B.C. dog found starving, emaciated
CBC News
Trooper, believed to be around one year old, is expected to make a full recovery. Trooper, believed to be around one year old, is expected to make a full recovery.
The owner of a dog found emaciated and near death in Maple Ridge, B.C., last week should be charged with animal cruelty, the B.C. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says.
The golden retriever was brought to the SPCA last Sunday by a member of the public who found him wandering along Dewdney Trunk Road, covered in feces and urine.
“By the look of him, he’s obviously been very, very undernourished. He hasn’t been fed for a long time,” said Mark Vosper with the Maple Ridge SPCA.
“He had a very matted coat. We had to shave his coat — it was absolutely stinking. He must have been left in his own mess, his own feces and urine, for such a long time. He had no body mass at all, he was skin and bone.”
Vosper said the dog, whom staff at the SPCA named Trooper, is believed to be about one year old.
When he was brought in, Trooper weighed just over 10 kilograms — about one-third the ideal weight for his breed.
Vosper said Trooper has already gained more than one kilogram and is on a special diet, eating six small meals each day.
The SPCA has not released the name of the owner or revealed how the owner was located, but officials say they are recommending charges to Crown counsel.
Trooper visits a veterinarian for daily checkups and is expected to make a full recovery.
Trooper’s condition moved staff to tears
Mark Vosper with the Maple Ridge SPCA says it’s hard to imagine why someone would treat a dog so badly.
Despite the hardships Trooper has faced, Vosper said he is a lively dog that loves to play.
“He loves being around people. He loves affection. He loves treats. He likes everything that any other dog would like, but obviously he’s a special case. Everyone’s just fallen in love with Trooper.”
Vosper said Trooper’s story has touched everyone at the SPCA.
“The staff were moved to tears. Everyone that’s come through so far have just been moved to tears. We have staff here who have been working here for around 30 years … and Trooper is the worst body condition they’ve seen on a dog,” he said.
‘It’s pretty gruesome,’ says SPCA visitor
When he was brought in, Trooper weighed just over 10 kilograms.
Vosper said it will take about three months before Trooper is healthy enough to be placed in a good home. For the time being, he’s being cared for in a foster home.
He said cases like this are always hard to understand.
“Who would want to do this? Who in their right mind would want to do this?”
Visitors to the Maple Ridge SPCA on Saturday said they couldn’t understand it either.
“It makes me feel like people shouldn’t adopt dogs if they can’t handle them,” said teenager Taylor Bradshaw. “It’s sad.”
Her dad, Bill Bradshaw, said Trooper’s condition was shocking.
“It’s pretty gruesome. I’m just speechless,” he said.
Last fall I adopted a German Shepherd from a local kill shelter. She was estimated to be 10 months old & was terribly underweight at 45 lbs. I did not know what her history was but couldn’t leave her there. After 5 months of raw food diet she is a healthy 65lbs & filling out. She & my other Shepherd are truly sisters & one could not ask for a more loving companion. I encourage all to visit their local shelters & save a life.
Unfortunately this happens all too often & the offenders usually get a fine & slap on the wrist & that’s it. I am in rescue & a pet chaplain so I get these emails everyday. It breaks my heart & I write many letters to the judges begging for a harsh punishment but it normally does not happen. But I asure you they will pay one day by the hand of the most powerful. Puppymills- are one of the cruelest as I just lost two of my rescues that were 14 years in a mill. It is heartbreaking to watch and see what all they went through. We are desperately trying to change the laws here in US I am in PA and we have done alot with the mills but as long as there are cruel people we will have animals being abused.
Unfortunately this happens all too often & the offenders usually get a fine & slap on the wrist & that’s it. I am in rescue & a pet chaplain so I get these emails everyday. It breaks my heart & I write many letters to the judges begging for a harsh punishment but it normally does not happen. But I assure you they will pay one day by the hand of the most powerful. Puppy mills- are one of the cruelest as I just lost two of my rescues that were 14 years in a mill. It is heartbreaking to watch and see what all they went through. We are desperately trying to change the laws here in US I am in PA and we have done a lot with the mills but as long as there are cruel people we will have animals being abused.
I cannot say what I would like to do to the person who did this to this poor animal!People like this should be locked up for a good long time!They act like animals have no feelings and feel no pain.Animals love you unconditionally.They give you their whole hearts and we should give them ours!I have pets that I have rescued and could not find homes for and I was not about to take them to our shelter!I have my little 11 year old chihuahua mix,10 cats(yes 10!)a guinea pig and 4 birds!I cannot understand how someone can be so heartless and cruel!!
Well done to the person who picked up a wandering dog covered with feces and urine! I’m thankful Trooper will make a full recovery and hope the owners get prosecuted to the full extent of the law. We need some harsh punishments for animal cruelty and of course they should be banned from ever owning another pet.
Thank God that Trooper was found.
Here in the Southern USA, many people who starve dogs keep them penned up or chained so they can’t get out (and be saved).
I personally have rescued six dogs, over the years, who were left tied to a chain or penned up and emaciated, with no food or water.
I believe there is a special hell for these kind of sickos that have to feel powerful by torturing a defenseless animal.
It is SO IMPORTANT that people report these kinds of situations, instead of being afraid to get involved.
Again, I’m happy Trooper was lucky enough to be found before it was too late.
By all means, PROSECUTE the owner!
Our household pets have such an incredible tolerance for humans it’s unbelieveable! They provide an unconditional love that’s almost never seen in humans and all they really ask for in return is food! Luckily, Trooper is still playful with the SPCA staff after all he’s been through. It’s great to hear he’s finally with people who accept his valuable affection. Indeed- a trooper.
As for the previous owners- a fiery rage burns in my heart towards idiots/jerks/etc like that. There are countless alternatives they could have considered for the hungry pup. I’d love to lock them up and see how long they’d last without food!
Regarding the neglect and ultimate abuse of the golden retriever, Trooper……. The only story that out rages this one is the one that CNN just released about the couple who allowed their infant child to starve to death because of their “internet addiction”. In my 62 years on the planet I cannot remember a time when so much self indulgence, self serving and pure complacent behavior has dominated the human condition. We can change…….We must change…….It begins with all of us, one person at a time.
It is a sorry state of affairs when a dog is treated so neglectfully. It is possible that the owner is out of work and home him/herself, so the dog wasn’t cared for, either. It is a great thing that someone turned him loose and let him be found by caring folks, so he can get on the road to normalcy! Everyone needs to help out with rescue, because those dogs’ lives depend on our support!
Cindy
I was horrified when I read about Trooper. I just don’t understand how some people can treat an animal like this. Even if the offender is tried and found guilty the punishment will not be enough. Our animals deserve respect and better laws are needed to protect them against people like this.
They should lock up Trouper’s owner and throw away the key.
I wish I could get my hands on whoever does these senseless acts of cruelty to poor defenseless animals. I would like to give them a bit of there own treatment and dare them to complain or get a good bearting like they deserve….no fine is enough,not jail time is long enough…treat these people just as they have helpless animals. If this sounds cruel,it is no worse than they deserve for this. PAYBACK IS A BI…
I just can’t imagine being cruel to a defenseless animal. These people who are cruel to any animal, should be imprisoned for along time and fined a large fine too. These people are a danger to society. They must be nuts! How can anyone look into a doggie or kitty’s eyes and not feel the love and trust they give. I pray that Trooper gets a wonderful home and never has to worry about being mistreated again. I also think these abusive persons, should get the same treatment as they gave to the defenseless animals.
I am 50 years old now and I have told people over and over for over 35 years that if a person can do this to a helpless animal think of the damage they can do to a child. now they”re are some who believe me or so new studies say. they should be charged to the full extent of the law like a child doesn’t ask to be born our pets never ask to be chosen to be abused.
I found a starving dog thru a newspaper ad,advertised as a Whippet. The dog was rescued by a rural couple in Winchester CA. He weighed 15 llbs, his paws were like leather and(get clinical herenow) had a retroverted anus which was about3 inches in diameter. Three months after I adopted him it appeared normal. I feel he was sodomized regularly.He shied away from men. My Vet says he is a Basenji mix. He now weighs 30#. He sleeps on the foot of my bed every night and never had it so good.He saved my chihuahua from an attack by either a coyote or raccon in my back yard.I love that dog and HE loves me. What a great feelig.
I hope Trooper will be as lucky. Wonderful story.
I know this is getting more common as humans tighten the belt to survive themselves. They move away leaving pets to fend for themselves turning them loose on the street or worse yet droping them off in strange territory or even wilderness which only makes them food for the local wildlife.
I live in a pretty urban section of my county in Fl.USA but it was steadily growing until the economy tanked. Now many homes are empty and still becoming empty as hundreds of new forclosures are posted in the papers every week. I can only hope they turn in their pets to shelters or Animal control systems even though the chance of adotion is slim due to the huge overflow but it is more humane than turning them loose to be abused or run down in a road or atacked by other animals protecting their territory. I can only hope that “Trooper “will be in a new home forever.
This breaks my heart! what a shame that some people are so cruel….What did poor Trooper ever do to this person to be treated like this, except give his owner unconditional love. I feel like people that are cruel to animals should recieve the same sentence as one that that has committed abuse to a child or the elderly. I m happy to here that Trooper is doing better, and I am praying that he is blessed with a good loving famiy! He deserves it!!!! Thanks Janet
Dr Jones, any mistreatment of any animal is absolutely criminal and should be prosecuted. But, unfortunately many abusers get away with it. Is it better to save the innocent animal or prosecute his abuser?
I have given a Forever Home to a petite little Yorkshire Terrier who was in even worse condition than Trooper when he was rescued. This little 3 year old Yorkie had been kept out side in Red Deer, Alberta in the middle of October, with no blanket, shelter, food or water. He was matted with fesses and urine, and weighed less than half a pound. The little guy had had all his legs broken and they had healed any which way. His left back leg had healed in 4 separate pieces in the femur and hip area. The person who rescued him had to pay the owner $10 to get his papers so she could get treatment for him. The vet that saw him said that he was within 24 hours of death. His rescuer begged to buy rescue food to endeavor to save his life, the vet wanted to PTS the little guy. I am happy to report that after many months of careful nurturing the little Yorkie is thriving.
I am happy to report that the little fellow has been with me for over 2 years. He came to me after spending 2 1/2 mos in foster care. He weighs 2.8 lbs and even though he is badly maimed, he is the happiest little man. He knows basic obedience and can “shake a paw” and has asked to learn to “sit pretty”. No, I am not a nutcase, he has watched my 15 yr old Lhasa Apso “sit pretty” and is attempting to copy her. He needs special help to develop the muscles to preform the trick.
Had this Yorkie been reported to the local animal control he would have been PTS’d. The vet that initially saw him said that there was no chance of him surviving. His rescuer had the choice of trying to save the little guy or calling animal control so the owner would be prosecuted. The rescuer chose to save the little guy. I have no doubt that someone could have intervened sooner and animal control would have removed the little fellow long before he got into such desperate straights, but people are too busy minding their own business, not interfering.
The question is, was the original owner of this petite Yorkie criminally negligent and abusive? Yes, there is no doubt about it. Should have the original owner been prosecuted? Of course. But, should this wonderful, loving, sweet little Yorkie have been PTS’d at the time of his rescue? I say a resounding NO. That was the choice, PTS a wonderful little Yorkie and prosecute his owner or let the owner get away with it and give this little Yorkie a chance at a good life. The rescuer choose to give the Yorkie a chance at life.
There has to be a way to educate the public, to call animal control, to call a rescue group, to do something before an animal gets to the point that Trooper and my little Yorkie were in. We have done it with child abuse and neglect, why can’t we do it with animal abuse and neglect?
Until the public starts to look at life, any life be it human or animal, as precious we are going to have this problem.
A slap on the hand won’t do it. It amazes me that human think they are the only species on earth that need proper care or that any other creatures are beneath them. Thank God a loving person found this baby and he is in proper hands.
HUGE THANKS and HUGS to all at the SPCA caring so much for this special little soul. So warmed to read Trooper is in a loving foster home, enjoying love and attention it deserves, and perhaps never had before. Moved to tears as well.. blesings and happy trails to blaze ahead for this beautiful one! TREATS! How about that! 🙂 and TOYS too!.. and a warm CLEAN blankie and HUGS HUGS HUGS! OH GOSH! 🙂
There should be UNWAVERING and EXTREMELY strict charges for Animal Cruelty. This little darling was saved, Blessings abound. So many who are not spotted suffering needlessly and undeservingly. Perhaps pet guardians should be monitored somewhat regularly. Good pet guardians would certainly not mind this. Questionable pet guardians would shudder at the thought I would imagine.. a bit of a ‘big brother’ thing, but too many horrible stories of animal abuse go unnoticed, it may be a good idea to implement monitoring of a sort.. would be a good employment opportunity as well for animal lovers out of work 🙂
The story of Trooper brought tears to my eyes oh my god why and how ? Could any one be so horrible to any living creature. There has to be better laws out to deal with sick people in world that want pets then not look after them in a human way. Thank god he is able to have a life after his pain. I am feeling like they should be put in jail what i would like to see, they by made to help out in animals shelters.Even then i wouldn’t trust them with any living creature. amy praise all vets and shelters.
What on earth are people coming to. To treat an
animal this way is beyond unforgivable. They cannot provide for themselves and this animal was
probably caged by someone and left to starve. If you know the name of the owner they should definitely be prosecuted. They could have given this poor dog up instead of leaving it to starve.
It is not a matter of not being able to afford to feed this dog it is ABUSE pure and simple. Inhumane and a CRIME.
The condition of this poor dog is absolutely horrifying and the owner should be punished to the full extend of the law, as well as never being able to own another animal again.
It’s just too cruel! I’m coming from a country where the dogs are leaved free on the streets when the owner decides they don’t want them anymore. Sad but, at least there are good people who keep feeding them with the left over food they have. They bring them to clinic when they need (on them own expense). Somebody is taken care of them.
It’s just unbelievable things like these are happened!
Who could be so cruel to such a trusting and loving animal – Dogs love unconditional too bad humans can’t (Won’t!!!) learn from them.
This sounds pretty sad. If the person deliberately starved the dog, it is something like what Stalin did in 1934 to the Ukrainian people in the Holodomor/artificial famine there. I watched a video of it, “Harvest of Despair” and Canada, Britain, and the U.S. sent grain there to feed the people but the Soviet leaders laughed and said, “Why are you sending grain to us? There is no famine here”, (while people were dying)
Anyway, I don’t know if Stalin liked dogs or if he had a dog, An estimated 10 million people starved to death under him in an artificial famine that he created. It’d probably be a good idea to check out political candidate’s attitudes toward animal welfare.
I sometimes hear of terrible crimes and I’ve thought, “People do that to other people. I wouldn’t do that to an animal.”
This is horrible and sadly all too common-very few cases are made public. Thank god Trooper had the strength to get to where a kind hearted person was able to help him and did not wander off and die a horrible death. I do hope that his ‘owner’s” get what they deserve. This is totally uncalled for and undeniably sick.
I have fostered rescued dogs for the last three years and it is atrocious the conditions these dogs are in.Starved, sick, injured and full of parasites -it’s nasty what humans do to the defenseless.
I adopted a dog that was about to die at a kill shelter because the abuse a human had done to him. He was afraid of those who wanted to help and deemed “unadoptable’ – but saved at the last moment by a very caring rescue angel and I jumped at the opportunity to make him mine and help him recover.He is now a wonderful,happy and caring boy!
For those who are looking to adopt a special friend – look in your shelters, contact the rescues in your area -an abused or neglected dog is not an enemy to be avoided these dogs are wonderful, wonderful animals that are very thankful for all that you do for them.Give a rescued dog a second chance – they deserve it and you will never regret it.
I hope Trooper makes a full recovery and finds a forever home that will love him and treat him as he should be.
Thank God for people like you, and that Trooper was found in time. He will undoubtedly receive all the care and love which is humanly possible. What has happened to him is truly sickening, and, unfortunately, occurs all too frequently. As a passionate animal lover, I cannot even begin to say what I would like to see happen with the previous owner of this dog. Just imagine the worst, and I am certainly not a violent person. This person is inhuman, and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Much good luck to Trooper.
One word: unconscionable!
Bless little Trooper and those who saved him, love him and care for him. He looks like such a sweetheart.
P.S. “If you have men who will exclude any of God’s creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men.” ~St. Francis of Assisi
‘Nuf said…
As punishment for the crime of animal abuse to Trooper, the person who did this to the dog should have the same done to him (presuming it is a “him”).
He should be chained up, confined in a small space to sit in his own feces and urine so that it sticks all over his body. He should then be starved to near death. This would be fitting and he could know what it feels like – it would be appropriate punishment for this terrible abuse.
The Commenter, Lisa Lopez is a lot nicer then I am, because I will say what I think needs to happen to this guy, & people like him. Animal neglect, & abuse (I believe) would stop if “we” (Society) would just stand up, & say.. “enough is enough”, and do (or don’t do) to these (so called) humans what they put their pets through. If the scumbags want to not feed, or water their pets for 3 months.. I say, “let them see what its like!”.. If they want to beat on an animal.. I say, “Ditto to them”. I’m 46 yrs old, & I’ve lost my patients for human stupidity, cold, uncaring & self centered humans who think they can do whatever they want to a animal, & get away with it. Oh wait a second.. They normally do get away with it. I forgot.. Here in the USA anyways, Pets are considered “Property”. I guess if the big NFL star, Michael Vick can get away with animal cruelty with a slap on the wrist, why shouldn’t the rest of them.
P.S. “I guess if the big NFL star, Michael Vick can get away with animal cruelty with a slap on the wrist, why shouldn’t the rest of them.”
For those that might think my above comment to be sincere.. it wasn’t
That was sarcasm
I just can’t understand how people can be so cruel. Don’t they have a conscience? I truly hope they find the “owners” and prosecute them to the full extent the law allows…which is another matter altogether. Laws for animals should be much stricter. Every day my heart bleeds for these poor animals that have no way to choose their own homes. I’m just glad that I give my own 6 indoor cats a loving home with lots of food and vet care when they need it!
I just read about Trooper and it makes me sick to my stomach. This is a prime example of why I like animals better than most people. I am ashamed and disgusted by what mankind is capable of. I thought that having a conscience and compassion were a few of the traits that seperated man from animals?
I hope that Trooper recovers and finds a very good loving home. If I didn’t live Georgia, USA I would try to adopt him myself.
Seriously, I hope there is a special place in Hell for people that abuse animals & children.
This is kind of off-topic, but I’ve pasted an article from the following web site, which I’ve just finished reading and find it very disturbing. This is worse cruelty to dogs and cats. On the web site there is a disturbing picture of a dog, which looks like a German Shepherd being skinned and there is a lot of blood.
Dr. Jones’, I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts about this.
http://www.gan.ca/campaigns/fur+trade/cat+and+dog+fur.en.html
Fur Trade
Cat and Dog Fur
“Over the last few years, China has surpassed both Canada and the United States in becoming the biggest fur exporter in the world. In fact, the majority of fur farms in China were established in the last ten years. A growing number of fur wholesalers, companies carrying fur and designers who use fur are relocating their activities to China because of inexpensive labour costs and minimal regulations. China is one of the few countries in the world where there is not one single law designed to protect animals from cruelty.
Cat and Dog Fur
The international trade in cat and dog fur is gaining momentum and the level of cruelty which this industry tolerates is horrendous. Two million dogs and cats are killed in Asia every year to supply the fur trade. Largely from China and South East Asia, local suppliers of fur aren’t subject to any regulations at all. The industry makes no distinction between strays and pets, rounding up any animals they can find. Raised in cold and unhealthy conditions, these animals are then killed using extremely inhumane methods.
Asian fur farms traditionally kill dogs by hanging them from their paws and cutting an artery in their thigh until they bleed to death, a terrifying and painful method used to prevent any damage to the animal’s fur. Cats are often strangled with wire nooses. Although the United-States, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Greece and Australia have prohibited the import of dog and cat fur, Canada has yet to implement similar restrictions. While these prohibitions are a big step in the right direction, it is difficult to stem the tide of dog and cat fur entering western countries because it is often deliberately mislabeled for export. The only way to establish the true origin of fur is with expensive DNA tests.
Canada and the Cat and Dog fur trade
Presently, China is the second biggest commercial partner of Canada and by the year 2010, the Canadian government hopes to double commercial trade with China.
As the slaughter of dogs and cats is viewed as reprehensible in the west, the Asian fur industry attempts to conceal the truth by intentionally mislabeling fur exports. With few exceptions, products from dogs and cats are never labeled as such. Dog fur is sold as “Asian wolf “fur, while cat fur is often labeled as “rabbit” fur. In fact, producers of fur in China revealed to investigators that they were willing to sew any label onto garments made from dogs or cats to facilitate commercial viability. To make matters worse, Canadian laws do not require garment labels to include the origin of the fur, nor which species of animal it comes from.
According to industry Canada, the Canadian fur and retail industry imported $5 million in animal pelts and $28 million in fur trimmed apparel from China in 2004. Despite the distinct possibility that many of these imported furs are from dogs and cats, the government has indicated that it has no intention of prohibiting these imports.
Do not buy fur or clothing lined or decorated with fur
Fur from dogs and cats is generally not used to make full-length fur coats, but rather to line the inside of parkas, gloves, hats, handbags and other accessories. Approximately 20% of all animal figurines covered in fur are fabricated using dog and cat fur.
Whether captured in traps which cause immeasurable damage and pain, or raised on farms under brutal conditions where they are deprived of their natural habitat, animals suffer enormously at the hands of the international fur industry. Out of the 40 million animals that are killed for fur every year around the world, about 85% are minks, fox, raccoons and other animals that spend their entire lives confined in small cages before being killed.
With so many high-quality alternatives to fur, compassionate consumers can spare animals, including dogs and cats by choosing soft acrylics, brushed cotton and faux fur.”
This brings to mind my Teddy Bear who came to me from a couple that nearly starved him to death, wanting him to die but he kept holding on. They turned him over to the vet to have him euthanized but thank God my rescue got there just in time. Teddy came to live with me then and I had him for 4 wonderful years and he turned into the most beautiful little dog. People asked me if he was a show dog, he was that beautiful. But the day I picked him up he was skin and bones, had hair loss, eye infections and a urinary tract infection. He was estimated to be 8 or 9 years old. That little Yorkie showed me his gratefulness for the next 4 years and he truly left a hole in my heart when he died of cancer.
PET (also named PETE) is a kind of polyester material for fiber, injection molded parts, as well as blow-molded bottles and jars. Special grades are offered with the required properties for the different applications.PET Preforms is linear thermoplastic (long-chain molecule consists of repeating units shown as figure right), white but bluish resin made from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol through poly-condensation.