Abuse, Neglect and Cruelty Investigations

I am the Washington Area Humane Society's full-time Humane Officer. My job is to investigate claims of animal abuse and to prosecute violators.

If you suspect animal abuse or cruelty, please call (724) 222-PETS (7387) and leave us a message. Your name will be kept confidential. All abuse complaints are investigated, but please leave your phone number in case we need more information.

 

 

 

 

 

How? Why? No answer would be good enough for Minnie (Salma)

 

Salma (formerly Minnie) as she is now known is doing pretty well according to her foster mom. Read below what she says about Salma’s progress:

 

 

November 1st, 2009 How she got here:

"Minnie" was gently led into the shelter today by a man who plucked her off the side of a road in Bulger.

Despite bathing the terribly emaciated girl twice, the yellow stains from what must have been interminable time spent in a urine-soaked cage remained. At only 30 pounds, it is difficult to say what kind of dog she is except to say that she is about 4 years old.

What can be said about this amazingly sad dog is that she is trusting, despite the burns on her head, friendly, though surrounded by strangers and very sweet.

Her elbows and ankles have open sores and it is amazing that with so little meat on her bones she can even stand. Yet "Minnie" who would have every reason to fear people based on her apparent mistreatment is a shining star who has landed on our doorstep this Halloween, and we will treat her the best that we can.

UPDATE — November 9th, 2009:

"She is not housebroken, but that is what we are working on now. She started off afraid to go outside and afraid of grass and going and standing in her output in our back room. I bought puppy aid training spray. You spray it in the grass where you want them to go. We take her out every hour (I work day, hubby works nights), and son of a gun if that spray hasn't worked so far. She hasn't gone in the house in about 48-hours now, hopefully, we've been successful! She is such a smart puppy - look how far she's come already.

We are also trying to get her to walk on a leash, sit, and sit and stay, which are moving along. We got her a harness - she seems to be too afraid of collars, but is fine with a harness. She is fine with our itty-bitty-kitty, Miss Mel.

I've had friends over and she has visited with the neighbors to get her socialized, she loves people - jumping up and hugging strangers will be our next thing to stop.

We've kept her away from other dogs for now, so I don't know how she is with other dogs.

I called a trainer because she is overly attached to my hubby, Rob, and I am worried about separation anxiety. Rob wants to rename her Velcro! The trainer said Salma’s attachment to Rob is typical of a neglected dog, but we have to get it under control because it will get to the point when Rob leaves, Salma's world will collapse. To do that I am doing all of the feeding and training and walking and her visitors give her treats so that she learns things can come from other than Rob.

She is slowly gaining weight, she seems to be gaining it front to back, like in her chest and shoulders first, and she isn't a hoover with her food anymore. Also, those ugly yellow stains are slowly going away, the stains are gone on her front legs and belly, she still has them on her paws and back legs. Her open sores are healing and she still smells, but nowhere NEAR like she did before. I'm using huggies wet-wipes on her, we don't want to giver her a bath yet or brush her. Her nails are awful, cracked and split, but we're waiting on that too.

She is going to be a wonderful furry family member for some lucky family. I think she looks like a short great-dane or a boxer. My neighbor sees some rotty in her, Rob sees boxer. She is still too skinny to figure it out.

Oh, I can send pictures and was planning to, but I was going to wait until she was a little bigger."
 

 
   

Unthinkable Horror

 

She looks the picture of health ... now, but she is not out of the woods just yet. She is being carefully monitored for any permanent damage to her organs that may have resulted from Sophia's personal torture. Her owner was deliberately withholding food and water from the dog, literally starving her to death slowly and painfully. The 11-month-old border collie mix was only 15 pounds when WAHS cruelty investigator picked her up and brought her to the shelter where she could not stand or even lift her head up. She was no doubt a day or two away from death. the owner has been charged with animal cruelty, but that hardly seems harsh enough for what he has wrought on an innocent, dependent animal. Sophia was very lucky to have been rescued. So many others fall under the hand of neglect and abuse. Now gaining weight, playing with other dogs and finally allowed to be the puppy that she is, Sophia has gone to a Border Collie Rescue where the knowledgeable staff will place her in an appropriate home.
[ See Sophia's first day ]

 

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Thank you for your caring and loving these animals.

* All donations in excess of what is necessary for the animals featured will be used for our other deserving animals who find themselves in our care.

 

 

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