Ragarding animal cruelty - it's happened, to one of my own dogs!
I'm mortified, angry and really sad all at the same time this afternoon.
My ex wife Jenny called me this morning to tell me that one of the lovely little pedigree Pug pups "P1&P2" that we homed to a woman in Brisbane in July last year has come back to us in an god-awful state.
I didn't know it, but this woman (who has had one of our pups before and wanted another as a playmate) never ended up paying Jenny for Monty, as he was called. Jenny was still chasing for the rest of a considerable sum still owing months later, as the poor little thing was sent to Brisbane in good faith as she was a previous client who apparently looked after her first dog well. This prompted Jenny, in a final act of desperation, to call this womans business to try and catch her. She wouldn't talk to Jenny, so Jenny was given the phone number of this womans brother. The brother went around to have a look at the dog and reported back that it "didn't look like the dog was being fed". It was neglected, she told us, because it used to "attack" the children and was food unfriendly with the other two dogs they had.
Jenny saw red and arranged for Monty to be extricated from the house, and transported back to Sydney by plane. This morning poor Monty arrived. I went to collect him and nearly died. The poor, poor little bloke is almost HALF what he should weigh by this stage - 6 months old and way less than 4kg. For a Pug that's criminally underfed. He's covered in sores and voracious hot spots as you can see. His ribs show completely when he walks. His legs look like they're going to break. He's going to take a lot of love and food before he recovers. He looks more like a whippet than a Pug.
I've taken him under my wing and he's a beautifully friendly little fella. Having him here, he "attacks" me by standing on his hind legs looking for a cuddle. How anyone could interpret that as "violent" I'll never know. Her kids aren't babies, and are closer to 12 than 2. He's a sook, as he should be. He's beautiful He gets on with Chops and Bongo (my two Pugs), but is timid and a little snappy, and so would I be if I were him. I'm going to keep him and give him a good life. We've already bonded.
He's eating good puppy food like it's going out of style. He's so hungry that even at his weight he's wolfing down three times what the others eat..I'll have to moderate him and give him what he requires, without overfeeding him as this leads to the runs and all sorts of other issues. He'll settle on an appropriate amount after a couple of days I think.
Anyway - sorry to vent, but I'm disgusted a teary that someone we thought we KNEW reasonably well is actually capable of doing this to a poor little dog. We're having the brother go around and let us know how Frankie, out first dog to her a couple of years ago, is doing. For her sake, Frankie had better be all right.
Chris your story really saddens me. Poor little bloke - it must be just heartwrenching to see him like that for both you and Jenny. I really do hope that Frankie is okay. People sometimes to unfathomable things to animals, they really do.
We have Border Collies - in fact we have a litter due any day now - Ms chubby-guts (as we have taken to calling Millie) looks like she is going to burst at the seams.
The idea of finding one of our babies being mistreated makes me feel sick.
Give the little puglet a love from all of our dogs.
Poor little beggar's having a hard time. His new environment is very foreign to him, but this will ease.
Kerrie - from now on, I'm getting multiple proven personal references before anyone ever gets another pup from me. Maybe it's something you need to consider with your Collies.
Don't worry mate, he'll be back to full strength in no time with your care.
The wonderful thing about dogs is, no matter how much they are abused, as soon as someone shows them kindness again, the memories vanish very quickly (although I know many whom have, permanent psycological scarring. Louds noises etc.). It is amazing how they can trust another human again after what they have been through...
Kudos to you mate for what you do. I am speaking with Monica's rescue in Sydney and am looking to become a foster for some of their dogs. They have strict guildlines and you must prove to them you are capable. They are very happy with my situation and my current dog, so all looks good to start fostering.
Again mate, job well done. Give him a good scratch from me.
Chris, I hope that he recovers from the mistreatment.
Mitchell, good luck with your hunt.
Two dog stories of mine.
SWMBO likes to have a dog.
We acquired Ben, a fully grown GSP, from a family who could no longer keep it. Whether it was something psycho about the dog or the treatment it had received, it was always hard to control. Eventually we resorted to Bark Busters. The local BB girl, with many years experience could not control him. She had the fellow who started BB come up from Wollongong to see if he could do any better. He did little better with Ben, and said he might improve with perseverance.
The day he bit me for absolutely no reason was the final straw. I went to the doctor. He went to the vet. We have since learnt there is a strain of GSPs that are psycho, and the breeders are supposed to be not selling any of them and weeding them out of the breed.
We now have Casey, a rescue Border Collie cross from Queenbeyan. SWMBO searched the rescue sites for a few weeks before picking him. We were told he belonged to a long-haul trucker and got lost one day at a rest stop. He can't do enough to please. He's terrified of thunder and fireworks but the rest of the time is fine. Children interest him for a short while, but once the novelty has worn off he'll ignore them. He hates Indian Mynas which makes him just about perfect.
Awful tale with a good ending for the pup, as you say hope Frankie is ok
I am having similar trepidations now as our dogs (Sophie and Cooper) just had their first litter.
We'll be keeping at least one (probably 2) of the 6 but I too will need real convincing that the new parents will be serious dog lovers and responsible.
Some people jus cant be trusted but identifying them is the real challenge
Animal abuse angers me more then anything else.
People that keep animals and treat them like s**t need to be charged. If some one treated another human being that way they would thrown in prison. If people want to keep animals, treat them the way you would like to be treated. Better yet, treat them as a member of the family.
On a side note, as I am re-reading the thread, why not send a bill to her for the transportation back / any medical bills with a 24 day notice of intent to serve her if she does not pay.
You don't have to follow through, but it will scare her $#@!less that she may have to end up paying a fee for her mistreatment / non-payment of initial purchase fee.
She deserves not to happily go about her days, as I am sure she is quite happy she is no longer burdened.
She deserves to atleast be worried of a law suit. Like I said you do not have to go through with it, just bluff her, who knows she might even pay you.
Thanks for caring everyone. Monty's lapping up the attention. He's a very affectionate pup, and I find it amazing that this hasn't been forced out of him. They really are forgiving - to their own detriment sometimes.
Frank - good idea. I, too, believe that she needs to know that other people think she did wrong.
You're a good man Chris. Take good care of little Monty and give him all the love and affection that has been lacking in his short life since he left your care.
Not sure I agree with Mitchell with sending the biatch a bill. "People" like that are arrogant to not really give a hoot even if it is threatening and legal. Karma can be an equally bigger biatch and may it bite her fair square on the bum with all due accrued interest.
Please keep us posted on Monty's progress and sneak him out to a star party in the near future. It will assist in his recuperation, I'm sure.
Thank you Wayne - kind words, and I'll certainly keep you posted.
It's going to be hard to get any sleep tonight, as soon as I leave his sight he starts moaning. LOL! I guess it's a night on the couch in the loungeroom with the boys and gal. Hopefully he'll settle in a day or two.
Not sure I agree with Mitchell with sending the biatch a bill. "People" like that are arrogant to not really give a hoot even if it is threatening and legal. Karma can be an equally bigger biatch and may it bite her fair square on the bum with all due accrued interest.
Wayne
Have you ever been served? People like "that" often only ever respond adequatley to legal proceedings. If you haven't been served let me assure you, it intimidates most ever person, except if you have tonnes of cash to splash on a barrister.
Karma is a lovely thing, it can work in miraculous ways. Unfortunatley time and time again I have seen the most damned person, get away with the up-most evils with little to no consequences. Karma equals all evils in the end, although in most cases it does not provide a "tick for tack" immediate responce to the situation. Who knows she might get some disease 20 years down the track, that does not help rectify current situations.
A lot of people like that walk among us. Contact the RSPCA here in Brisbane if any further evidence of neglect is discovered by your contact.
I used to personally know the chief investigator. I don't know if he still works at the RSPCA but they are very effective in bringing these "people" to justice.
He gets on with Chops and Bongo (my two Pugs), but is timid and a little snappy, and so would I be if I were him. I'm going to keep him and give him a good life. We've already bonded.
