WASHINGTON, Ga.---Evidence of dog fighting and drugs were found earlier this week at a home in Wilkes County.
[...]
When the Washington Police Department went in with a search warrant on Tuesday they were shocked at what they found. Cocaine, marijuana, almost a dozen dead animals around the property and nine more pit bulls...trained to kill.
Well they sure made that assessment fast. I wonder how they got a qualified trainer in for individual evaluations so quickly. Or is that just the TV people being dramatic and no one has been in to give these dogs fair evaluations yet?
"When we found nine dogs chained up, viscous put bulls -- these dogs were scarred up every last one of them," says Lt. Nelson.
Another nine animals, dogs and cats were found dead, some badly decomposing on the property. They could have been the bait.
Investigators believe some of the dead animals and some of the pit bulls may have been family pets that were stolen."We feel some of those animals that were recovered might have been family owned pets because we've had a lot of complaints here of missing dogs or stolen dogs," says Lt. Nelson. "I mean, these dogs I don't think could be anybody's pet again.
Well that is one possibility, another one being: Maybe they could be pets again. Maybe we need a canine behaviorist experienced with rehoming bust dogs to come in and individually evaluate these dogs before we make determinations like that.
The nine pit bulls found are at the humane society in Washington. They are currently trying to get custody of those dogs.
The shelter believes the three adults will have to be euthanized but that there may be hope for some of the puppies that they believe had just begun training. They are not up for adoption.
Right. For one thing, the owner has not been proven guilty in a court of law yet so he is still the owner. For another, if he chooses (or is forced by the courts) to sign over custody of the dogs to the shelter, it sounds as if they've already got at least 3 pink needles lined up.
Seems to me, this would be another good opportunity for HSUS to mobilize its vast resources and get on the horn to educate this shelter and local law enforcement about their new "interim" policy recommending individual evaluations for bust dogs. If necessary, they could help with funding to bring in an outside behaviorist for the evaluations and to cover expenses in providing quality care for the dogs. Just a(nother) suggestion...
I'm guessing this is the shelter trying to obtain custody - and apparently planning to kill at least some - of the dogs: Washington-Wilkes Humane Animal Shelter.
Every dog deserves a fair evaluation.
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But of course. Guilty until proven innocent. And all evidence of innocence is inadmissible.
["Viscous put bulls"? The "put bulls" were in a liquid state?]
Hope the pups get a chance, at least.
Once again, the media is blaming the victims for their abuse and perpetuating the idea that pit bulls from fight busts are somehow dramatically different from other dogs. I really hope that even one of these dogs is seen as an individual and makes it out alive.
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