Sep 19, 2016

BCSP Report – Week 36

 

Bollinger County Stray Project Report August 29-September 4

The past few weeks have seemed like months of tragedy for a family from Perryville who owned property in the Sedgewickville area.

Some say no good deed goes unpunished. Even though I do not believe in this “saying”, some folk take advantage of others who do help them in ways above what most would do.

This is how the Perryville family must feel. They knew of a young man who had a rough life, had been in trouble in the past, apparently a felony, as he was not to have any guns in his possession. So they tried to help him by giving him a good deal on a property he wanted to purchase.

When the payments stopped they checked on the situation and found that their property was trashed with evidence of illegal activity.

On the property were 7 dogs of which several acted aggressive towards visitors. They were just the type of dogs a person running illegal activities would want: large, and some scary looking Pit type dogs.

As I discussed last week, when dogs are in a pack they can behave badly and it is the leader dog and the owner who help distinguish the character of the pack.

I am told that the man split, left the county, and when the owners came back to check on the trailer and property, the seven dogs were locked in the house, abandoned and to no surprise, covered in fleas.

What a mess.

Unfortunately cases like this are not rare in our county, Cape County, Stoddard, or any surrounding county. I would guess there is more of this nationwide than we ever hear about, where the dogs or pets and livestock are abandoned, whether due to a divorce, loss of income, or illegal activities.

So what steps should a property owner or neighbor need to take when they find abandoned and endangered pets and livestock?

First call the local policing department.

If the animals are in the country call the sheriff’s department.

IF the animals are abandoned or abused in the city call the local police department and after logging in a complaint, a need for assistance, then make sure an animal control officer, should they have one, also be contacted.

The policing department, if in Missouri, will check out the alleged neglect and or abuse case then MUST post the property. Then the owner is to call them within a given time frame which may be 24 or 48 hours.

If the animals are without water, without food, injured, or in a dangerous situation such as with another dog who is being aggressive towards that dog, or puppies which are in grave danger when no food or water is available (they fail very quickly) the police agency MUST make steps to document the situation and do something to assist the animals so they do not perish.

In Bollinger County the canine officer carries food and water. He also often takes the calls for animal neglect and abuse.

If YOU feed and water the animals you are trespassing, and you are destroying evidence of neglect and abuse. You can negatively affect the case which could force the law to have to let abused animals stay in an abuse or neglect situation.

NOT GOOD!!!

This is very hard for those of us who feel compassionate for the animals we see suffering. Trust me, for the average police officer, they too are disgusted, sickened, and angry about the abuse they are called to investigate.

If there is abuse, neglect, or abandonment the Humane Society of Missouri may be called in to document the abuse and access how to further handle the situation. They check the temperament of the animals, severity of the situation, and more, so they can go to court should the need arise.

The investigator for our area has a double territory and believe me he is very busy. He is not always able to pick up a dog in need within a couple days or even a week or two. Other’s may be asked to help care for the needy animals and they trust those people will until they prepare for their removal.

In some cases there are reasons or laws that prohibit removal as quickly as wished, depending on the investigation. When it is you or I who need their help, it never seems fast enough to have abandoned or abused animals removed. Sometimes these animals are never removed because the jerks abusing them are just above the law enough to keep their pets. It can seen tragic…

Sometimes there is a lack of help at the Humane Society of Missouri to haul off animals and they also need the room for such animals, which they have to keep for weeks until the law or the owner allows them ownership to either adopt or euthanize if aggressive or have no quality of life.

Generally they are only able to give basic vetting so if an animal is injured they are forced to pay for vetting even if the animal is not adoptable, until it is legally turned over.

In summary, we need to quickly contact authorities when we know of abuse, then we need to follow their instructions so we are not suied, so we don’t break the law and so we don’t damage their ability to prosecute an animal abuse case.

Accepted strays and relinquished pets (Facebook FB) (1):

… Pit Lab mix red and white male, age 9 months. Not claimed. 

Adoptions, return to owner or placed in other rescues (11):

… Three Lab mix pups from the Proctor & Gamble litter were adopted to area families: Black female went to Fredricktown retired and widow. Yellow male went to a deaf lady and her husband from Sedgewickville. A third puppy was adopted by a family who work at Proctor & Gamble.

… Mountain Cur type mom mix white, age 18 months and her three babies age 1 week went to Wright-way Rescue in Murphysboro Illinois.

… Border Collie Lab type black mom and her three half Mountain Cur puppies age 9 weeks went to the same rescue.

Cat calls:

… Most days we are receiving multiple calls about cats with litters. Please, please spay your female cats.

… Up for adoption: three to four kittens, age 5 months old: Zalma at flower nursery.

 

Dogs with Heartworm (HW), Ehrlichia, special needs, or that were euthanized:

… None.

Calls requesting assistance for dogs we did not admit:

… FOUND in Patton / Marquand area: Beagle small terrier mix, white with red and black, dots.

… LOST 8/26/16 Hwy 34 west of MH, Co Rd 808 and DD area: purebred male Boxer, fawn in color, wearing a collar with a rabies tag, also microchipped. YOU ARE STEALING this dog if not returned.

… Contacted about 3 of 7 dogs abandoned inside a rental trailer: working on a solution.

… Asked to take a 2 yr old purebred black Lab male

… Three mother dogs, a total of 8 pups to re-home them all from two families. .

… Asked to take a 4 year old chocolate Lab male. .

… FOUND Hwy M, 8/17/16: older black with grey on face, female purebred Cocker Spaniel

… FOUND Hwy E and TTarea, 8/18/16: Lab Pit red/white short coated yearling dog.

… FOUND Patton area, Co Rd 378, old school area, 8/20/16: two older male Beagles.

… FOUND Hwy 51 and Co Rd 854, 6/22/16: Cream to white female about 50 lbs.

Miscellaneous and contact info:

We had 50 dogs and pups at our home 8/29/16. If you have a stray camping out in the yard don’t wait, call us at 573-722-3035 or email photos at ace@clas. net.

We LOVE Buchheits! Donate a buck or more at the Jackson store for dog food and supplies when you shop. Also, Second Time Around in Marble Hill is taking donations for the Stray Project. Monetary donations are accepted at the Bollinger County Veterinary Service, Marble Hill Coop, Buchheits, and the MH Town and Country.

Stray Project monetary donations accepted at the Marble Hill Coop. We purchase de-wormer and other supplies at the Coop and donations are greatly appreciated.

Please be advised that the Bollinger County Stray Project is not the county or City of Marble Hill dog catcher. When you have a stray we try to help and can usually offer solutions. Patience is required of the caller towards our ability to find and implement a solution. I wish we had a magic wand but we don’t and can’t always help the callers in a manner they may demand of us. Remember, we are volunteers and help as time and space allows.

Offer a stray water on day one and food day two or three. Call if missing a dog or if you have a stray. We don’t always have room but we may have a solution to help you and the stray.

Dumping dogs is a form of abuse and against the law. Please report animal abuse or neglect.

Please do the following when your pets are expecting or caring for a litter: offer any pregnant dog small-breed-puppy-food the final 1-2 weeks before delivery and while the pups are nursing. Give those mothers all the food they want: bowls full all day and lots of fresh water available all day. Cats need kitten food. Free feed the higher calorie food during the nursing stage to help mom make milk and maintain her own body mass. Babies need to be de-wormed as young as 1-2 weeks, then every 7-10 days until age 10-weeks or older if in a confined environment with re-infestation concerns.

Thank you to the County Residents who have continued to support the Bollinger County Stray Project. 

Check out our available pets at Petfinder.  Call 573-722-3035 about our adoptable pets.

If you suspect an animal is being neglected or abused, call the Humane Society of Missouri Animal Cruelty Hotline, 314-647-4400 or 800-383-9835 or you can make a confidential report on line at Humane Society of Missouri.

To understand when an animal is being abused or neglected in the state of Missouri read the following link:http://asci.uvm.edu/equine/law/cruelty/mo_cruel.htm