When Savannah-Chatham police and animal control officers arrived at 1320 SE 36th Street, no one was home to explain why the dog was dead. The dog was lying in dirt and tied to a brick post in the back yard. The doghouse was overturned and out of reach.

JoAnn Young and her dog Skip, live across the street. “It’s sad, I didn’t know the dog was chained up and dead,” she said. “He played with my dog, he’d come over here when he got loose.”

Young said she hasn’t seen the dog in a while. “I feel bad because I love animals,” she said. “I have two cats too. It makes me feel bad to know that dog is tied up back there dead.”

Police Lt. Brenda Boulware is in charge of the SCMPD animal control unit. This whole thing makes her mad. “I’m very, very disgusted by it all,” she said.

But what really upsets her? It’s illegal to tether, or tie up, a dog in the first place. “Because a dog being tethered is absolutely inhumane,” said Boulware. “It’s no way for a dog to live, they deserve much better than that.”

Boulware said it makes dogs more aggressive and territorial.

It has been against the law to tether a dog in Savannah since last February. It’s been illegal outside the city limits since 2005. And anyone caught doing it will pay the price. Up to a $1,000 fine.

Boulware said she’s getting tired of seeing cases like this. “We are averaging now ten cases a month of tethering violations and that’s going to go up because it’s time people started taking care of their dogs, the right way.”

Young said she had no idea tying up a dog was crime. She keeps Skip tied up on her front porch. “I take good care of my dog,” she said. “I make sure he had water and food and everything.”

Now she’s going to keep Skip in her fenced backyard. She said it took the terrible death of this neighbor’s dog for her to learn the law and maybe now others will too.

Police are still trying to find out who owns the dead dog. Lt. Boulware said that owner is facing tethering charges and could face more serious animal cruelty charges. A vet has the dog now and will determine the cause of death. In the meantime, if you know anything about this case or know of another dog that’s tied up, call the police.

Reported by: Michelle Paynter, mpaynter@wtoc.com

Sponsored by Senator Jolie Justus, SB 886 would allow any Missouri village, town or city to adopt regulations to control vicious or dangerous dogs—but importantly, the bill prevents communities from discriminating against any breed of dog.

Dogs are individuals: any dog can bite. Citizens should be protected from vicious and dangerous dogs of all breeds or mixes. Discriminating against certain breeds of dogs fails to protect the public and penalizes responsible dog owners.

Your letter will be sent to:

* Senator John E. Griesheimer
* Senator Jason G. Crowell
* Senator Kevin Engler
* Senator Wes Shoemyer
* Senator Victor Callahan
* Senator Carl M. Vogel
* Senator Michael R. Gibbons
* Senator Jack Goodman
* Senator Ryan Glennon McKenna
* Senator Harry Kennedy
* Senator Luann Ridgeway

To read the full text of the bill click here.

Go to the ASPCA site to send email and letter you can copy and paste to send a snail mail letter.

This is sooo important for us to respond to! This is our chance to end this terrible legislation for our dogs in Missouri!

Please send a snail mail letter. Actual, physical letters sitting on a desk or in a basket can pile up and show the amount of people who care. Emails are erased and even if they “pile up”, who would notice? Letters cannot be ignored as much as an email!

The dogs all over the state will thank you!!

Every year, an estimated four to six million dogs and cats are euthanized in animal care and control facilities in the United States. This problem is pervasive, and it remains a source of shame for our country.

The American Humane Association’s Getting to Zero� Initiative is a national undertaking based on the profound belief that, within our lifetime, American society can reduce to zero the number of healthy or treatable dogs, cats and other companion animals that are euthanized in animal care and control facilities.

This program will help identify, support and obtain funding for the replication of community-based interventions that have demonstrated success in reducing the euthanasia of healthy and treatable animals. These include adoption, foster care, spay/neuter, training, transfer and generally bringing community support where it is needed most.

Sign this petition today to support programs like American Humane’s Getting to Zero� Initiative, because these animals all deserve a chance to live!

Published January 10, 2008
DICKINSON — Saying law-abiding residents shouldn’t be made criminals, the Dickinson City Council decided to postpone enacting an ordinance banning the chaining of dogs, so it could review the language of the law.

Councilmen Mark Townsend and Kerry Neves said Wednesday they’ve had some dogs they’ve had to restrain during loud thunderstorms and temporary restraints were the only way to ensure the canines remained in their backyard fences.

Both councilmen said they would be against a total ban on chaining dogs.

“I had a black lab, and the dog would go nuts,” Townsend said. “He ate up the fence, the wood on the back door. When it thunders, that’s the end.”

Neves agreed, saying his dogs couldn’t be kept in his fence during thunderstorms.

“They go absolutely crazy during thunderstorms and loud noises,” Neves said. “One digs out, and one climbs over. When I’m not home, I restrain them on the porch. They have beds and everything. If I don’t, I’m afraid they’ll become grease spots on FM 517.”

A concerned citizen went to a council meeting last year, asking for members to pass a similar measure adopted in Texas City that prevents the continuous chaining of dogs.

“I understand her point of view,” Townsend said. “But then you’ve got people like Kerry, but if it lightnings, he ain’t the only one going to be in that boat.” If the council passes a total ban, Townsend said, “I think we’ll be making criminals out of law-abiding citizens.”

Neves said the council would likely discuss the matter during a work session as soon as late February or March.

“I guess I agree with it in principle,” Neves said. “It’s just got to be handled in a better fashion. I hate to pass an ordinance that criminalizes good folks trying to do the right thing.”

Neves said paying careful attention to the wording of the ordinance would be key.

“We need verbiage to the effect that it doesn’t apply when restraint is done for the health and safety of the animal, so we don’t criminalize somebody like me,” he said.

Neves said the chaining of dogs could be banned, but animal abuse laws would better serve the public when residents report neglected animals, such as those permanently chained without food, water or shelter.

Copyright © 2008 The Galveston County Daily News

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Neves said. “It’s just got to be handled in a better fashion. I hate to pass an ordinance that criminalizes good folks trying to do the right thing.”

I believe this quote to be completely ridiculous! How can someone be so ignorant? “folks trying to do the right thing.” Chaining a dog is not the right thing for anyone to do. Who cares so little about their dog that they allow them to be chained outside during a thunderstorm? There needs to be some serious education in this town. It is so sad when these lawmakers consider the people first and the happiness and welfare of the dogs, who actually have to live outside.

campisg@phillynews.com 215-854-5935
The battered body of a dead pit bull, stoned with chunks of concrete and bricks, was found hanging from a railing at an abandoned school at 27th and Huntingdon streets Tuesday.

The dog, an adult male, had been bashed so severely a Pennsylvania SPCA investigator said there was no way to tell whether the animal had been killed for losing a dogfight, for being too timid to fight, or for someone’s amusement.

“The dog was tied so closely and tightly to the railing that he had no chance to get away from his tormentors,” said the Pennsylvania SPCA’s chief executive officer, Howard Nelson.

The gruesome brutality of the stoning of the animal has prompted the SPCA to offer a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of its killers.

A day after the discovery of the dead dog, police officers found two pit bull puppies dumped, alive, in a duffle bag, at 23rd and Westmoreland streets.

The puppies are being evaluated by SPCA veterinarians.

Is it open season on pit bulls?It seems it always is, says an investigator. Dogfighting, mostly by kids, happens all the time, in all parts of the city, said SPCA police officer Wayne Smith.

While the extent of the cruelty involved in the death of the dog is appalling, the dumping of dead pit bulls is not uncommon, said Smith, who is investigating.

“We get that all the time,” he said. “They throw them in a bag, or they’re dumped somewhere. Most of the time, it’s pit bulls.”

Four dead pit bulls were found dumped in two locations in Fairmount Park in August and September.

The bodies of two more pit bulls were found later in September near Philadelphia International Airport.

Investigators believe that all of those dogs were killed either during or after dogfights and, in one case, two bullet casings were found near the dogs’ bodies.

A $3,000 reward, including $2,500 pledged by the Humane Society of the United States, was offered in the earlier dog dumpings, but SPCA spokeswoman Heather Redfern said those cases have not yet been solved.

Redfern said anyone with information on any of the cases can provide it through the organization’s Web site, PSPCA.org or by calling the shelter’s main number, 215-426-6300, and asking to speak with an investigator.

Identities of the callers are kept confidential. *

Find this article at:
http://www.philly.com/dailynews/local/20080111_Pit_bull_found_battered_to_death.html