Dog News

Rhode Island SPCA and Handsome Dan’s Rescue Need Your Help Locating this Dog’s Abusers

by Fred

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The Rhode Island SPCA (RISPCA) and Handsome Dan’s Rescue have come together to help out a dog in need.  Now, they need your help in locating the people that did this to this poor dog.  They’re also holding a naming contest, and there re tons of photos of this beautiful, and very available dog.  To see the RISPCA’s main page and check out how you can adopt one of the wonderful animals they have there, click here; to see their Facebook page, click here.  To see Handsome Dan’s main page, click here, to see their Facebook page, click here.  Remember folks, don’t shop, adopt.  There are tons of awesome dogs available at your local SPCA or animal shelter, just waiting for you to come and adopt them.

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This afternoon, my mama, Lead Enrichment Specialist, Jacqueline, and RISPCA cruelty investigator Joe Warzycha went to go meet a very special dog. According to an eyewitness, this dog was left for dead, thrown off the side of a highway in a cardboard box, too weak to walk more than a few steps. She called the police, and Officer James Eastwood arrived on the scene. He ventured down the embankment and picked up the weak dog and carried him to safety. The dog was treated by a vet and has been released.

Today, Mama, Jacqueline and Joe went to meet him. What they found was a fearful, hopeful, pathetic little dog who clearly spent a good amount of his life in hell.

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After his behavioral evaluation, Joe, Mama and Jacqueline came up with a plan for the RISPCA and Handsome Dan’s Rescue to work together to do right by this dog.

We have formally transferred the dog into Handsome Dan’s Rescue. We will be providing all of the medical care and seeing to the dog’s behavioral and enrichment needs. Meanwhile, he will be living at the RISPCA, in the back, while the cruelty case plays out. The RISPCA has offered $500 and we at HDR have offered $500 for a combined total of a $1,000 reward for info leading to the arrest of the person responsible for this abuse.

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This dog is literally covered with scars. He has scars consistent with some sort of dogfighting (we are not speculating that he came from organized dogfighting), his ear is torn, his tongue is notched in three places, and he has what appears to be a cut from the corner of his mouth up his cheek. He was emaciated when found, and had some sort of abscess on his chest that has been removed. His mouth is in pretty bad shape with several gray holes in his gums and jaw.

Tomorrow morning Mama and Jacqueline will take the dog to be seen by one of our partner vets. We will then get a plan together for his care. We have limited interactions with him to just a few of our volunteers at this time. We are giving him a couple of weeks to decompress after all that has happened.

He does not yet have a name. We will be doing a naming contest tomorrow and telling you all a lot more.

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For now, here is the press release put out by the RISPCA this evening:

On 06/20/16 at approximately 2pm, a good Samaritan observed a vehicle in the vicinity of Woodville Alton Road and Townsend Road in Hopkinton, RI, pull to the side of the road and dispose of a box over the guardrail on the eastbound side of Woodville Alton. Upon closer observation, the reporting party observed dog lying in the vegetation over the embankment where the box was thrown. The reporting party was only able to identify the suspect as a black male, driving a “big black SUV” with Illinois plates.

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Reporting party contacted Hopkinton Police and officer Jason Eastwood (depicted in attached photo with dog) responded to the scene. Officer Eastwood climbed down the embankment to retrieve the dog. Officer Eastwood transported the dog to the Animal Control facility and the dog later received care at Richmond Veterinary Clinic.

The dog can be described as a male, American Pit Bull Terrier, Buckskin in color, approximately 3-4 years old. He was found in very poor body condition with multiple scars and wounds around his facial area and front legs consistent with some form of dog fighting.

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The Rhode Island SPCA in conjunction with Handsome Dan’s Rescue is offering a $1000 reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect.

Anyone with information can contact the RISPCA (401-438-8150 Ext. 4) or Hopkinton Police Department (401-377-7750).

Possible charges are:

RIGL 4-1-4: Abandonment of Infirm Animal
RIGL 4-1-2: Mistreatment of Animals

Both are misdemeanor offenses carrying $50-$500 fine and up to 11 months in jail.

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