Showing posts with label animal abuse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label animal abuse. Show all posts
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Through our laws, Mississippi must say ‘No!’ to such horrors
By Sandy Williams
It is the headline that has haunted my thoughts for the last several days. “More than 30 dead dogs and 6 cats found at the bottom of a ravine in Prentiss County, Mississippi.” Some had been beaten, some had been shot, some had been tortured and hanged. As I watched a news clip in horror, I saw several little puppies lying at the bottom of that ravine with their heads crushed in. How could anyone commit such a cruel and sick act of violence?
My mind keeps seeing someone or several people standing at the top of that ravine, looking down and laughing. They feel a sense of excitement, a sense of power over those helpless animals. They had done the unspeakable and they were getting away with it. What they didn’t feel was remorse. People who commit such horrible acts of violence have no conscience, and if they do it once, they will do it again.
My mind keeps thinking of the local people from that area watching the evening news and there on the screen, to their horror, is their precious pet lying at the bottom of that ravine. Days before their family dog had suddenly disappeared from the safety of their own yard. Or their home had been invaded by thieves and not only did they steal their sense of security, they took their most valuable possession, their beloved little puppy.
My mind keeps thinking of those individuals who are so disturbed and sick that they commit these unforgivable acts of violence against animals and they are not adequately punished for their crimes. How can it be that the state in which I live does not consider such acts of violence against a helpless living creature a felony?
It is a fact that individuals with a history of abuse and violence toward animals will eventually turn their rage on a human being. Every serial killer in history has had a past of abusing innocent animals before they turned to torturing and mutilating humans.
Now, I want to take your mind back to Prentiss County. As you look down into that ravine, to your horror you see a small, innocent child lying lifeless on the rocks below.
Then I want you to sit down, right now, and write or e-mail your state senator and your representative or call them personally and tell them this must be the year that Mississippi makes animal cruelty against dogs and cats a first-offense felony in our state. We are sick and tired of all of the excuses of who this law might offend. As citizens and voters in Mississippi, all we are concerned about is who this law will protect.
Sandy Williams, of Tunica, is executive director of the Tunica Humane Society. For contact information on your legislators go to ms-fact.org.
Read more: http://www.sunherald.com/2011/02/05/2835484/through-our-laws-mississippi-must.html#ixzz1DIXqsXlG
It is the headline that has haunted my thoughts for the last several days. “More than 30 dead dogs and 6 cats found at the bottom of a ravine in Prentiss County, Mississippi.” Some had been beaten, some had been shot, some had been tortured and hanged. As I watched a news clip in horror, I saw several little puppies lying at the bottom of that ravine with their heads crushed in. How could anyone commit such a cruel and sick act of violence?
My mind keeps seeing someone or several people standing at the top of that ravine, looking down and laughing. They feel a sense of excitement, a sense of power over those helpless animals. They had done the unspeakable and they were getting away with it. What they didn’t feel was remorse. People who commit such horrible acts of violence have no conscience, and if they do it once, they will do it again.
My mind keeps thinking of the local people from that area watching the evening news and there on the screen, to their horror, is their precious pet lying at the bottom of that ravine. Days before their family dog had suddenly disappeared from the safety of their own yard. Or their home had been invaded by thieves and not only did they steal their sense of security, they took their most valuable possession, their beloved little puppy.
My mind keeps thinking of those individuals who are so disturbed and sick that they commit these unforgivable acts of violence against animals and they are not adequately punished for their crimes. How can it be that the state in which I live does not consider such acts of violence against a helpless living creature a felony?
It is a fact that individuals with a history of abuse and violence toward animals will eventually turn their rage on a human being. Every serial killer in history has had a past of abusing innocent animals before they turned to torturing and mutilating humans.
Now, I want to take your mind back to Prentiss County. As you look down into that ravine, to your horror you see a small, innocent child lying lifeless on the rocks below.
Then I want you to sit down, right now, and write or e-mail your state senator and your representative or call them personally and tell them this must be the year that Mississippi makes animal cruelty against dogs and cats a first-offense felony in our state. We are sick and tired of all of the excuses of who this law might offend. As citizens and voters in Mississippi, all we are concerned about is who this law will protect.
Sandy Williams, of Tunica, is executive director of the Tunica Humane Society. For contact information on your legislators go to ms-fact.org.
Read more: http://www.sunherald.com/2011/02/05/2835484/through-our-laws-mississippi-must.html#ixzz1DIXqsXlG
Monday, March 15, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Backaches, Heartbreak and Hope in Mississippi
Backaches, Heartbreak, and Hope in Mississippi : The Humane Society of the United States
PRESTON, Miss. — The Humane Society of the United States and the Mississippi Animal Rescue League assisted the Kemper County Sheriff's Department in the seizure of 165 dogs and cats who were found living in deplorable conditions in Preston, Miss. The animals were removed from Raven's Hope, a non-profit organization that claims to offer animals for adoption. The seizure is the largest known animal rescue in Kemper County. . . .
MERIDIAN — Raven's Hope Animal Sanctuary in Kemper County garnered statewide attention early last week as more than 150 dogs were taken from a labyrinth of outdoor cages surrounding an otherwise unassuming house. . . . "We found seven dogs deceased already when we arrived," said Jordan Crump, a spokesperson for the Humane Society of the United States. "There were an untold amount of skeletal remains all over the property." The remains were presumably of dogs, she said. "I've been on about 30 rescue missions," Crump said. "This is probably the worst I've seen. . . . (Read more here.)
PRESTON, Miss. — The Humane Society of the United States and the Mississippi Animal Rescue League assisted the Kemper County Sheriff's Department in the seizure of 165 dogs and cats who were found living in deplorable conditions in Preston, Miss. The animals were removed from Raven's Hope, a non-profit organization that claims to offer animals for adoption. The seizure is the largest known animal rescue in Kemper County. . . .
MERIDIAN — Raven's Hope Animal Sanctuary in Kemper County garnered statewide attention early last week as more than 150 dogs were taken from a labyrinth of outdoor cages surrounding an otherwise unassuming house. . . . "We found seven dogs deceased already when we arrived," said Jordan Crump, a spokesperson for the Humane Society of the United States. "There were an untold amount of skeletal remains all over the property." The remains were presumably of dogs, she said. "I've been on about 30 rescue missions," Crump said. "This is probably the worst I've seen. . . . (Read more here.)
Friday, August 1, 2008
Mississippi Child Abuse and Puppy Mill Case
FROM RESCUE DOG CENTRAL
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Mississippi child abuse and puppy mill case gets worse: details released describe horrific conditions
New Albany, Mississippi
We wrote about this case yesterday. Since our original posting, more details about this case have been released in the news. The details are disturbing and horrifying for both the children and the animals. The truly evil couple who ran this horrific puppy mill and severely abused their Internationally adopted children are now facing homicide charges and multiple counts of animal cruelty.
Here is what investigators found after looking further into the heartbreaking and needless death of the two-year old little girl.
Beyond the deceptively normal yard lurks the site of indescribable child abuse and severe animal neglect, a case so horrible that many officials who deal with such cases said it's the worst situation they've ever seen.
"The people that did this should be shot, or at least when we come to spay and neuter these animals we should spay and neuter these people along with them," said Mississippi State University School of Veterinary Medicine Professor Phil Bushby.
That might not be necessary. The Barretos face homicide charges after their 2-year-old adopted daughter died Monday at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center in Memphis. Doctors who treated the girl had notified authorities that the couple might have abused their daughter. In their follow-up investigation, law enforcement agents also discovered a mass puppy breeding operation on their property.
As a result, the Barretos also face animal abuse charges from the Tupelo-Lee Humane Society, which was granted custody of the more than 185 dogs and 25 cats found stuffed in filthy cages behind the house.
One duck also was found dead in a cage with no food or water.
Eight other Guatemalan children adopted by the couple are in protective custody. It's unclear at this point how the Barretos were able to pass mandatory home visits required by the Department of Homeland Security to adopt international children.
On Tuesday morning, the house - located about five miles south of New Albany - was sealed off by yellow police tape. But the front door remained open to allow air to circulate through what law enforcement officers had described as a stuffy and dirty environment.
Some even talked about cockroaches falling from the ceiling. A peek through the open door revealed clothes and toys strewn across the floors, piles of junk on the dining room table, and the happy faces of dark-haired children smiling from photographs hung on the wall.
A heap of children's shoes - mostly pink - lay abandoned by the front door.
Behind the house, sealed from view by a homemade fence covered in opaque plastic, were more horrors: Hundreds of animals in tiny, raised cages made from chicken wire. They were made to breed time and time again, their babies snatched and sold for profit at flea markets.
They included cocker spaniels, poodles, Lhasa apsos, rat terriers, English bulldogs, Chihuahuas, schnauzers and other popular breeds - many that would fetch between $300 and $800 apiece, according to Debbie Hood, TLHS director.
"If you buy at the flea market, this is where your puppy was raised," said DeAnn Massengill, a volunteer and animal expert, who spent the day caring for the animals there.
There were nearly 70 cages in all, most containing five or six pets who shared a few feet of space and a bucket of brown water. Urine and feces had fallen through the wires and accumulated in vast piles beneath the cages. Some of the excrement had become matted in fur and stuck to the wire inside the cage, where it formed large piles the animals had to maneuver around.
In one cage Tuesday morning, a small dog birthed two pups atop a mound of feces. In another cage, the furry waste became so heavy it ripped the floor, causing a hole the animals took care not to fall through.
Flies buzzed incessantly throughout the enclosure, feeding mostly on the feces, but also the pus running from some of the animals' eyes.
In a larger enclosure, a cocker spaniel's fur became so matted that the clumps prevented it from walking normally. Most of the animals there also had matted fur - in some cases, the problem was so bad even the veterinarians couldn't identify the breeds.
We cannot emphasize this enough. If you are aware of or have knowledge of ANY form of cruelty, please tell someone immediately. Alert the authorities. Call the police! There are tip lines and crime lines dedicated to allowing people to make anonymous reports of cruelty and abuse so that the individuals will not have to fear retaliation from the abusers.
Despite the fact that far too many people believe that worrying about the treatment of animals is a waste of time, animal cruelty is a SERIOUS crime that has not only been taken far too lightly by the bulk of society for far too long, but it often an indicator of accompanying abuse towards weaker human beings. The link between animal cruelty and human abuse, as is demonstrated in this Mississippi case, is very real and has extremely serious and painful implications for the victimized people and animals. Ignoring the link only results in the continued infliction of cruelty and abuse towards the vulnerable humans and defenseless animals that so desperately need others to make the cruelty stop.
As this investigation continues, it is possible that authorities will find out that other people were aware of the abuse inflicted on the children and the cruelty inflicted on the animals, yet did nothing to intervene on their behalf. Such a devastating discovery would be followed with a myriad of excuses as to why reports of cruelty weren’t made or, if there were reports of cruelty made, why those reports were never followed-up on. Excuses are worthless now, as any lack of reporting by individuals who knew something was wrong and any lack of follow-up by appropriate entities will have contributed to the death of a two-year old child. Excuses won’t bring this poor little girl back. Excuses won’t undo the harm done to the eight other adopted children who were abused and forced to live in such filthy and horrific conditions. And, excuses won’t undo the physical and behavioral damage done to the defenseless animals that these people unscrupulously over bred and abused to make money.
On behalf of the defenseless among us, both human and animal, we need to learn from this case and understand that we have a moral obligation to do something to stop the cruelty that we know exists. We cannot sit on our knowledge and do nothing with it, in hopes that some one else will do something to make the cruelty stop. It will be a devastating and horrible shame if it is learned that there were people, in this Mississippi case, who knew about the abuse to the children and/or the animals and did nothing, in hopes that some one else would do something, given that the extreme abuse in this case resulted in the excruciatingly painful death of a little two-year old girl.
Please learn from this case. If you are aware of cruelty, do something to make it stop! Don’t wait until it is too late.In the meantime, the Tupelo-Lee Humane Society needs help, and homes, for the dogs. Please, help if you can!
Posted by Rescue Dog Central at 9:37 AM 0 comments
Labels: Human Abuse, Mississippi, Puppy Mills
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Child's death in Mississippi shows link between animal and human abuse; immediate help needed at Tupelo-Lee Humane Society
Location: New Albany, Mississippi
Yes, there is a direct link between animal cruelty and human neglect and violence. Common sense should make this easy to understand. If a human has the capability to abuse and neglect an animal, a weaker being of lesser “status” that is completely dependent on that human being for it’s existence, then it is, sadly, easy for that cruel and abusive capability to extend towards other dependent and weaker human beings, especially children, the elderly, and vulnerable adults.
An example of this link can be found outside of New Albany, Mississippi, where a case of a two-year child dying of extreme child neglect led to the discovery of a puppy mill being run by the same child abusers.
A case of extreme child neglect here Sunday night led to one death, two felony counts and the discovery of a mass puppy breeding operation that has animal officials stunned.Union County Sheriff's deputies raided the home of Janet and Ramone Barreto, 824 County Road 87 near New Albany, after receiving a tip from doctors that the couple might have abused their adopted daughter.
Once at the home, law-enforcement agents also found more than 180 dogs, 25 cats and several ducks in various conditions. The animals' numbers are expected to increase, because some of them continue to give birth.Sheriff Tommy Wilhite said the Barreto's 2-year-old daughter was brought from a local hospital to Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center in Memphis for an unspecified reason. Doctors there suspected child neglect and tipped off Wilhite on Sunday night, when he obtained a warrant and raided the property.
The 2-year-old died Monday morning, but a cause of death was not yet available.
All but one of the couple's nine children now are in protective custody, Wilhite said, although he did not give the whereabouts of the remaining child. The animals are being taken care of by the Tupelo-Lee Humane Society, which was called by the sheriff's department Sunday night. The couple has been charged with two felony counts of child neglect and could face more charges as the investigation continues, Wilhite said. Tupelo-Lee Humane Society officials say they might press charges, too, for animal neglect.In the meantime, the humane society has filed a warrant for order of protection on the property to allow staff to enter the property and take care of the animals. It also filed a seizure warrant to take the animals from the property, said shelter director Debbie Hood.
Both have been granted. All of us should be taking the link between animal cruelty and human abuse seriously. In far too many cases, where there is a discovery of animal neglect, there is the discovery of harm to humans, and vice versa. Because of this link, social services and animal rescue organizations should develop and wholeheartedly utilize a policy of communication, whereby the discovery of one form of abuse is reported to the other. Direct and constant communication will not only prevent further abuse of the victims involved, both the human victims and the defenseless animals, but the communication will also prevent the abuse and neglect of future victims.
Understanding the link between the abuse of animals and the abuse of other defenseless human beings is not difficult; it is common sense. Those who are fully capable of abusing and neglecting one weaker living being will abuse and neglect other weaker living beings, be they human or animal. And, the abusers will not stop their cruel and harmful behavior on their own. To stop the abuse, other people who suspect or become aware of the abuse must not ignore the information, but must report the abuse to appropriate individuals that can do something to intervene on behalf of the victims.
To learn more about the connection between animal cruelty and human violence, go here.
We cannot repeat this often enough. If you are aware of a cruelty situation, do something! Tell someone! Do what you can to prevent other children, like this little girl, from enduring such tremendous pain and neglect. Where there is animal abuse, there is likely some form of human abuse as well, as this heartbreaking Mississippi story shows. Animals and children cannot defend themselves and cannot save themselves from the horrible and painful abuse of cruel human beings. Therefore, the responsibility to prevent and stop the abuse belongs to others to do so. Take your responsibility to ensure that all living beings are treated humanely and are not abused seriously. When you discover abuse, do something to make it stop!
In the meantime, the Tupelo-Lee Humane Society is in need of help to care for the animals confiscated from these child abusing puppy millers. Debbie Hood, the Tupelo-Lee Humane Society Director, is asking for much needed assistance.
If you can help in any way, please do! Go here for more information on how you can help the puppy mill animals.
Posted by Rescue Dog Central at 9:56 AM 0 comments
Labels: Animal Cruelty, Human Abuse, Mississippi
SOURCE: Rescue Dog Central and Rescue Dog Central
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Mississippi child abuse and puppy mill case gets worse: details released describe horrific conditions
New Albany, Mississippi
We wrote about this case yesterday. Since our original posting, more details about this case have been released in the news. The details are disturbing and horrifying for both the children and the animals. The truly evil couple who ran this horrific puppy mill and severely abused their Internationally adopted children are now facing homicide charges and multiple counts of animal cruelty.
Here is what investigators found after looking further into the heartbreaking and needless death of the two-year old little girl.
Beyond the deceptively normal yard lurks the site of indescribable child abuse and severe animal neglect, a case so horrible that many officials who deal with such cases said it's the worst situation they've ever seen.
"The people that did this should be shot, or at least when we come to spay and neuter these animals we should spay and neuter these people along with them," said Mississippi State University School of Veterinary Medicine Professor Phil Bushby.
That might not be necessary. The Barretos face homicide charges after their 2-year-old adopted daughter died Monday at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center in Memphis. Doctors who treated the girl had notified authorities that the couple might have abused their daughter. In their follow-up investigation, law enforcement agents also discovered a mass puppy breeding operation on their property.
As a result, the Barretos also face animal abuse charges from the Tupelo-Lee Humane Society, which was granted custody of the more than 185 dogs and 25 cats found stuffed in filthy cages behind the house.
One duck also was found dead in a cage with no food or water.
Eight other Guatemalan children adopted by the couple are in protective custody. It's unclear at this point how the Barretos were able to pass mandatory home visits required by the Department of Homeland Security to adopt international children.
On Tuesday morning, the house - located about five miles south of New Albany - was sealed off by yellow police tape. But the front door remained open to allow air to circulate through what law enforcement officers had described as a stuffy and dirty environment.
Some even talked about cockroaches falling from the ceiling. A peek through the open door revealed clothes and toys strewn across the floors, piles of junk on the dining room table, and the happy faces of dark-haired children smiling from photographs hung on the wall.
A heap of children's shoes - mostly pink - lay abandoned by the front door.
Behind the house, sealed from view by a homemade fence covered in opaque plastic, were more horrors: Hundreds of animals in tiny, raised cages made from chicken wire. They were made to breed time and time again, their babies snatched and sold for profit at flea markets.
They included cocker spaniels, poodles, Lhasa apsos, rat terriers, English bulldogs, Chihuahuas, schnauzers and other popular breeds - many that would fetch between $300 and $800 apiece, according to Debbie Hood, TLHS director.
"If you buy at the flea market, this is where your puppy was raised," said DeAnn Massengill, a volunteer and animal expert, who spent the day caring for the animals there.
There were nearly 70 cages in all, most containing five or six pets who shared a few feet of space and a bucket of brown water. Urine and feces had fallen through the wires and accumulated in vast piles beneath the cages. Some of the excrement had become matted in fur and stuck to the wire inside the cage, where it formed large piles the animals had to maneuver around.
In one cage Tuesday morning, a small dog birthed two pups atop a mound of feces. In another cage, the furry waste became so heavy it ripped the floor, causing a hole the animals took care not to fall through.
Flies buzzed incessantly throughout the enclosure, feeding mostly on the feces, but also the pus running from some of the animals' eyes.
In a larger enclosure, a cocker spaniel's fur became so matted that the clumps prevented it from walking normally. Most of the animals there also had matted fur - in some cases, the problem was so bad even the veterinarians couldn't identify the breeds.
We cannot emphasize this enough. If you are aware of or have knowledge of ANY form of cruelty, please tell someone immediately. Alert the authorities. Call the police! There are tip lines and crime lines dedicated to allowing people to make anonymous reports of cruelty and abuse so that the individuals will not have to fear retaliation from the abusers.
Despite the fact that far too many people believe that worrying about the treatment of animals is a waste of time, animal cruelty is a SERIOUS crime that has not only been taken far too lightly by the bulk of society for far too long, but it often an indicator of accompanying abuse towards weaker human beings. The link between animal cruelty and human abuse, as is demonstrated in this Mississippi case, is very real and has extremely serious and painful implications for the victimized people and animals. Ignoring the link only results in the continued infliction of cruelty and abuse towards the vulnerable humans and defenseless animals that so desperately need others to make the cruelty stop.
As this investigation continues, it is possible that authorities will find out that other people were aware of the abuse inflicted on the children and the cruelty inflicted on the animals, yet did nothing to intervene on their behalf. Such a devastating discovery would be followed with a myriad of excuses as to why reports of cruelty weren’t made or, if there were reports of cruelty made, why those reports were never followed-up on. Excuses are worthless now, as any lack of reporting by individuals who knew something was wrong and any lack of follow-up by appropriate entities will have contributed to the death of a two-year old child. Excuses won’t bring this poor little girl back. Excuses won’t undo the harm done to the eight other adopted children who were abused and forced to live in such filthy and horrific conditions. And, excuses won’t undo the physical and behavioral damage done to the defenseless animals that these people unscrupulously over bred and abused to make money.
On behalf of the defenseless among us, both human and animal, we need to learn from this case and understand that we have a moral obligation to do something to stop the cruelty that we know exists. We cannot sit on our knowledge and do nothing with it, in hopes that some one else will do something to make the cruelty stop. It will be a devastating and horrible shame if it is learned that there were people, in this Mississippi case, who knew about the abuse to the children and/or the animals and did nothing, in hopes that some one else would do something, given that the extreme abuse in this case resulted in the excruciatingly painful death of a little two-year old girl.
Please learn from this case. If you are aware of cruelty, do something to make it stop! Don’t wait until it is too late.In the meantime, the Tupelo-Lee Humane Society needs help, and homes, for the dogs. Please, help if you can!
Posted by Rescue Dog Central at 9:37 AM 0 comments
Labels: Human Abuse, Mississippi, Puppy Mills
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Child's death in Mississippi shows link between animal and human abuse; immediate help needed at Tupelo-Lee Humane Society
Location: New Albany, Mississippi
Yes, there is a direct link between animal cruelty and human neglect and violence. Common sense should make this easy to understand. If a human has the capability to abuse and neglect an animal, a weaker being of lesser “status” that is completely dependent on that human being for it’s existence, then it is, sadly, easy for that cruel and abusive capability to extend towards other dependent and weaker human beings, especially children, the elderly, and vulnerable adults.
An example of this link can be found outside of New Albany, Mississippi, where a case of a two-year child dying of extreme child neglect led to the discovery of a puppy mill being run by the same child abusers.
A case of extreme child neglect here Sunday night led to one death, two felony counts and the discovery of a mass puppy breeding operation that has animal officials stunned.Union County Sheriff's deputies raided the home of Janet and Ramone Barreto, 824 County Road 87 near New Albany, after receiving a tip from doctors that the couple might have abused their adopted daughter.
Once at the home, law-enforcement agents also found more than 180 dogs, 25 cats and several ducks in various conditions. The animals' numbers are expected to increase, because some of them continue to give birth.Sheriff Tommy Wilhite said the Barreto's 2-year-old daughter was brought from a local hospital to Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center in Memphis for an unspecified reason. Doctors there suspected child neglect and tipped off Wilhite on Sunday night, when he obtained a warrant and raided the property.
The 2-year-old died Monday morning, but a cause of death was not yet available.
All but one of the couple's nine children now are in protective custody, Wilhite said, although he did not give the whereabouts of the remaining child. The animals are being taken care of by the Tupelo-Lee Humane Society, which was called by the sheriff's department Sunday night. The couple has been charged with two felony counts of child neglect and could face more charges as the investigation continues, Wilhite said. Tupelo-Lee Humane Society officials say they might press charges, too, for animal neglect.In the meantime, the humane society has filed a warrant for order of protection on the property to allow staff to enter the property and take care of the animals. It also filed a seizure warrant to take the animals from the property, said shelter director Debbie Hood.
Both have been granted. All of us should be taking the link between animal cruelty and human abuse seriously. In far too many cases, where there is a discovery of animal neglect, there is the discovery of harm to humans, and vice versa. Because of this link, social services and animal rescue organizations should develop and wholeheartedly utilize a policy of communication, whereby the discovery of one form of abuse is reported to the other. Direct and constant communication will not only prevent further abuse of the victims involved, both the human victims and the defenseless animals, but the communication will also prevent the abuse and neglect of future victims.
Understanding the link between the abuse of animals and the abuse of other defenseless human beings is not difficult; it is common sense. Those who are fully capable of abusing and neglecting one weaker living being will abuse and neglect other weaker living beings, be they human or animal. And, the abusers will not stop their cruel and harmful behavior on their own. To stop the abuse, other people who suspect or become aware of the abuse must not ignore the information, but must report the abuse to appropriate individuals that can do something to intervene on behalf of the victims.
To learn more about the connection between animal cruelty and human violence, go here.
We cannot repeat this often enough. If you are aware of a cruelty situation, do something! Tell someone! Do what you can to prevent other children, like this little girl, from enduring such tremendous pain and neglect. Where there is animal abuse, there is likely some form of human abuse as well, as this heartbreaking Mississippi story shows. Animals and children cannot defend themselves and cannot save themselves from the horrible and painful abuse of cruel human beings. Therefore, the responsibility to prevent and stop the abuse belongs to others to do so. Take your responsibility to ensure that all living beings are treated humanely and are not abused seriously. When you discover abuse, do something to make it stop!
In the meantime, the Tupelo-Lee Humane Society is in need of help to care for the animals confiscated from these child abusing puppy millers. Debbie Hood, the Tupelo-Lee Humane Society Director, is asking for much needed assistance.
If you can help in any way, please do! Go here for more information on how you can help the puppy mill animals.
Posted by Rescue Dog Central at 9:56 AM 0 comments
Labels: Animal Cruelty, Human Abuse, Mississippi
SOURCE: Rescue Dog Central and Rescue Dog Central
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Prayer for Animals
Hear our humble prayer, O God, for our friends the animals, especially for animals who are suffering; for animals that are overworked, underfed and cruelly treated; for all wistful creatures in captivity that beat their wings against bars; for any that are hunted or lost or deserted or frightened or hungry; for all that must be put death. We entreat for them all Thy mercy and pity, and for those who deal with them we ask a heart of compassion and gentle hands and kindly words. Make us, ourselves, to be true friends to animals, and so to share the blessings of the merciful. (Albert Schweitzer)
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Gypsy & Pal
I bent over.
They walked towards me.
So slowly. So sick.
I reached out, touched them.
They licked my fingers.
I picked them up.
They were trembling.
Their eyes were full of questions
but not without hope.
I gave them all the love I had.
They trembled more at this new thing.
So unsure. So afraid. So sick.
In time - they no longer trembled.
In time - love made them whole.
They gratefully surrendered to my touch
and forgave the human race.
God does the same for us.
He bends over,
picks us up, gives us love
and makes us whole.
But it is he who does the forgiving
and we who do the surrendering.
They walked towards me.
So slowly. So sick.
I reached out, touched them.
They licked my fingers.
I picked them up.
They were trembling.
Their eyes were full of questions
but not without hope.
I gave them all the love I had.
They trembled more at this new thing.
So unsure. So afraid. So sick.
In time - they no longer trembled.
In time - love made them whole.
They gratefully surrendered to my touch
and forgave the human race.
God does the same for us.
He bends over,
picks us up, gives us love
and makes us whole.
But it is he who does the forgiving
and we who do the surrendering.
Gypsy top, Pal bottom,
two months after rescue.
In these pictures, Gypsy is well.
Pal is still very sick.
two months after rescue.
In these pictures, Gypsy is well.
Pal is still very sick.
I'm a foster mom for Northcentral Maltese Rescue. This is a short story about Pal and Gypsy, my first rescues. It is a story of rebirth, for them and for me.
* * *
Pal and Gypsy were rescued from an abuse and neglect situation on September 11, 2003, by Northcentral Maltese Rescue, Inc. They were very frightened and very sick. Gypsy had been used for breeding purposes for years, and both had been made to live outside. They did not know what it meant to be loved and to be touched and held with kindness.
Their medical conditions were serious. Both had eye and skin infections and were covered with fleas, parasites and open, bleeding sores. Their hair was shaved to the skin to remove the filth and matted hair. Neither had ever had any medical or dental attention nor any flea or heart worm prevention. Pal was diagnosed with heart worms. (He was sick for months, had treatments and recovered.) Their teeth were in horrible condition, and the smell was worse. Gypsy especially was very thin and frail. When she was spayed, her uterus was found to be infected. There is no doubt that both would have died within the year if they had not been rescued.
In spite of their conditions on September 11, 2003, that sweet Maltese spirit remained. When I first greeted them as their foster mom, they came to me and licked my fingers. I shall not forget driving them to the animal hospital that day. I cried all the way. They climbed into my lap and went to sleep, occasionally looking up as if to ask, "Are we safe now? Are we going to be o.k.? Who are you? We are so tired."
They stayed several days in the hospital and then came home. The work began. Both were on medications for a long time and had frequent baths with antiseptic shampoo to assist in the healing of sores on the body. I scheduled follow-up visits to the doctor, and they went back to the hospital for a few days. Gypsy had her dental work and was spayed. Pal began his treatments for heartworms. The treatments continued for months and are very hard on a dog. Some do not survive. All their medical expenses were paid by Northcentral Maltese Rescue.
Along with their medical problems, they both were emotional wrecks. Gypsy had no socialization and would attack the other dogs in the household. I could tell that someone had loved Pal at one time, but he was deeply wounded. I spent hours sitting with them, talking to them and holding them, which was difficult with Gypsy. She did not know how to be held and stiffened like a board.
I saw emotional improvement every day in both of them. It was so gratifying. Finally after two months in rescue, Gypsy wanted to be in my lap all the time and would fall asleep in my arms. Their personalities began to emerge. Both were more and more affectionate. I found that Gypsy was a real party girl and loved attention. She had a flair about herself. She was a live wire with an upbeat spirit. Pal liked to play fetch and was the sweetest little guy. Gypsy was well and full of energy, but Pal rested and slept lots because of the heartworm treatments which often made him sick. He still had a ways to go.
Then a miracle occurred. On November 22, 2003, Gypsy was adopted and picked up by her forever mom. Her new mom had seen Gypsy's photo on the rescue's website, made application for her and was approved. She lived in Illinois but previously had planned to be in my area on the Mississippi coast in November. It was a story-book ending, although it was tough on Gypsy for a few days and a long time for me. Gypsy is now a beautiful, spoiled princess, loved and adored by her mom and grandparents.
Gypsy, April 2004
(Gypsy went to Rainbow Bridge on 11-22-10)
(Gypsy went to Rainbow Bridge on 11-22-10)
And Pal? Today Pal is a happy, energetic, and healthy boy. He is a very good boy. He is affectionate, smart and devoted. He loves to play fetch. In fact, he could play fetch for hours. He likes sleeping next to me at night, snuggling close, and playing with his friends and his dad. He's an easy-going fellow and a survivor as well. He's my Pal. My husband and I adopted him in the spring of 2004. Have you ever seen a sweeter face?
The website of Northcentral Maltese Rescue, Inc.: http://malteserescue.homestead.com/. Please visit their site. They would greatly appreciate donations (which are tax deductible). All funds go to the care of the dogs and their medical expenses. Board members are all volunteer. Adoption is made by application and careful screening for the perfect home for each dog. Those ready for adoption are posted on the website. There is a great need for foster parents to care for these little ones until they are adopted. An application for fostering is also on the website.
SOURCE: Our Lady's Little Scribe at http://littlescribe.blogspot.com/
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