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Abusers Face Accountability After Leaving Injured Puppy to Suffer

Abusers Face Accountability After Leaving Injured Puppy to Suffer

We stepped in to help a puppy who suffered terribly after being hit by a car and left without treatment, and while she sadly did not survive in the end, her abusers had to surrender their other animals and will be held accountable for the harm they caused.  

In January, our Justice for Animals Campaign Director Doll Stanley was aiding in the search for Macy, a dog who fled her family’s home fire when she spotted a dog matching her description lying in the yard of a close-by residence. Stanley pulled into the drive hoping to recover Macy and realized it wasn’t her, but a dog who was chained without shelter to the carport support. 

At that moment, an injured puppy wobbled around the rear of the residence. Stanley picked the puppy up and knocked on the door. A woman responded and said that the puppy had been struck by a vehicle. Stanley offered to take the puppy for veterinary care but the woman insisted that “they” would see to the puppy and get a doghouse for the chained dog. 

 

Stanley returned to the residence for a recheck and the dog in the carport had not been provided shelter, nor had the puppy been taken for veterinary care. With the aid of the Duck Hill Police Department, a seizure order was signed and later served with Stanley’s assistance as an agent of the court to remove the puppy.

An agitated and disorderly family emerged from the residence while Stanley and an officer attempted to advise the family that the seizure order was a mandate from the court and that they could respond by seeking a hearing for the recovery of the puppy. One cooperative member of the family explained that the adult dog was temporarily staying at the residence. Stanley provided the unsheltered dog with a sizable dog house and rushed the puppy for veterinary care.  

An examination by the puppy’s attending veterinarian determined that not only did the puppy have two rear broken legs, the injuries were weeks old. The contusions and abrasions the puppy received when struck by the vehicle had healed and the injuries to her rear legs were no longer treatable as they had set. Shirley, as Stanley named the puppy, would require confinement. 

Tragically, just days later Shirley passed away from internal injuries.

Stanley filed a criminal affidavit against a woman at the residence and appeared in Montgomery County Justice Court for the case.

In the end, In Defense of Animals agreed to a plea deal that allows the organization to remove animals from the property, in addition to being allowed to inspect the property once a month for a year. The family will not be able to have animals for one year, and will be responsible for paying veterinary bills. 

The charges were remanded to the file for one year. If violations are found, she will be charged with this and any additional violations.

For more on how to help animal victims of abuse and neglect, visit our Justice for Animals and Break the Chains campaigns. 

Donations to support our work are always appreciated and needed.

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