Post #3 - A Rescue Story: Friday May 27, 2011

Got word today that the owner of the abandoned show dogs has been committed to a long-term healthcare facility and that his wife is willing to sign over the dogs to the AC Officer. Thank goodness the dogs have been released!!!! Now we can really do something!!! I called the AC Officer, Angie, and had a great talk with her. She is one incredible lady! She has been going out to care for these dogs twice a day, every day since learning about the situation. Turns out, her involvement with this guy and his dogs goes back over a year. Apparently, early last year she got an anonymous call that a dog at this residence had a severely injured foot that wasn't being taken care of by the owner. Angie went by to check and found a dog (turns out it was the old boy called Diesel) with a severe infection of one of its toes. It was clearly not being treated so she ordered the owner to get vet care for the dog (interesting that it took an AC officer to get this guy to give routine, necessary vet care for one of his supposedly "champion" dogs!!). I am not getting warm and fuzzy feelings for this owner! Worse yet, Angie told me that all the dogs are in pretty bad shape - very thin, matted and filthy, ear infections, oozing eyes, and then poor Diesel who she says can barely walk at all. She said that the dogs are kept in these small kennels - most of them with 2 dogs in each kennel. She said they are raised up off the ground so that the dogs can never get dirty?? Why do I have the feeling that this guy cared more about the ribbons and trophies his dogs got him than the actual dogs? If he is such a successful breeder and shower, how come no-one knew about the situation these dogs were in? That they were not being cared for? Based on the fact that Angie was called out there on a neglect call early last year, this situation has been going on at least that long...though I suspect probably even longer. I actually asked Angie to clarify for me whether or not this guy was just another backyard breeder...she gave me the name of his show kennel. Nope - he's the real deal - member of the local GSD Club, awards up the ying-yang. So why then has it been left to an AC officer and a local rescue to take care of these dogs? Where are all the other GSD club members? Shouldn't they be supporting one of their "own"? What about the guy's family? If the dogs were so important to him, wouldn't they be trying to help? Weird!! Anyway, will know more soon. I am planning on meeting Angie out there on Monday with some of the other rescue gals to meet the dogs and help wash and brush them and give them some much needed love and attention. The story continues!!!