Four legged friends (and enemies): rhode island

Showing posts with label rhode island. Show all posts

Friday, April 6, 2018

(March 2018) Rhode Island: "My 5 yr old daughter Annabelle was badly injured by a pit bull, resulting in multiple lacerations to her face"

RHODE ISLAND -- My 5 yr old daughter Annabelle was badly injured by a pit bull, resulting in multiple lacerations to her face. I am trying to raise money to pay for scar revision procedures to help minimize the scarring on her sweet little face.

GOFUNDME: Help for Annabelle
Created March 17, 2018
Sarah Bood Roberts
Emergencies
COVENTRY, RI

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: Man, sister charged with animal cruelty for not taking Pit Bulls to veterinarian after they were stabbed; one dog suffered until finally dying

RHODE ISLAND -- A Roslindale, Massachusetts man and his sister are both facing animal cruelty charges in connection with an incident that left one dog dead and two others severely injured.

Rhode Island State Police said 18-year-old Paul Thibeau and 26-year-old Julia McDougall turned themselves in Wednesday morning, following a joint investigation with the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RISPCA).

Both Thibeau and McDougall were arraigned at Providence District Court.

RISPCA spokesman Joe Warzycha said Thibeau was visiting McDougall at her home at 28 Saint James Street in Providence when their Pit Bulls got into a fight.

While trying to break up the fight, Warzycha said Thibeau stabbed two of McDougall’s dogs.

According to Warzycha, both Thibeau and his sister waited more than seven hours before bringing the most severely injured dog to a veterinarian.

That dog later died from its injuries.

Joe Warzycha, of the RISPCA, told NBC 10 News that Thibeau waited more than seven hours before he took the dog that was most severely injured to a vet and when he did, the dog was already dead.

“Immediately following the altercation, he put the dog into the dog crate, ran some errands, took care of some other personal things and seven hours later, made the determination to bring the dog to Ocean State [Veterinary Specialists.]”

In addition, Warzycha said McDougall never sought veterinary care for her other two injured dogs.

Thibeau claimed he stabbed the dogs in self-defense, and Warzycha said the RISPCA does not dispute his argument.

The cruelty charges against the brother and sister were based on the fact that neither promptly sought veterinary care for the injured dogs, according to Warzycha.

Rhode Island State Police Press Release:

At 8:30 AM, Troopers arrested Paul Thibeau, age 18, of 39 Archdale Road, Roslindale, MA for Cruelty to Animals - Felony.

The arrest was the result of the barracks assisting the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals with their investigation and Thibeau subsequently turning himself in. Thibeau was processed and later arraigned at Sixth Division District Court.

At 8:30 AM, Troopers arrested Julia McDougall, age 26, of 28 St. James Street, Providence, RI for 1) Cruelty to Animals - Felony and 2) Cruelty to Animals - Misdemeanor (2 counts).

The arrest was the result of the barracks assisting the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals with their investigation and McDougall subsequently turning herself in. McDougall was processed and later arraigned at Sixth Division District Court.

(NBC4i - March 7, 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."