Animal Rescue Director Arrested For Animal Abuse
In the area where I live, we are involved with a breaking story about the executive director of an animal rescue organization. She has been arrested for the suspected abuse of over 80 animals.
Complaints filed with county animal services regarding the facility where the animals were being kept, include the following:
• Numerous animals in horrible condition"
• One of horse weighed 400 pounds less than when the owner dropped it off.
• The horse's coat was covered with deep cuts
• The only drinking water the horses had was a children's pool filled with green slime and two small metal bowls used to feed the horses were filled with dirt.
• A house at the location had dog and rabbit feces and urine all over the floor with no visible food or water.
• The main part of the house had eight to 10 dogs with feces and urine all over the floor and couch. There was no food or water.
• The lanai held a female shepherd mix with her six puppies. The dog's ribs were showing, the water bowl had slime in it and the food bowl was upside down. There was puppy diarrhea on the floor.
• A kennel attached to the house contained 10 to 12 thin puppies. The food bowl was empty and there was a three-gallon bucket full of green slime.
You can read the entire story in the Fort Myers News Press, as reported by Gabriella Souza.
Most states have specific statutes that provide minimal protection for companion animals in public or private facilities.
For example, the Iowa Statues provide in part:
"all dogs and cats handled by boarding kennels, commercial kennels, commercial breeders, dealers, and public auctions are provided with humane care…including…
adequate feed means the provision at suitable intervals of not more than twenty-four hours or longer if the dietary requirements of the species so require, of a quantity of wholesome foodstuff suitable for the species and age, sufficient to maintain a reasonable level of nutrition in each animal. The foodstuff shall be served in a clean receptacle, dish or container.
adequate water means reasonable access to a supply of clean, fresh, potable water provided in a sanitary manner or provided at suitable intervals for the species and not to exceed twenty-four hours at any interval."
If you suspect that a facility is not properly caring for animals, notify the appropriate authorities for an investigation.
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Ugh. We are so sorry to have to read this story. But thank you so much for your wonderful blog -- it is really providing a lot of helpful information. Thanks, Your PaLs, LuLu and LoLLy
What a terrible thing to happen - a similar event has been reported here in the UK over the weekend. How do people find themeselves in this awful position.