Author Archive

Kisha Curtis

Kisha Curtis wanted a Pre-Trial Intervention, which would have enabled her to have the criminal offense to be erased from her record if she were to satisfactorily complete the program. Ms. Curtis, however, had other previous criminal charges, which immediately disqualified her from the program. She will have a jury trial in the criminal court. The date when the trial will commence will be decided on May 24.

Meanwhile, Patrick, the pit-bull mix Ms. Curtis  allegedly abused is living a happy life with a family that loves him and he loves them back.

Patrick, needs your support.

Patrick, first moments in emergency care.

Two years ago, on March 16, a young pit-bull mix was thrown down in a garbage shoot from the 19th floor of a 22 floor apartment building. His body was dehydrated and the animal was starved. He was taken for dead. But as the maintenance man was preparing the pile of garbage for permanent removal, he perceived some movement inside the dark plastic bag, and lucky for Patrick, the man chose to investigate it. The man called the NJ SPCA and the dying dog was taken to the NJ Associate Human Society’s vet hospital. There, the veterinarian saw some spark in the animal’s eye, a sort of yearning to live. She chose to give him life-giving fluids than to euthanize him (a procedure that is the norm in cases such as his), and promised him that, if he’d manage to live through the night, he’d be transported to the nearest emergency care facility. The next day, was St. Patrick’s Day, and the pit bull survived. He was named Patrick and was transported to the GSVS Hospital in Tinton Falls, NJ.

Patrick Today

Kisha Curtis

Patrick was a real miracle. Not only did he survive, but he thrived and was gentle despite the horrific abuse he went through his first year of his life.

Massive globs of hair were found in his intestines, a result of his trying to eat anything he could find to keep alive.

After some investigation, it was discovered that Ms. Keisha Curtis was the rightful owner to Patrick, and although she claims that she did not throw Patrick in the garbage chute (and she has an alibi, as she was out of town during the time he was thrown into the chute), nonetheless, she was charged with animal cruelty for not feeding the dog and not providing proper care for him while she was gone.

Apparently, she tied him to the staircase railway with some food and water (not enough to last for the time she was to be gone). Ms. Curtis was able to postpone her trial a few times. It’s been 2 years, and she still has not have had her day in court. Her newest date is set for May 3, 2013 at 9 am at the Essex County Superior Court in Newark, NJ.

Patrick’s Miracle page on Facebook is requesting that anyone who is able to attend the trial to be there, to show his or her support for this dog who has caught so many people’s heart. According to the staff or Patrick’s Miracle, Kisha Curtis’s defense team is counting on the fact that, as two years have passed since the outrageous news were the buzz of the Internet, the public has moved on and is no longer as interested in this case. If that proves to be true, the Court may not have much incentive to send the right message and give Ms. Curtis the harsh sentence she deserves. Too many times, animal abuse cases are practically swept under rug. We need to show that we, the animal rescuers and animal activists do not accept animal abuse of any sort. We must show that we are strong and are outraged at such uncaring behavior. So, if you live near the Essex County Court, please try to attend. Show your support and be there for Patrick.

Here’s the address:

Friday, May 3 at 9 a.m.

Essex County Superior Court

50 West Market Street

Newark, NJ

Judge Joseph C. Cassini III.

Of all the breeds of dogs, one of the most misunderstood and abused is the pit bull. They are always pictured as vicious dogs, which is the farthest from the truth. Pit bulls naturally are loving dogs. Look at the photo of my grandchildren and their pit bull. Nothing can be warmer than a loving dog. In fact, up to the beginning of the 20th century, pit bulls were used as “nanny dogs.” (The link will direct you to lots of photos of pit bulls and their charges.) A famous abused pit bull is Patrick. Patrick has been cited in this blog so many times, just follow this link to see them all. Unfortunately, I need to blog about the newest case of pit-bull abuse that absolutely turned my stomach. Some of the photos will be hidden because they are so graphic, but you are welcome to see them by just clicking on the “Read the rest of this entry… »” link that will follow this story.

A 1-year-old pit-bull mix, who later on was named Freckles by his rescuers, was starved, dragged by a car, and then tossed in a dumpster in Baltimore, MD, to die. An unidentified passerby called the animal control when moaning sounds from the puppy were heard from the dumpster.

Freckles was quickly rushed to the Essex Middle River Veterinary Center. Upon examining him, the veterinarians determined he not only had been starved down to 30 pounds and abused, but he was also dragged behind a vehicle. The poor pup had huge chunks of his skin and bone exposed. Moreover, after X-rays were performed, it was discovered that he had just a bunch of foreign material in his stomach—money, metal objects and other things.

Jennifer Smith, president of Noah’s Arks Rescue (please LIKE their Facebook page), a rescue group based in Okatie, S.C., volunteered to take over the care of Freckles, and the group is currently collecting donations to pay for his medical needs.

Freckles’ condition, thankfully has greatly improved. He, according to Smith, is now eating treats and attempting to “talk” by barking. So far, his vitals are stable s far. However, he might lose one of his badly damaged front legs. He is currently at the Charleston Veterinary Referral Center (please LIKE their Facebook page) in South Carolina, where he is receiving the medical care he needs.

Like Patrick, this 1-year-old pup is a fighter who wants to live. He is lucky enough that he found humans who care and will work hard for his well being.

If you’d like to donate to his cause, please click here

Read the rest of this entry »

A man (Wyatt Erb) and his wife were walking by the Neshaminy Creek in Bristol Township, PA, when they spotted a motionless dog by the rising waters of the creek. Contrary to instinctual nature, the dog was not moving despite the fact that the waters were rising. Mr. Erb noticed that the female emaciated dog was tied down to a rock. He quickly took some pictures of the dog for documentation and saved her.

The poor dog showed signs of years of abuse. She suffered from eye infections and had an untreated tumor on her hind leg. She is believed to be between 8–11 years old. Apparently, she reached “the end of her purpose.”

The police is searching for her owner and if there’s a record of previous animal abuse, there will be consequences. If not, the fine will be around $100.00.

Police are searching for her owner, and they say that if that person has a history of animal abuse, he or she could go to jail. Otherwise, Gaffing believes it will just result in a fine of around $100.00. Really? I think there should be stiffer penalties for such a heinous crime. Some human beings do not deserve to be part of the human species.

The dog is being transferred to the Bucks County SPCA, which is busy spreading the word to get her adopted to a good home via its Facebook page. The heartbreaking case has stirred up a lot of media interest.

From what I hear, Bucks County SPCA has already given her a name—Brooke—and is accepting donations for her care. Once the dog has arrived at the shelter and been assessed, the facility will post an update. Here’s hoping that she’ll get the home she deserves.

To view individual pictures, just click on the picture and then click again to view the larger version
Source: DailyNews

Dudley and Bailey

These two basset hounds are my adopted pair. They were bonded and they needed to be rehomed. Nobody wanted the tricolor basset (Bailey) because at the time, she was 10. The red dog (Dudley) was younger. But I knew what it means to separate a bonded pair, and I was not going to do that. We really wanted only one dog to keep company to our basset hound (Carrie). She now has two more companions.

Carrie and her companions: Dudley and Bailey

And now, I’m ready to point out why I posted these two pictures. I just recently read how a dog that bonded to his shelter mate traveled 10 miles  from the home of his adoptive humans to the shelter his cell mate was left at. This 70-lb dog braved busy streets, railroad tracks, lonely fields. It didn’t mnatter to him that it was cold and he was hungry. He found his cell mate all within 24-hours. Luckily for him, his adoptive humans understood his needs and adopted his shelter mate. Here’s the story for your entertainment:

News From Terre Haute, Indiana

January 5, 2013

Canine pair prove puppy love is real

Sue Loughlin
The Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE — Ben would do anything for love.

In fact, the 41⁄2 year-old, 70-pound dog ran away from his new, adoptive home in Youngstown Meadows; traversed 10 miles across busy streets, railroad tracks and lonely fields; braved the cold and his own hunger; and somehow, some way, in about 24 hours, found his way back to the Terre Haute Humane Shelter.

Devoted: "Ben" gives "Jade" an adoring look as they pose for photographs in their new home Friday afternoon. They've been adopted by Jason and Courtney Lawler.

Jade

And there, he rejoined the love of his life, his soul-mate and the mother of his children, Jade, a 1-year-old German Shepherd mix.

But this love story doesn’t end there.

When Courtney and Jason Lawler, the couple that had adopted Ben, realized the two former strays would not be happy without eachother, they adopted both.

The story of Ben’s trek to find his girl “is amazing,” Courtney Lawler said Friday. The Lawlers knew Ben and Jade were close, and even stayed in the same pen at the shelter.

But initially, the Lawlers decided one pet was enough, for many reasons.

They have a 3-year-old rambunctious son, and Jade seemed “a little more skittish than Ben,” Courtney Lawler said. THHS staff believe Jade was a stray her whole life, until she was taken to the shelter. Jade is not used to being around people.

For a long time, Ben and Jade were strays who lived near Fruitridge Avenue and Fort Harrison Road; different people on the north end, including staff at Benjamin’s Family Dining, made sure they were fed, said Debbie Floyd, president of the Humane Society board.

Ben

“Anyone who travels the north end would have seen them,” said Floyd, who works in that area and also fed them.

When Jade got pregnant last summer, “We trapped them and took them to the shelter,” she said.

Ben and Jade remained together at the shelter for several months. “They were a bonded pair,” said Charles Brown, shelter manager.

When Jade had six puppies, THHS adoption counselor Kali Skinner took the mother and puppies home to take care of them for eight weeks, and eventually found homes for all six puppies. Jade was timid, but a “very caring mother,” Skinner said.

Jade and Ben were then re-united at the shelter, until the Lawlers adopted Ben. While Ben had plenty of food, and a warm, loving home …

Home sweet home: A carricature of Jason and Courtney Lawler watches over "Ben" Friday afternoon in their Youngstown Meadows home.

“When a man loves a woman, can’t keep his mind on nothing else. He’ll trade the world, for the good thing he’s found,” or so goes the Percy Sledge song.

The Lawlers had Ben for about three weeks. On Dec. 28, while Jason Lawler was taking out the trash and talking on his cell, Ben saw opportunity, shot out the door and ran. And ran. And he didn’t look back.

No one’s sure where exactly the path of love took Ben as he made his way to the shelter at 1811 S. Fruitridge, but he got there by last Saturday night.

While he wanted desperately to be with his mate, he did not want to get caught, either. Shelter workers tried four hours on Sunday to get him  — even using Jade as bait.  “He knew it was a trap,” Skinner said.

Jade was inside a fence, and Ben was out. She must have been warning him, because he would not go inside. He did, however, “kiss her through the fence,” said Skinner, one of several who worked feverishly to capture the street-savvy Ben.

The shelter workers renewed their efforts on Monday, New Year’s Eve, and finally used a dart gun to tranquilize and slow him down, although he put up a long, hard fight once again and it took another several hours before they captured him.

“The story, the emotion and the energy it took to track this fellow and get him back to the shelter was amazing to witness,” wrote Sue Berta, a shelter volunteer, who helped recapture Ben, a carmel-colored German Shepherd and husky mix.

Ben and Jade were “visibly happy to see eachother, barking and wagging their tales,”  Brown said.

On Thursday, the Lawlers took the re-united couple home; they had adopted Jade. Ben likes to hide under a bed, while Jade lies on a mat beside him. Both are shy animals uncomfortable around strangers, and the Lawlers hope to receive assistance from a shelter volunteer trained to work with such animals.  “It will take a lot of time and patience in working with them,” Courtney Lawler said.

She described Ben as “content and happy because he has Jade,” while Jade “still has a lot of puppy to her.”

Floyd is grateful to the Lawlers for taking both dogs.

Ben and Jade “want to be together. There hasn’t been a lot of human love in their lives,” Floyd said. “They found love with eachother and that what’s make them happy … Hopefully, they will live their lives happily ever after.”

Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.

Larger versions of the photos can be views by just clicking on the desired photo.

I just found this article on the Internet about a woman, 34, named Heather Thompson who was born with cerebral palsy, has a child-like mind, and is afflicted with dementia as well. But Heather is in love with her basset hound, Bumblebee. And Bumblebee is in love with her.

Like Heather, Bumblebee is afflicted with a horrible disability. She was born without a foot on her left front leg.

Here’s the article in its entirety. (The original article can be found here.)

Best friend: Bumblebee, a basset hound with a bionic paw, has formed a close attachment with her owner Heather Thomson who suffers from dementia and learning difficulties

Read the rest of this entry »

A beautiful, stray, full-breed basset hound was found wandering the town of Norborne, MO. The police brought her to Richmond veterinarian Dale Stewart’s Town & Country Animal Clinic because Norborne lacks boarding facilities. NO sooner was she settled in the Stewart’s veterinary clinic, the basset gave birth to 7 beautiful puppies. As no one claimed the mom and the puppies, they are going to be up for adoption in about 6 weeks. The pups will cost $65 for females or $50 for males. The mother will be $100. All the adoptions will include either spay or neutering, vaccines and deworming. More information is available at (816) 776-5306. if you are near that area and are interested in adopting a basset hound, you may consider one of these pups or the mom.

Every May, the University of Maryland hosts a yearly half marathon to benefit the University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center. On May 15, 2011, at around mark mile 5 of a 13-mile run, a goldendoodle named Dozer escaped his invisible fence (I am not a fan of such fences, by the way, especially for basset hounds) and joined the runners. No one was aware that the dog was running solo—hr even stopped at water spots and drank from the water cups. Dozer crossed the finish line with other runners at 2 hours and 14 minutes, as this video shows (the “shoes” on his paws are really muddy spots):

Dozer’s owners were frantically looking for their dog. They couldn’t get in touch with the local shelter, as it was closed for the weekend. So, they emailed a few neighbors who informed them that they saw Dozer join the 2,000 marathon runners. After contacting the University of Maryland, Dozer’s owners were able to see the video showing Dozer crossing the finish line, but unfortunately, Dozer was not found anywhere. Luckily, Dozed showed up in his yard the next morning, limping and with muddy paws. A visit to the vet assured them that Dozer was fine. Dozer received a medal for his participation in the marathon from the marathon organizers.

Dozer, as he did in 2012, is raising funds (he raised over $25,000.00 last year) for the next Marathon this coming May 11. Please visit his page, and if you can, donate to this worthy cause.

Also, Dozer has his own FACEBOOK page. Just be sure to LIKE it as well.

Leave it to the Onion to come up with the silly stuff I am reprinting here. My apologies to anyone who is offended by it. As a basset hound lover, I really appreciate a good joke featuring the basset breed.

NEWS IN BRIEF • Religion • Pope • News • ISSUE 49•10 • Mar 5, 2013

WASHINGTON—Ahead of the College of Cardinals’ upcoming conclave to select a new pope, a Gallup poll conducted this week found that 99 percent of the global population would prefer that the next head of the Roman Catholic Church be a large, slobbery hound dog with big, saggy jowls. “When presented with a variety of options, respondents across all demographics were nearly unanimous in voicing their preference that Vatican ceremonies, including Easter and Christmas masses, be presided over by a droopy-eyed basset hound with a big, tall pope hat sitting atop his floppy ol’ ears,” said pollster Diane Warnell, who noted that well over 9 out of 10 of those surveyed, including Catholics, expressed a strong desire to see a ceremonially clad dog pontiff roll around on his back in St. Peter’s Basilica, bark to a large crowd of worshippers from a Vatican balcony, or place his front paws up on a table and steal a ham sandwich right off of someone’s plate. “The remaining 1 percent of respondents, however, said they would be open to a hound dog pope if the big guy tuckered himself out after a day of sniffing and chasing and took a doggy nap right there on the altar.” According to numerous reports and allegations, the only hound dog in contention for pope, Cardinal Bruiser, is believed to have sniffed the genitals of at least 32 minors.

I am in great favor of adopting a rescued dog. If you would love to get a purebred, AKC dog make sure that you go to a reputable breeder. They charge more for their puppies, but you can be sure that you will get a well-cared for puppy whose mom and dad were carefully screened for any disease, and if for any reason the puppy doesn’t fit your home and family style, the breeder will take the puppy back. At the same time, I don’t believe that dogs should be bred so that the children can experience birth. If you are not an experienced breeder, you should not breed your dog.

Apparently, a dachshund dog in Arkansas was bred and the puppies were not wanted. So, instead of taking the dachshund mix puppies to a shelter or a rescue organization, the douche that owned the female dog decided to get rid of the pups by putting them in a plastic bin. The bin was sealed and the eight pups were left behind a church. Luckily, the pups were found before they died. One of the pus was immediately adopted by someone at the church and the remaining seven were taken to Rocky Ridge Refuge—a rescue organization in Arkansas that provides sanctuary for all types of animals. As of today, there are five males available and as of Sunday, one of the males will be taken, leaving four puppies looking for a furever home.

You may follow the plight of these puppies on Facebook.

Click on each individual pictures to view them in full, then click on the individual picture to view a larger version.

Please spay and neuter your pets.