizance and ordered to have no pets at home, aside from a certified cat for her autistic son.

(WPRI 12 Eyewitness News - Feb 14, 2018)

Earlier: