3 dozen animals rescued from shelter

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/article/20091024/NEWS01/710249884/0/LIVING


Nebraska Humane Society veterinarian Dr. Amber Horn, left, and vet student Melody McElroy examine a three-year-old beagle rescued from an abandoned Auburn, Neb., animal shelter Friday. Also rescued were 21 other dogs, a cat, eight chickens, four ducks and a turkey.

A woman who serves as a dogcatcher in Auburn, Neb., abandoned three dozen animals at one of two shelters she and her family ran in the region, authorities say.

Found fending for themselves Friday were 22 dogs, one cat, eight chickens, four ducks and a turkey, said Pam Wiese, a spokeswoman for the Nebraska Humane Society. It had been three weeks since the animals had been taken care of, she said, and they lacked food and water.

Workers also found three dead dogs at the acreage, located about 10 miles northwest of town.

“It’s a horrible story and a horrible mess,” said Carol Wheeler, founder and director with Hearts United for Animals, an Auburn-area no-kill shelter that assisted in the rescue. “This was a train wreck that should not have been allowed to happen.”

The surviving animals were fed, cleaned and medically checked. After more tests in Omaha, those that are healthy and have no behavioral problems will be made available through the society’s adoption program, Wiese said.

Officials will try to find homes at area acreages for the ducks, chickens and turkey.

Meanwhile, the Humane Society will perform a necropsy — an animal autopsy — on the three dogs, Wiese said. Information on the cause of death will be used by Nemaha County officials to determine whether any criminal charges should be filed against the dogcatcher or her family members, said Nemaha County Sheriff Brent Lottman.

FULL story and photos at link.

[tmyers09]

1. I seriously...

I seriously fucking wonder what would possess somebody to mistreat an animal. They're like, the most loving creatures on this earth. Just because they're small, or they can't talk, doesn't mean they're not living beings. They have brains, and hearts, and souls.

[Altoid_Cyclist]

2. Sad way to start the day.

Stories like this really do make me wonder just how advanced mankind really is. My Dad and my Uncle were both Veterinarians and they always said that the human race just left them shaking their heads on a lot of occasions.

My Uncle didn't retire until he was in his 90's or maybe late 80's, but even then he would only charge a few dollars to spay or neuter a pet because he thought that it was that important.

The economy is going to cause stories like this to become way too common.
SNAP is one Org. that is trying to help with the over population of pets, but people need to be a lot more responsible if they are going to own pets.

http://www.snapofpa.org/

http://www.spayusa.org/

[Omaha Steve]

3. Kick

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. WTH? They couldn't try to place them elsewhere??