Friday 8 April 2011

If I had my axe...

WARNING: Graphic and disturbing images and descriptions follow in this post about cruelty to animals. Please be forewarned that this post may very well make any grown man cry, not just the women.


I came across a case of animal cruelty yesterday while reading the paper online. I have time on my hands and tend to spend some of it in front of this infernal machine.


If I had an axe (I do have a hatchet... that might work just as well and is more easily concealed beneath bulky clothing), and the ability to slip in and hack away a bit (just to maim, cause pain, and eliminate the ability to move around much) at the person responsible for this, I would. I was in tears of rage, horror and pain upon reading the story of this little dog and what that so called human has done to him. This just makes me sick. Be prepared to have your heart wrenched out of your chest...

This is the story of Patrick, a year old pitbull, so named because he was discovered in an apartment garbage chute the day before St. Patrick's Day in Newark, NJ. He had been stuffed into a garbage bag and tossed down the garbage chute, all because a certain woman could not be bothered to care for him properly. Obviously, she had never cared for him... ever. The guy who cleans out the chute every couple of days was doing so and saw that one bag moved a bit. He tore it open and found this:





A one year old pitbull should weigh about 50 lbs. They are not large dogs but are quite muscular. Patrick weighed just 20. In these photos, he does not even look alive, until you look at his eyes and see the plea there. How anything could have survived as long as he did is beyond me. He is a tenacious little guy, I guess, with a very strong will to live. The humane society people who first took him in felt that as well. They didn't give up on him.




He was so weak from dehydration and starvation that he could not even stand. He had pressure sores all over from lying down. Every single bone in his body stuck out. They still do but to a slightly lesser extent now as he's slowly starting to gain weight.




Is he not just the cutest little guy? My heart melts...


There seems to be an increase in cases like Patrick's. The sad state of the humans on this planet (not all, I know but still... I just don't understand why these things happen) is more and more evident by how we treat the other living creatures, not just others of our own kind.




The owner was found and the original "disorderly persons offenses" have been upgraded to indictable torment and torture charges. She could face up to 6 months in prison and a $10,000 fine. This has become a very publicly followed case so I hope the law throws the book at her. I also hope they ban her from ever again having pets of any kind. I cringe to think of how she would care for children... I don't know if she has any but perhaps they should think about banning her from procreating as well.


I don't have the words to describe the fury I feel for that woman...


This is the link to the Associated Humane Societes' website where they are posting Patrick's progress.



14 comments:

  1. I couldn't read it, Pon... but I scrolled down and the dog came back to life, so that was good.
    Animal cruelty makes my blood pressure go through the roof.
    Sx

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  2. Scarlet: I hear ya... makes me see red and want to hurt someone!

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  3. I have to echo what Scarlet said, but I trusted you, Ponita, and skimmed to the bottom. Am relieved that the pup is alive and making strides -- and that the woman responsible for this heinous act will be punished.

    Pearl

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  4. I saw a news article about this elsewhere, but did not read it. It had one of the "after" pix.

    I didn't read this post either, just glanced sideways at the other pix.

    Animal cruelty bothers me more than anything.

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  6. Perhaps it says rather a lot about what I consider to be disturbing, but I managed to read it through twice. Pictures are only ever the entrée to the main course, I should know that better than most. The animal suffering is horrific, but more to the point in this case was the abhorrent way in which a living thing was disposed of with such ease of conscience.

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  7. I'm thinking: save the axe. Too much blood, too messy and too quick.

    Why not do the same to her? Fair's fair. Only, I would just leave her there. I wouldn't bother to save her.

    Awful. Awful.

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  8. I'm a coward I know, but I can't bear to read or see cruelty towards animals and children. I have to leave it to those stronger than me.

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  9. Pearl: I'll be checking to see what her sentence ends up being. If it is not harsh, a lot of people are going to raise a ruckus!

    XL: It bothers me too. Which is why I put this here. It highlights the lows to which some people sink and they take it all out of some poor pup.

    Jimmy: Exactly! I think you and I are the only two who read it and looked at the pictures. But then, although we have had very different lives, we have both become steeled to looking at the horrific things life sometimes throws in our faces.

    Roses: Oh you misunderstood, my dear. There would be nothing quick about using that axe. My goal would have been to leave her as helpless as that pup, only much more aware of what was happening.

    Pat: That's why I put the warning at the beginning. I didn't want everyone yelling at me about how horrible this was and that they were taken by surprise at the photos of such cruelty. When Patrick looks more like a dog and less like a skeleton, I'll find a happy picture to post.

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  10. I'm always again astounded how humans can treat living beings. Animals or other humans.

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  11. Mago: Yes, as a species, we are capable of unspeakable things, aren't we? Often makes me ashamed to be human...

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  12. I looked. And looked. Sarge and I had a long talk about it. And then we hugged our own darling rescue dog. I really don't have any words to add to what the others said.

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  13. Leah: I know... I had a rescue dog once... probably the best dog I ever had. He was near death from starvation when I got him but became the most wonderful companion! He was older... probably around 8 year old when I found him and he lived another 6 years with me. Despite the abuse (he was very afraid of Mexican men with tools... I lived in San Diego at the time) and horrible allergies, he was very friendly and well behaved with everyone. I still miss him. I'm so glad Remus has you and your family. ((♥))

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  14. As individuals, Ponita.

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So you have something to say about all this, do you?
Well, let's hear it, then!