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At least eight residents want to adopt puppy
By Sarah Viren
as published in the Daily News
June 22, 2005
Texas City
– Community members and animal
rights activists statewide are willing to pay thousands of dollars for
information about an 18-pound puppy found covered in burns last week.
“If she had a voice, she could tell us right now what
is going on,” said Wendy Bardwell, the animal control office called that
picked up the dog last week. “Quite possibly, somebody witnessed this
and they need to be her voice now.”
Volunteers who took the puppy to the pound and are
caring for her today say they believe the burns were intentional —
caused either by fire or acid. Meanwhile, at least eight area residents
are applying to adopt the apparent stray, called Brownie because of her
chocolate-colored fur.
“She’ll have her pick of homes when she’s well and
ready to go,” said Lynne Mattingly, a volunteer with the organization
Friends of the Galveston County Animal Shelter. That organization has
raised at least $300 in reward money for tips leading to the capture or
conviction of anyone that harmed the dog. The southwest regional office
of the Humane Society is offering $2,500 for similar information.
A veterinarian who treated Brownie said her wounds
didn’t appear to be accidental, although he couldn’t rule it out.
Brownie was picked up Friday after a resident in the
100 block of 13th Street in Texas City called the shelter about a dog
that appeared to be injured and bleeding.
Joel Caldwell, who heads up an animal cruelty action
team for Galveston County, said cases like Brownie’s are rare, but not
nonexistent. “People who do this are usually younger boys to men
from ages 15 to 21, and most graduate on to more serious crimes such as
robbery, sexual assault and murder,” he said, citing an FBI study on the
psychology of animal torturers.
Caldwell, a Galveston police officer, said his task
force would assist with any investigation. Right now officials from the
county shelter are reviewing their information on Brownie.
Michelle Reynolds, animal service manager at the
shelter, said she didn’t know when her investigation would be complete.
Veterinarians say that Brownie should take about two
months to recover. A volunteer with the Friends organization is caring
for the puppy this week, giving her daily baths and applying vitamin E
to help the wound heal.
Animal torture, a state jail felony, falls under the
state’s torture statute and is punishable by up to two years in state
jail or, in the cases of repeat offenders, up to five years in the state
penitentiary.
Information
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Anyone with tips leading to the capture or conviction of those responsible for
harming Brownie should contact the Galveston County Animal Shelter at (409)
948-2485 or mreynolds@gchd.org.
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Donations to the reward fund can be sent to Friends of the Galveston County
Animal Shelter, P.O. Box 84, Santa Fe, TX 77517. Make a notation on the check
that it is for the Reward Fund.
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To report an incident of animal cruelty in your area contact Joel Caldwell,
coordinator for the Cruelty Action Team with the district attorney’s office, at
(409) 797-3700, Ext. 9339
Read the original story
For More Information Contact:
Brian Rutherford
Public Health Planner
Galveston County Health District
(409) 938-2275
brutherford@gchd.org
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