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Grace's StoryAfter a local news station aired a news story on the Kalamazoo , Michigan chapter of Dogs Deserve Better, Regional Coordinator Patricia Aldering started receiving phone calls and e-mails about one particular dog named Leigha, now called Grace.
Grace is a yellow lab retriever mix with a deformed paw. Patricia went to the house and no one was home, but she left literature offering help. She never heard back from Grace's owners. At this same time, the national headquarters of Dogs Deserve Better was in the process of their Valentine Campaign so she was hoping a valentine would send the message to bring Grace inside. When neighbors contacted Patricia again and said Grace was still living in a bad situation, Patricia returned to the home and again no one was there. It was a very cold day and it was snowing heavily. Grace looked lonely and miserable and had no water.
Patricia couldn't get to her food bin but she assumed it too was empty. She noticed her cable was very short, It barely allowed her to get inside her doghouse. Because she was witnessing a violation of the states anti-cruelty law, she decided to contact the police department. "I decided enough was enough. Neighbors told me they had pleaded many times to the owners to take Grace off her tether." The police officer contacted Animal Services and Enforcement and they took Grace away. "Neighbors told me she has been tethered for at least 5 years, but because Grace is 9 years old and her owners lived at another address prior to the current one we suspect she was tethered 24/7 at that address also". One of the veterinarians that examined her paw said something either got caught around the paw, or something was tied around it so it did not grow properly and became deformed due to not having proper circulation. The paw does not have a joint above the toes so it causes her pain when she walks.Her right leg is also shorter than the left.
Not only did it take a team effort to rescue Grace, it has also been a team effort to rehabilitate her. She has been in 3 foster homes, each one offering unique skills and talents that Grace needed. Because tethered dogs can be so messed up, sometimes we need to bring a variety of people in to help. Some are good with obedience, others good in dealing with the medical issues. Grace's current foster mom Sheila says Grace loves to play with plush toys and loves a particular pink pig. For Easter she received a Platypus that she likes as well. Graces owners were charged with animal cruelty. The wife turned herself in however the husband did not and now there is a bench warrant for his arrest. Neighbors were willing to give statements and said they would testify in court if needed. Many people turn their heads and don't get involved, but Grace got lucky. Soon Grace will be ready for a forever home. Patricia Aldering Region 3 Coordinator Dogs Deserve Better
UPDATE June 14, 2009 (two emails from the assistant prosecutor) Ms. Aldering, Unfortunately, the fine was the extent of Ms. Miller's sentence. Any
type of limitation on animal ownership or community service would have
required Ms. Miller to be placed on probation for purposes of oversight
and the court stated it did not feel probation was necessary in this
case.
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Contact
Info: Dogs
Deserve Better, Inc. • P.O.
Box 23 • Tipton, PA 16684
• Toll Free 1.877.636.1408 • 814.941.7447 |
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