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Story from Miss Press:
Police seeking puppy's abuser
Saturday, July 22, 2006
By CHERIE WARD
OCEAN SPRINGS -- When Colleen Lennep completed veterinarian school in
May she dreamed of helping the animals of the Gulf Coast. Now, the young
vet is left wondering who could be so cruel to an innocent animal.
"I went to school to help animals, not to euthanize them," Lennep, a
veterinarian at Pet Connection Town and Country Veterinary Hospital,
said. "But, this had to be done. This act of cruelty was something that
no class could prepare me for."
Early Thursday morning, a 16-week old black male Labrador Retriever
covered in PVC pipe glue was discovered on Martin Bluff Road in Gautier
across from the Singing River Grocery.
The animal's eyes were sealed shut from the glue. His mouth, the inside
of his throat and deep in his ears were also saturated. Lennep said she
was positive the puppy could no longer hear or see. His hind legs were
also fractured in several places.
Animal cruelty is a misdemeanor crime and carries a fine on a case by
case basis. According to officials in the Gautier Police Department, the
crime can carry up to six months of jail time if it is extremely cruel.
The officials also said their policy on animal cruelty is to file a
report, find the owners of the animal and file charges if necessary.
In an unrelated incident, charges were filed against an unnamed
individual late Thursday after three dogs escaped his yard and mauled
another canine.
Both crimes are currently under investigation.
Lennep said the entire situation was shocking to her and her staff and
that they were disturbed by the incident.
"People who can do that to defenseless animals eventually think nothing
of hurting a child or another person," Lennep said. "I urge anyone with
information to help the police out."
Lennep identified "a good Samaritan" as the person who tried to rescue
the puppy.
"He was getting gas and took the puppy to his home in Hickory Hills. He
called the Gautier Police Department," Lennep said. "They told him they
didn't know when they would be able to get there so he just went ahead
and brought him (the puppy) to us. I know that crime has really
increased in that area and I hope the police department will get those
people, and now animals, the help they need."
After a full examination, Lennep said she knew there was no hope and
euthanized the animal.
"When I first saw him I prayed he would have a chance," Lennep said.
"But, he was nearly comatose and in respiratory distress. All he could
do was whine and whimper. Like he was begging for help. So it was the
correct things to do. It was the only humane thing we could do."
Lennep said the puppy weighed only 20 pounds and should have weighed
about 30 pounds. She said she suspects the puppy was starved as well as
tortured.
April Zachary, a veterinarian assistant for the office, said it was the
worst thing she's ever seen.
"He was in such bad shape," Zachary said. "You could tell his mouth had
been forced shut and it looked like he was held down in a bucket of
glue. He obviously struggled because there was glue all over him and it
was dried and cracking. It was the cruelest thing."
Bill Richmond, director of the Jackson County Animal Shelter, said
unfortunately these type of cruel acts are common.
"Really, it just depends on your definition of cruelty," Richmond said.
"We see people who just refuse to take care of their animals, and that's
a form of animal cruelty in my opinion. And truly, I've seen animals in
far worse shape than the puppy sounds like it was. Most of those kinds
of acts are not suitable for your readers." |
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