Rescued Pit Bull Recovering; County Agency Likely Will Kill Him

[conlor]

Rescued pit bull recovering; Saginaw County agency likely will kill him.

Cola the pit bull terrier finally is getting the care he needs after spending more than a year cooped up in a house his owner abandoned.

However, under Saginaw County policy, the dog likely faces a death sentence.

Friday morning, Dr. Tina Roggenbeck of Veterinarian Health Center, 305 N. Center in Saginaw Township, evaluated Cola's health.

"He's doing fine now," said Mark A. Wachner, director of the Saginaw County Animal Care Center. "His general health is good, though he's severely underweight."

"He weighed 45 pounds and he should be at 60 to 65, possibly more," said Lorie M. Menard, office manager of Veterinarian Health Center. She added Cola was "about 15 to 20 percent dehydrated as well."

Menard also reported that Cola has an open pressure sore or ulceration on his pelvis and similar wounds elsewhere on his body. "His hips, ribs and spine are very prominent. He's 3 to 5 years old, but it's hard to tell age with poor nutrition."

Wachner said the Animal Care Center intends to seek charges of animal cruelty against Cola's owner. A court will decide the dog's fate.

Wachner said it's possible, although highly unlikely, that the dog could end up back in his owner's care. If the court rules against that, the Animal Care Center will resume responsibility for Cola and likely kill him.

"As a rule of thumb, we don't adopt pit bulls out," he said. Without this policy, "we'd be supplying fighting dogs to the community, and there's a good amount of dog fighting in the county."

Wachner said the policy is unpopular, but "it's the lesser of two evils."

Neighbors living near a house at 3405 N. Michigan in Carrollton Township had called the Animal Care Center for more than a year to voice their distaste for the dog's squalid living conditions. During that time, neighbors said, the owner's girlfriend would occasionally show up to feed Cola but she never took him outside.

Cola's initial frantic barking gradually quieted down over the months, neighbor Kellie Burkey said.

Thursday, Animal Care Officers obtained a warrant and broke down the door of the residence, freeing a thin and trembling Cola, who immediately lapped up several bowls of water.

The dog's owner failed to show, although Carrollton Township Police Officer Kip J. Humpert advised him to visit the house.

Original story and photos:
• Housebound dog seized, Carrollton Township neighbors relieved

http://www.mlive.com/saginawnews/news/index.ssf/2008/04/rescued_pit_bull_recovering_sa.html


(I think the girlfriend should be charged too. She knew the dog was there and apparently had a key to the house.)

[Snowden]

That poor dog! I can't imagine treating a pet like that! Or living in a house where the dog is 24 hours a day without even the chance of being house broken!

[Woodmonkey]

I'm glad they aren't adopting him out. Those pit bulls have a well deserved reputation for agression and they don't dare take the chance.