Our Animal Control Is A Joke.

Sections of this post have been edited due to confusion on some readers part. Let me clarify.

Day in and day out, I watch a Sharpei dog, in a pen, in my neighbor's backyard. I listen to him bark as he watches the other two dogs this lady has, play in the yard. I will clarify this later about the 2 dogs. He is ignored, totally. The Cabell Cty. animal control has been called, and came out last spring. The reason they came is because another neighbor had gone over to cut the inside dog's toenails, a Basset Hound, and saw that the pads on his feet were completely gone. They had been burned off where the dog stood in its own urine for hours on end. The husband would take the dog (Basset Hound) out before he left for work at 5:30am and then again when he came home between 6-7 pm and it stayed in the cage for the rest of the time.

The officer came, cited them, and told them they had 2 weeks to get things taken care of, or the dog would be removed. They never came back. This is the reason that animals suffer and die at the hands of this type of person. Neglect and abuse, pure and simple. She now has another dog that looks like a cross between a Pomeranian and Chihuahua. It has the tendency to bite, too. I don't know where she got the dog, but I know why she has it. Because the neighbor that sold her the Basset Hound as a puppy, (the dog that was caged inside the house), has a MinPin that was a rescue dog from an abuse case in Lincoln Cty., WV back in '06. This woman just wants to keep up with the "Jones', so she got the little mix breed.

The dog in the pen has not been out in over 4 yrs. This is not an exaggeration, either. What is the use of calling animal control if they will not come out and do the job they are paid to do? And, the excuse they don't have enough officers is poppycock. The budget for them is $300,000.00 a yr. Ridiculous! Ah, he is barking again. Poor dog. I have called the pound myself, and get the same line. "We will send someone out, thank you for caring about the animals."

Evidently, someone has said something to them both. Because the Basset and the little mix get to come outside frequently now. But, it is just for show. They only come out when some of the neighbors are out. If no-one is out, the dogs don't get to come out. She makes a big show of sitting on her porch with the little dog on her lap, petting it. But, if no-one is paying attention, and the dog barks, she slaps it. I see this with my own eyes, and have had several heated discussions with her. It does absolutely no good. But not the Sharpei. It, by the way, was her daughters ex-boyfriends dog. But when they split 4 yrs. ago, he was put in the pen and virtually forgotten.

The neighbor that sold this woman the Basset was warned, but didn't want to make enemies, since they had just moved into our sub-division. Her nephew is actually the one that called Animal Control. I have talked to her about this lady, but she doesn't want to make waves. In other words, chicken. So, I hope I have cleared this post up a little. Thank you for reading my blog, everyone. I appreciate it and the comments.

Puppy Mill Bust In WV.

Finally, the puppy mill in Parkersburg WV has been shut down. I have know of this place for many years, but no one would ever listen to me. The mill, known as Whispering Oaks Kennels, raised Dachshunds. This place has been in business for over 40 yrs.


The owner, a Mrs. Roberts, claimed to be one of the premier breeders of this breed. What a load of crap. Many other Dachshund breeders, reputable ones, have tried to get her shut down for years, but, like me, no one would listen. She flew under the radar, so to speak, for years, until now! If you are in the Parkersburg area, or close, and can help foster some of these precious puppies, please help. You can read the story on Fox, and see the raw video on the Herald Dispatch website to find out how you can get in contact with the proper authorities to help.


Thank you Herald Dispatch, for showing this.

Help Change The Abuse Laws In Your State!

Well, it seems that the cruelty will never end. The man in Proctorville that had the Golden Retriever tied to a tree with a chain plead no contest to animal cruelty and neglect. The chain had bit into the dogs neck so severely that it had to be surgically removed because the skin had grown over the chain.

This crime is only a misdemeanor. The laws have to be changed to make this type of cruelty a felony. The judge is holding off sentencing to see what the vet bill will be so the abuser will have to pay restitution. The poor dog is at least safe and recuperating at Animal Friends Vet Clinic in Teays Valley, WV.

Please contact your state Representatives and let them know that animal cruelty will not be tolerated in your state and that abusers should be charged with felony animal cruelty and felony animal neglect.

Ex-Boyfriend Beats Puppy To Get Back At Girlfriend.

I just watched a video on the CNN website about a little Schnauzer mix puppy that was beaten and had detergent forced into his mouth. This little guy they say, is getting better, but has an air bubble in his lung. If it bursts, he will suffocate. The perpetrator was the owners ex-boyfriend. He broke into her house and beat and kicked the puppy to get back at her. The police are looking for the sicko. The vet in the video said she can not see him getting off easy. I certainly hope they throw the book at this creep.

I have posts on the correlation between animal abuse and domestic abuse. It is sickening. The abuser uses violence to scare the victim, and often, the animals in the home are the target. If you know of anyone abusing an animal, please contact the police. You can remain anonymous, I promise you that. I know this for a fact.

Electric Fencing And Invisible Fencing - Torture Devices.

Do you know of anyone that uses an electric fence to contain their dog(s)? Do you have any idea of how the dog(s) learn not to go over or under the fence? One way is letting the dog(s) learn on their own. The other way, which is how most people "train" their dog(s), is by taking them up to the fence and forcing them to touch it. This is nothing but abuse. Can you imagine someone taking their dog(s), that they supposedly "love" and making it touch this fence, repeatedly?

Another stupid thing is the invisible fence. I just read a story on PETA's website about a dog that the invisible fence "shock" collar that it was wearing had malfunctioned and burned a hole in the dogs neck. This went unnoticed for almost 3 days, because the owners had left town and left their dogs with a dog-sitter. Finally, after the dog stopped eating, playing and everything else a dog does, the sitter decided to take a closer look at the dog. It has a gaping wound where the 2 prongs of the shock collar had burned, literally, into its neck.

I looked at the official website of the invisible fence company, and it is really a sham. I mean that. A total sham. As the PETA site said, if you cut corners in your training methods, bad things are bound to happen. I usually don't agree with PETA, but on this I do. If you are thinking of getting one of these invisible fences or using an electric fence, please don't. You can put up chain link for about the same price, or do a wood fence and put chicken wire on the inside. The wire can be painted to match the fence. I know, I have a friend that did that. Her fence is white, and she just spray painted the wire white. I have also seen wood fencing with wire on the inside. The wire was painted brown to match the wood.

Also, if you are having financial difficulties, which is happening to a lot of people, the organization, Dogs Deserve Better can help you with fencing. You can go to their website, http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/ and get the information. Remember, training with pain only does one thing, makes your dog afraid. What good is that?

Make Sure Of All Information When Contacting Animal Control Or The Sheriff's Dept.

Our world is one of "I don't want to get involved, or I am afraid of getting sued." I had a person post a comment, anonymously, but posted nevertheless, about a possible abuse case in Huntington, WV. Unfortunately, the address I was given is non-existent.

If you see abuse going on, report it, as this person did. Be sure, though, to get the correct address. I had left a message for Chief Deputy Jim Scheidler over the week-end. First thing this morning, 6/30/08, he returned my call. I was, needless to say, very, very pleased. He personally went to the address I gave him, but it didn't exist.

Anonymous left the comment on my post about "Cloning of dogs and cats." I wish more people would take action as this person did. You can do this anonymously. It seems that our Animal Control was contacted, but never responded. The person said they had contacted the shelter, but never saw any of the control vans at the residence. But, if the address they gave me is wrong, and they gave that address to the control officers, then, of course they didn't show.

Please, please, make the call. But, again, get the correct address so the proper authorities can come and do their jobs. Anonymous had the courage to contact me. Thank you to them. If you have information on abuse, you can post it on this blog, and I will do my best to get help for the animals.

Tips On How To Report Internet Animal Abuse.

It is hard to believe that people are stupid enough to video themselves doing something illegal, but harming a living being, both human and animal, is ludicrous. There are ways you can report this abuse and remain anonymous. Why is it so important to report this type of crime? You may save an animal's life, and possibly, a humans life, if the abuser doesn't just abuse the animals. There is a huge correlation between the two. I had a guest column in the Herald Dispatch about it.

If you see animal cruelty on the Internet, contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). This is a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center at:
http://www.ic3.gov/

Remember, this website handles ALL Internet crimes! Have detailed information to give them when you contact them. This makes their job easier and they can get the bad people quickly. You can also notify the Internet Service Provider, and they may pull the website. To determine who hosts the site, go to: http://www.domaintools.com/ and enter the website URL in the "Whois Lookup"search box and click search.. Scroll down until you find the numerical Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to that website.

Then go to: http://arin.net/ (American Registry for Internet Numbers), enter the IP address in the "Search WHOIS box and click search., you will then find the info about the ISP that hosts the website. If you do not get this, type: http://search.org/programs/hightech/isp .

Currently only a few federal laws address the issue directly. They are the Crush Act: Penalizes the acts of cruelty and sexual abuse of animals that is intended for interstate commerce. The Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act: Basically imposing federal charges on animal fighters. And, last but not least, Internet hunting: A pending federal bill called the Computer Assisted Remote Hunting Act. It seeks to prohibit knowingly making available a "computer-assisted remote hunt," (means using a computer or other device, equipment or software to control the aiming and discharge of a weapon to hunt)

A Very Disturbing Investigation Of The Iams Pet Food Company.

My own words:

Back in 2002 and 2003, PETA went undercover into a contract laboratory employed by the pet food manufacturer Iams. What they found was sickening. For the nearly 10 months the investigator had to endure this to get the footage needed to expose this, the investigator found dogs who had literally gone crazy from intense confinement in barren, steel cages and cement cells. They were left there to see the result of solitary confinement on a dog.

Another sick thing they found were dogs who had been left on a filthy floor after chunks of muscle had been hacked from their thighs, and the ever so "popular" debarked dogs. And, then there were the horribly sick dogs and cats who were just laying in cages, neglected and dying slowly and painfully, alone. They were given no veterinary care at all.

source: www.iamscruelty.com

Even Iams own Executive criticizes the Company's Cruel Caging Policy. Her name is Diane Hirakawa, Sr. Vice Pres. of Iams Research and Development.

Here is the list of violations documented by government inspectors.

Failure to provide pain relief to sheep used in experiments that cause pain/distress.
Failure to ensure that personnel were trained to perform experiments on animals.
Failure to provide veterinary care and to observe animals daily.
Failure to properly ventilate housing facilities for dogs and cats.
Failure to house cats with adequate number of litter boxes and resting surfaces.
Failure to keep animal-housing facilities clean and in good order/resulting in injuries.
Failure to maintain comfortable temperatures in animal-housing facilities.
Failure to provide animals with sufficient space.

If you feed this food, you might want to go to the website I listed above and read about what you are feeding your dog and what the dogs have to go through in order for you to feed it. I feed BilJac.

Pets and Women's Shelters (PAWS) Program.

source: www.americanhumane.org

American Humane Launches Pets and Women's Shelters (PAWS)™ Program. Go to the above website and read about this fabulous new program that helps domestic violence victims and their pets stay safe and together.

Oak Hill, WV Couple Charged With Animal Cruelty and Child Neglect.

This is just one of a thousand abuse cases that involve children and animals. In the 3/29/08 edition of the Herald Dispatch, I had a guest column called " It's Time To Stop Abuse In All Cases." It dealt with the correlation of animal abuse to domestic abuse.

An Oak Hill couple was charged with multiple counts of child abuse and neglect after city police said they found four children living in "disgusting" conditions unfit for humans. Allen M. Fitzwater, 23, and Regina L. Ulmer, 28, of 11-7 Pine Knoll Apartments, were each charged with four felony counts of child abuse and neglect by a parent, guardian or custodian leading to bodily injury, according to Police Chief Mike Whisman and Patrolman M.J. Jarvis.

They were being held Tuesday at Southern Regional Jail on $20,000 bonds. Both were also charged with one count each of obstructing a police officer. Police were called to Pine Knoll Apartments around 4:30 p.m. Monday to assist Child Protective Services. CPS workers were there to remove Ulmer's four children -- three girls ages 10, 8 and 6, and a boy, 7 months -- after receiving an order to do so by a judge. When officers arrived, Ulmer and Fitzwater, her boyfriend, were instructed to open the door and they refused. So, officers entered through an unlocked rear door.

Jarvis, a police officer for five years, said he then encountered the worst living conditions he had ever seen. Trash was strewn throughout the three-bedroom, two-level apartment to the point where one bedroom door could not be opened, he(Jarvis) said. Dirty diapers were found "all over." Maggots were found in a bathroom. Officers also found dog feces and urine virtually everywhere, including the children's beds, Jarvis said. The two small-breed dogs that appeared to have skin problems were seized by animal control officers. "No human being should have to live like that -- especially kids," Jarvis said.

The children, initially upset, were taken to Plateau Medical Center as a precaution because of their living conditions, Jarvis said. They were then released to CPS custody. Jarvis advised people -- particularly school officials and others who work with children -- to be observant when it comes to children's overall hygiene and appearance, noting any constant and severe problems.

Another Shelter Abuse Case - The Public Didn't Know About!

Chance thinks if the news media would get more involved in animal abuse cases, it might slow the tide.

Almost 2 yrs. ago, a Berkeley County woman was charged with keeping 149 dogs in inhumane conditions. Mari Spade, a 61 year old woman (at the time) that started a rescue called, ironically, "Second Chance", that actually arranged adoptions for hundreds of dogs at several Loudoun County pet stores and a local veterinary clinic, has been charged with animal cruelty.

This is another case of someone opening a shelter and not being able to handle it. Who suffers, the animals, of course. Her lawyer had the audacity to say, "There is no abuse. She may have been a little over-whelmed, but she is not a cruel person by definition." But, anyone that would defend someone like this woman, is desperate for a case. The evidence was abundant.

She has been ordered to pay restitution of about $115,000.00. This amount came from the total cost it took to take care of the dogs rescued from the hell they were living in. She pleaded no-contest in Dec. '07 to one count of misdemeanor animal cruelty. The charge is too lenient. I feel she should at least have done 6mo. to 2 yrs. in jail and paid the county back.

Has Our Society Become "Shoot First, Ask Questions Later?"

In the Herald 's, Letter to the Editor, dated 3/17/08, a writer had a letter about the dog that was shot and maimed and had to be put down by the owners relative. The person was wondering why nothing more had been said about this incident. On the website, www.petabuse.com, I looked up the case. It seems they have no concrete suspects.

After researching more, I was looking at some of the comments that had been left about this article. Some are saying that the dog had bitten before and was running loose. On the case file, it said that the dog was unleashed or loose. Either way, if the dog was on the owners property, the shooter was in violation of trespass laws. If the dog was loose and not on the owners property, then the law states that the animal control could be called.

But, shooting the dog, if it had not attacked anyone, was definitely wrong. It seems that it is a he said, she said problem right now. Unfortunately, unless it is a case of animal abuse that the Prosecuting Attorney's office deems bad enough, they do not feel it is a "priority." This is so sad. If we, as a society, allow people to just shoot first and then ask questions later, we are on the brink of ruin. Like the letter writer stated, if you can just shoot a dog, on the basis it is too loud, are children next that laugh too loud when playing outside?

Another Horrid Case Of Shelter Abuse.

Chance asks, if you can - Please Help!

I am sure that everyone has seen the story about the raid on the animal shelter in Eastern KY. What a nightmare! More than 115 diseased and starving dogs and more than 40 dead dogs were discovered by the Jackson County KY sheriff's department. The abuse ranged from starvation to wounds inflicted on dogs by other dogs. 2 people were charged with 117 counts, each, of animal abuse, and the wife of one, will be allowed to surround on her own, as she was at the hospital with a sick child.

The 75 living dogs were taken to the Gray Hawk Veterinary Clinic on US HWY 421 So., McKee KY 40447. Their phone number is 1-606-287-8475. The clinic will house the dogs until they can be adopted out or placed in rescue organizations or foster homes. They will need dog food and monetary donations. If you can help in any way, please do. I know our shelters here need help, too, but this is an emergency. Thank you.

Updated information:

Send checks or donations to: P.O. Box 387, Gray Hawk, Ky. 40434. Another fund has been set up for paying veterinarian bills and buying dog food. The address: In care of Tim Fee, Jackson County Sheriff, P.O. Box 426, McKee, KY 40447. People can also send food directly to the Jackson County Sheriff's office.

Training Your Adopted Dog - Part 1

I had an anonymous poster, even though they were rude with their comments, did have one good idea. When a person adopts a dog, what kind of training should they do. Most dogs that are adopted are strays, and have no training. You need to take into count that they have been abused and are frightened. Heavy handed training is a no-no. These dogs need light handed training. By this, I mean no jerking or yelling. You should never jerk or yell on any dog, abused or not. Remember that.


A dog that is trained in basic obedience commands: heel, sit, stay, down and, most importantly, the come command, will make life on both the dog and its adopted owner much simpler. I will attempt to take you through these basic commands and the equipment you will need. This training method is for abused and the non-abused dog.


Always remember, correction should be mild and non-violent. Correct when wrong, praise when right. It is best to be able to praise your dog as soon after a correction as possible, just make sure the praise is for correct behavior. Do this no matter how many times you've had to make the identical correction; it takes a few times for any correction to sink in. Praise after the correction does not lessen the impact of the correction, but it will reassure him/her that you are still friends, and training can progress without hard feelings on either side.


Your voice is your basic corrective tool, and the basic corrective command is "No!" There must be authority in your voice when correcting. Loud, yes, authoritative equally important. Panic, anger and annoyance can and will confuse your dog. Since we are dealing with abused dogs, watch the reaction of your dog. If your dog shrinks away from you when you use a loud voice, tone it down and use a slight "pop" (the term used when you lift up on the leash to let the training collar make contact with the dog) of the lead.


The equipment you need will be a chain or nylon choker. This can be found at any pet store. Never, never use a pinch collar. I know I will probably have someone refute this, but I am a firm believer they are not needed. The lead should be leather or nylon and about 6 ft. long. Correct collar size is determined by measuring around the largest part of your dog's head and adding an inch. The proper way to put the choke(training) collar is with the loose ring at the right of the dog's neck, the chain attached to it having come over the neck and through the holding ring rather than under the neck. (It should form a "P" when you hold it out if front of you before putting it over the head.)


Allow your dog to wear their new "clothes", as I call them, around the house to get used to it. Remember, never leave a choker on your dog unattended. A dog could get caught and choke to death. Now, on to the first command. It is continued on a new post.

Technology Helping To Fight Animal Cruelty.

Pet-Abuse.Com announces a new MySpace Group focused towards harnessing the power of social networking to help generate leads in open animal cruelty cases. Every week, criminal animal cruelty occurs across the country in staggering numbers and severity. A percentage of those new cases have NO SUSPECTS, and without help from the public, the odds of the police ever catching the perpetrators are slim.The group, simply called Open Animal Cruelty Cases, posts new open animal cruelty cases as they are added to the database. They ask that you simply cross-post these group bulletins to your local groups and local friends.


So if a case gets posted for San Diego, California, and you happen to run a San Diego group, or have San Diego friends, simply cross-post the bulletin to those local friends and groups. The more local people that see these bulletins (that is, people local to the incident itself), the more effective they will be at generating information that may be useful in bringing an animal abuser to justice.To start helping today, join the Open Animal Cruelty Cases group on MySpace - and be sure to add them as a friend.

This Is Outrageous!

In a deplorable act of animal cruelty, a marine was videoed throwing a puppy off a cliff. The puppy looked to be only 3 months old. As this vicious man threw the puppy, it was yelping helplessly, while this insane man laughed. Another Marine was heard, off camera and laughing too, saying "that was mean, that was mean." The Marine Corp has said that they have launched an investigation into this atrocious act. This is not the first incident of animal cruelty in the military.

If the video is authentic, the Marines involved could face judicial charges, a reduction in rank and pay and a court-martial. They could also be discharged. In this blogger's humble opinion, they should just be court-martial, dishonorably discharged and put in prison. If they get a slap on the wrist, there will be hell to pay in the media.

Why Does It Take So Long To Prosecute?

Today, a man in Kanawha county was found guilty of animal cruelty for putting razor blades in raw meat and feeding it to his neighbor's dogs. Luckily, the dogs survived. One had to have surgery, though. I am disturbed that this happened in '05, and he is just now being sentenced. His sentencing is in the first week of April. I am hoping that the judge will give him the maximum sentence, which is 3 yrs. In January of '07, a horrific abuse and cruelty case happened in Lincoln county, WV. Shawnita Cooper was arrested for some of the worst abuse and cruelty I have ever seen. Actually, she turned herself in. (That does not make her any better, as far as I am concerned) I have a post on this blog about it. As of the last time I spoke with the owner of Timbral Pet Services in Barboursville, WV, the case was still pending.

It has been continued over and over. Her lawyer is hoping to get it thrown out. Lawyers do this hoping that if enough time passes, witnesses will forget, evidence will disappear, etc...Tim Childers, owner of Timbral, and Cpl. Sally Hatton, of the WV State Police, were the ones that went out on this case. Tim told me it was on of the worst he had seen. Tim has been training dogs for over 25 yrs. and has been involved in rescue for the same amount of time. The police have photos and statements of this abuse. I have seen the pictures, and believe me, it is horrific. Luckily, the dogs that were rescued, went to great homes. The ones that didn't survive, died alone, cold and starving. The ones that did live, were living off the carcasses of the dead. Also, this woman had some horses. I believe one or two had to be put down.

Tim told me she has dogs tied up outside of her trailer now, but they are in her boyfriend's name. By doing this, she won't get in more trouble. And, evidently, she was operating a grooming shop out of her trailer, too. I was shocked when Tim told me that the day they were there, a man actually pulled up with his dog to be groomed. Cpt. Hatton told him to get in his car and leave, which he did. He (Tim) said that the inside of the house was horrid. Evidently she didn't clean up the hair where she groomed dogs. Tim said it was so deep that if he hadn't heard puppies crying, he never would have found a female Dachshund with pups.

But, as I said, the dogs that were lucky enough to survive, are all well. They found a Doberman that weighed only 40 pounds. This is 20 plus pounds underweight. If you want to check out abuse cases, go to http://www.petabuse.com/ and click on abuse cases database. They have a clickable map. Click on WV and it will give you all the cases in WV.

A Feel Good Story Out Of The Horrors Of War.

Chance wants to personally thank Maj. Dennis for caring!!

A dog named Nubs, whom was befriended by a kind Marine in Iraq named Major Brian Dennis, arrived at Lindbergh field in San Diego, CA., Monday 2/25/08. He is a German Shepherd/Border Collie Mix. Major Dennis is a native of San Diego. His friends, Eric and Chrissy Sjoberg, along with friends and support of some animal organizations, collected $3500.00 to get Nubs to the states. They were all on hand to greet Nubs when he touched down. He is estimated to be about 2 yrs. old, but his life has not been easy, as it is not easy on any dog in a war zone. He is so lucky to be alive. When he was younger, an Iraqi cut his ears off, because he thought it would make him tough and alert. Stupid!!

Abuse is world-wide. He was also stabbed with a screwdriver, and Major Dennis patched him up and slept with him through the cold Iraqi nights to keep him warm. But, when the unit received orders to move, Maj. Dennis had to leave him behind, or so he thought. Nubs traveled 2 days and 70 miles to catch up with the man that he knew had saved his life. Since it is against military rules to have an animal, Maj. Dennis wrote home and asked for help. His friends rallied and now Nubs is here. He now has a chance at life thanks to the kindness of a tough Marine. He will live with the Sjoberg's until Major Dennis comes home from the war.

Tammy Grimes Of Dogs Deserve Better To Do Community Service.

Today Grimes was sentenced to 300 hours community service for a 'people organization', because 'people are dogs too'. She was also ordered to pay for the cost of the trial. This was justified by the judge because she said that Grimes chose to go to trial over ARD, therefore she should have to pay for it. Isn't it every person's right to go to trial? Does that right come with a price tag? Interestingly enough, according to Grimes' attorneys, this is not only NOT OFTEN done, but RARELY done. The costs were around $1700. She was also ordered within 10 days to take everything Doogie related off any any site she 'has control or influence over'. They will be appealing most if not all of the sentencing asap.


The absolute worst part of it all was the way she was treated by both the DA and the judge. The saddest thing is that they actually seem to BELIEVE the horrible things they said about her. They seem to actually BELIEVE that the taking of Doogie was a publicity stunt by Grimes, so that she could be a 'hero'. That the Arnolds are 'victims' of her lies, and that 'the dog was just old'. The DA said he was shocked this was her first offense, because her disrespect for the law and it's officials is like his worst hardened criminals. He also said that everything on the DDB site is a lie, twisted by Grimes to make people believe her. He was seriously ticked off that the Arnolds received Valentines and a brochure attempting to educate them this Valentine's Day.


Yet, at trial he insisted DDB should try to educate them, so which is it? Do you want them educated or not? She is now again not to have any contact with 'the victims'. The judge said that Grimes was no Rosa Parks or Martin Luther King, Jr. That she has disgraced herself and her cause, as well as her supporters by her actions. That two wrongs don't make a right. (If she's admitting there were 'two wrongs', then why are the Arnolds still not being convicted of abuse?) They are saddened by the state of affairs in Blair County, Pennsylvania. Saddened by the people 'in control', and saddened by the beliefs they put out into the world. The pictures and video do not lie. If it were a he said/she said situation, they could understand how they would believe the Arnolds when they say the dog was just old. But with the abundance of evidence of neglect, there is absolutely NO EXCUSE for the behavior of both DA Richard Consiglio and Judge Elizabeth Doyle. Pictures and video DO NOT LIE.

What Is A Class B Dealer?

Class B dealers are licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to buy animals from "random sources"(meaning animals not bred or raised on the dealers' property) and sell them to animal research facilities for biomedical research, testing, and educational purposes. Such random sources for dogs and cats include auctions, flea markets, or animal shelters. Class B dealers also buy animals from "bunchers," another group of people who collect animals from random sources. Unlike dealers, bunchers are not regulated, which creates additional problems with enforcement. Class B dealers and bunchers have been known to acquire lost, stray, and "free to a good home," dogs and cats, and even pets from their owners' backyards. In addition to concerns about the sources of animals that enter the Class B dealer network, there are also questions about the treatment of the animals while they are being held at dealer facilities awaiting sale for research. Numerous documented cases of mistreatment and neglect, as well as animal welfare violations, have occurred at Class B facilities. However, many dealers with Animal Welfare Act violations have not lost their licenses or faced serious sanction. By its own admission, the USDA lacks the necessary resources to track the interstate activities of Class B dealers. As of 2006, only 15 Class B dealers sell dogs and cats to research institutions in the United States. The Humane Society of the United States would like to see the elimination of Class B Dealers altogether. This would not end the use of dogs and cats in research, but would at least ensure that animals slated for research would not suffer ill-treatment in the Class B dealer pipeline. The HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) went undercover to a class B dealer called Martin Creek Kennels, and exposed the horrors that these dogs were put through. HBO showed it and it is called "Dealing Dogs." I watched this with tears streaming down my face, and finally, I actually became sick to my stomach, and threw up. The undercover investigator, "Brian", had to watch this day in and day out. But, by doing what he does, he uncovered the horrors and the kennel was finally shut down. So, when you see dogs at a flea market, step up and tell the people with the puppies that they are wrong. I have done so on many occasions at the Milton Flea Market. Although it is not illegal to sell dogs at a flea market, the people selling them are not reputable breeders. They just want to make a dollar.
Support "Buck's Bill" (the Pet Safety and Protection Act). There are 15 Class B dealers left who round up dogs and cats from various "random sources" and sell them to research facilities. The Humane Society of the United States firmly believes that it is time to stop funneling dogs and cats—often times stolen family pets—into research facilities. The Pet Safety and Protection Act, otherwise know as, "Buck's Bill," will prohibit the sale of "random source" (Random source animals are those dogs and cats that are either obtained from auction sales or from any person who did not breed and raise the dogs and cats) dogs and cats for experimentation, preventing the theft of pets for research and the abusive treatment of these animals in the hands of Class B dealers. The House and Senate both recently accepted amendments to their respective Farm Bills to prevent stolen pets from being sold into research. While this is a great step forward, we need to make sure this legislation becomes law. "Buck's Bill" is named in honor of Buck, a black hound dog seized in 2003 in Oklahoma from a Class B dealer. Buck, who had heartworm disease and other ailments, died months after his rescue, while in foster care. TAKE ACTION!
Make a brief polite phone call to your two U.S. Senators and Representative and ask them to co-sponsor S. 714/H.R. 1280, the Pet Safety and Protection Act. You can reach your federal legislators through the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Here is all the info on both Senators and Representative Rahall:
Capitol Address: Rep. Nick RahallU.S. House of Representatives
2307 Rayburn House Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 205150001
Ph: (202) 225-3452
District Address:301 Prince Street
Beckley, WV 258014515
Ph: (304) 252-5000
Capitol Address: Senator John (Jay) Rockefeller
U.S. Senate
531 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 205100001
Ph: (202) 224-6472
District Address:Martinsburg Federal Building
217 West King Street, Suite 307
Martinsburg, WV 254013286
Ph: (304) 262-9285
Capitol Address: Senator Robert Byrd
U.S. Senate
311 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 205100001
Ph: (202) 224-3954
District Address:300 Virginia Street East
Suite 2630
Charleston, WV 253012503
Ph: (304) 342-5855

The Media Just Doesn't Care About Animal Abuse.

This story is just one of many, many abuse cases in the state of WV that the media, TV and newspapers, even though the Pt. Pleasant newspaper carried a few lines, just doesn't think is important. I feel it is my job to let the public know what is happening right in their own back yards. It also ties in with my post on people that abuse animals go on to abuse humans.

A man from Hurricane is a charged with the beating death of 8 puppies. 39-year old Joey Keith Jeffery is charged with 8 counts of animal cruelty in Mason County. Jeffery is also charged with one count of domestic violence. According to a Point Pleasant newspaper, deputies responded to a domestic violence call at a house in Leon on Sunday. The report says at the house deputies found 8 puppies beaten to death with a blunt object then thrown into a trash can. Jeffery is currently in the Western Regional Jail. His bond was set at $21,000. The report says Jeffery has an extensive criminal record with 44 arrests.
source: www.petabuse.com