Post by michele5611 on Dec 22, 2010 13:48:48 GMT -5
www.timesdaily.com/article/20101222/NEWS/101229938/-1/sports40?Title=Abandoned-pit-bull-7-others-confiscated
LEIGHTON - A Colbert County Road Department crew cleaning along old Alabama 20 came upon a shocking discovery — a malnourished and wounded pit bulldog tied to a tire.
Crews contacted the county’s Animal Control Department, which picked up the dog and took it to the Colbert Animal Clinic, where the dog is expected to recover.
Now animal control officials want to know who is responsible for dumping the dog along the road. At the same time, officers are continuing to investigate a separate incident north of Leighton that caused the department to confiscate seven malnourished pit bulls from their owner.
No charges have been filed in either case, because they remain under investigation, Animal Control Director Tommy Morson said.
Morson asks anyone with information to contact the office at 256-381-4073. You can remain anonymous, he said.
The pit bull found Tuesday morning looks to be about 12 to 15 pounds, and has a neck wound, Morson said. A normal adult is 30 to 35 pounds.
“We’re not sure if it’s been used to fight,” Morson said. “The neck wound is more of an imbedded-collar type of thing. It may be just from neglect.”
Dr. Joe Cobb examined the dog Tuesday.
“We fed him and he inhaled it,” the veterinarian said. “He looks to have had some kind of collar around him. The neck should heal OK. I don’t know if we’ll be able to suture it, because it’s swollen and it probably would pull out, so we’re keeping it cleaned out and bandaged and he’ll do just fine.
“It looks like the collar was too tight and it kept digging in and kept constricting. He’s a good-natured dog. He didn’t object to anything we did. Most pit bulldogs I see are good natured. They have a bad rep. They’re like anything — you can make one bad.”
Morson said officers are investigating whether the dog was used to fight or simply wasn’t cared for by the owner.
“They starve them for various reasons,” he said. “If you see a bunch of them that are being starved, they may be making them hungry so they’ll fight for food.
“We’re not saying this is a fighting dog. They use a lot of them for bait. If the dog won’t fight, they just throw it away.”
He said pit bulls are strong and athletic, so people who engage in dog-fighting activities like to use them.
“Pits are just used for the wrong reasons by some people,” he said. “It’s not that they’re mean. It’s just the damage they can do when they bite.”
The seven dogs confiscated Monday were picked up at a residence on Strait Lane, Morson said.
“We took them away from people for not taking care of them,” he said. “They were not being fed and housed properly. We have some areas in and around Leighton where we have a lot of trouble with pit bulls.”
In both cases, the dogs will be adopted out if they pass temperament tests, Morson said. If not, officers will look for rescue units where they can be placed.
Bernie Delinski can be reached at 256-740-5739 or bernie.delinski@TimesDaily.com.
LEIGHTON - A Colbert County Road Department crew cleaning along old Alabama 20 came upon a shocking discovery — a malnourished and wounded pit bulldog tied to a tire.
Crews contacted the county’s Animal Control Department, which picked up the dog and took it to the Colbert Animal Clinic, where the dog is expected to recover.
Now animal control officials want to know who is responsible for dumping the dog along the road. At the same time, officers are continuing to investigate a separate incident north of Leighton that caused the department to confiscate seven malnourished pit bulls from their owner.
No charges have been filed in either case, because they remain under investigation, Animal Control Director Tommy Morson said.
Morson asks anyone with information to contact the office at 256-381-4073. You can remain anonymous, he said.
The pit bull found Tuesday morning looks to be about 12 to 15 pounds, and has a neck wound, Morson said. A normal adult is 30 to 35 pounds.
“We’re not sure if it’s been used to fight,” Morson said. “The neck wound is more of an imbedded-collar type of thing. It may be just from neglect.”
Dr. Joe Cobb examined the dog Tuesday.
“We fed him and he inhaled it,” the veterinarian said. “He looks to have had some kind of collar around him. The neck should heal OK. I don’t know if we’ll be able to suture it, because it’s swollen and it probably would pull out, so we’re keeping it cleaned out and bandaged and he’ll do just fine.
“It looks like the collar was too tight and it kept digging in and kept constricting. He’s a good-natured dog. He didn’t object to anything we did. Most pit bulldogs I see are good natured. They have a bad rep. They’re like anything — you can make one bad.”
Morson said officers are investigating whether the dog was used to fight or simply wasn’t cared for by the owner.
“They starve them for various reasons,” he said. “If you see a bunch of them that are being starved, they may be making them hungry so they’ll fight for food.
“We’re not saying this is a fighting dog. They use a lot of them for bait. If the dog won’t fight, they just throw it away.”
He said pit bulls are strong and athletic, so people who engage in dog-fighting activities like to use them.
“Pits are just used for the wrong reasons by some people,” he said. “It’s not that they’re mean. It’s just the damage they can do when they bite.”
The seven dogs confiscated Monday were picked up at a residence on Strait Lane, Morson said.
“We took them away from people for not taking care of them,” he said. “They were not being fed and housed properly. We have some areas in and around Leighton where we have a lot of trouble with pit bulls.”
In both cases, the dogs will be adopted out if they pass temperament tests, Morson said. If not, officers will look for rescue units where they can be placed.
Bernie Delinski can be reached at 256-740-5739 or bernie.delinski@TimesDaily.com.
I look forward to learning much here