Dogs in Okla.’s ‘Largest’ Abuse Case All Adopted
Description
By Liz Vetrano
August 27, 2008
ARDMORE, Okla. -- Even the most horrific stories can still have happy endings.
Last Monday, nearly 90 abused dogs were discovered near Marietta. A rancher was heading out for the morning when he followed the sound of crying out to an empty field, where the dogs had been left.
The rancher immediately called Southern Oklahoma Animal Resources for help and spoke to Scott Sutherland, the group’s director. Sutherland and a team of volunteers headed to the scene, which he later described as “an absolute three ring circus.”
“You see things like this on television, but I never expected to encounter it in real life,” Sutherland said. “Usually you are dealing with anywhere from one to a handful of animals, but never anything of this magnitude.”
The dogs were all smaller breeds, primarily poodles and terriers, and all ranged from three to five years old. All were emaciated and dehydrated, with sores, fleas and feces covering their skin. More than 70 percent were also pregnant.
“It was heartbreaking,” Sutherland said, his voice catching. “You could tell these dogs had been mistreated all their lives and had never known a moment of happiness.”
S.O.R.E. volunteers helped the rancher lure the dogs into his trailer so they could be brought to the Armdale Town & Country Animal Hospital.
“There was no biting, no barking, just enormous fear,” Sutherland recalled. “We had to climb right into the trailer and cradle these dogs and place them in the tub.”
More than 60 dogs stayed at Armdale’s hospital, while the remaining 25 went with Brenda Nealy, the owner of a rescue organization in Bonham, Texas. After a three-day stint in the hospital, every dog was adopted on the spot.
“The transformation was incredible,” Sutherland said. “The look in their eyes, when we first rescued them and then again as they were going to their new homes. They were truly looking at us as if to say, ‘thank you. You’ve given us hope.’ ”
The dogs’ owner is not yet known. Love County Sheriffs are not commenting on the case, but Sutherland speculated the owner was selling the dogs out of a trailer.
“It seems, to me, like an irresponsible breeder,” he said. “He sold what he could and dumped the rest, without ever caring for them properly.”
Even if the owner is found, it’s unclear what action could be taken, since Oklahoma is one of a handful of states that does not have set standards for dog-breeding operations. Federal licensing laws are in place for commercial breeders, but not those that sell to the direct public.
That’s not to say the issue isn’t garnering attention in the House. Veterinarian and state representative Lee Denney, R-Cushing, proposed legislation pushing for inspections of breeders who sell more than 25 puppies a year.
The bill failed to make it out of committee earlier this year, but a spokesman for Denney said she intends to offer a similar bill next year if re-elected.
August 27, 2008
ARDMORE, Okla. -- Even the most horrific stories can still have happy endings.
Last Monday, nearly 90 abused dogs were discovered near Marietta. A rancher was heading out for the morning when he followed the sound of crying out to an empty field, where the dogs had been left.
The rancher immediately called Southern Oklahoma Animal Resources for help and spoke to Scott Sutherland, the group’s director. Sutherland and a team of volunteers headed to the scene, which he later described as “an absolute three ring circus.”
“You see things like this on television, but I never expected to encounter it in real life,” Sutherland said. “Usually you are dealing with anywhere from one to a handful of animals, but never anything of this magnitude.”
The dogs were all smaller breeds, primarily poodles and terriers, and all ranged from three to five years old. All were emaciated and dehydrated, with sores, fleas and feces covering their skin. More than 70 percent were also pregnant.
“It was heartbreaking,” Sutherland said, his voice catching. “You could tell these dogs had been mistreated all their lives and had never known a moment of happiness.”
S.O.R.E. volunteers helped the rancher lure the dogs into his trailer so they could be brought to the Armdale Town & Country Animal Hospital.
“There was no biting, no barking, just enormous fear,” Sutherland recalled. “We had to climb right into the trailer and cradle these dogs and place them in the tub.”
More than 60 dogs stayed at Armdale’s hospital, while the remaining 25 went with Brenda Nealy, the owner of a rescue organization in Bonham, Texas. After a three-day stint in the hospital, every dog was adopted on the spot.
“The transformation was incredible,” Sutherland said. “The look in their eyes, when we first rescued them and then again as they were going to their new homes. They were truly looking at us as if to say, ‘thank you. You’ve given us hope.’ ”
The dogs’ owner is not yet known. Love County Sheriffs are not commenting on the case, but Sutherland speculated the owner was selling the dogs out of a trailer.
“It seems, to me, like an irresponsible breeder,” he said. “He sold what he could and dumped the rest, without ever caring for them properly.”
Even if the owner is found, it’s unclear what action could be taken, since Oklahoma is one of a handful of states that does not have set standards for dog-breeding operations. Federal licensing laws are in place for commercial breeders, but not those that sell to the direct public.
That’s not to say the issue isn’t garnering attention in the House. Veterinarian and state representative Lee Denney, R-Cushing, proposed legislation pushing for inspections of breeders who sell more than 25 puppies a year.
The bill failed to make it out of committee earlier this year, but a spokesman for Denney said she intends to offer a similar bill next year if re-elected.
