Putnam County Man Facing Animal Cruelty Charges

PUTNAM COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) – A Putnam County man was arrested on Wednesday after an investigation into the deaths of three dogs. 

Indiana State Police originally responded to the residence of Todd Marsee, 47, of Coatesville, Ind. after reports of him killing three of his own dogs. 

Officials report that Marsee became agitated and struck the Pitbull dogs on the head with a blunt object, resulting in the deaths of all three dogs.

Marsee is facing one charge of Cruelty to Animals.

He is being held in the Putnam County Jail with no bond.

News Link:-http://www.wthitv.com/dpp/news/local/animal-cruelty-charges-in-putnam-co#.Uczf8Tu1GSo

Severely Burned Pitbull Delivers Her Puppies In Illinois (Photos)

“Our prayers were answered…Petunia, the beautiful Pitbull dog that was set on fire, finally gave birth…thanks to all who prayed for her & her babies! But the bastard that set her on fire is still loose…he must be caught as he is a danger to all!”

Petunia’s new precious babies!

On Thursday, a grievously wounded dog was discovered alongside a roadway in Monee, Ill., and on Friday night, she gave birth to five puppies.

Petunia

The dog, named “Petunia,”  is now the responsibility of the rescue organization, It’s a Pittie Rescue, and she is receiving veterinary treatment from the Animal Wellness Center, whose staff stayed with her through the night to ensure that her delivery went smoothly.

Petunia & her precious babies!

Since Petunia’s story was first published, well wishes have been pouring in from across the nation.

Petunia has extensive burns across much of her body. Though no one is certain what happened to her, it appears that she was intentionally set on fire.

Fortunately, she was discovered and rescued, literally in the nick of time.

Petunia now has her own Facebook page, “Mama Petunia,” which can be accessed here.

News Link:-http://www.examiner.com/slideshow/new-mom-petunia#slide=60512311

Related articles

• Graphic Images: Unbelievable Abuse To Pregnant Pitbull, Set On Fire (preciousjules1985.wordpress.com)

Graphic Images: Unbelievable Abuse To Pregnant Pitbull, Set On Fire

“WTF…seriously what sort of psycho can do this to a dog; yet live amongst normal people & go undetected?? Somebody know’s the evil MF that did this, look at her face, she is pregnant for Christ’s sake…about to give birth!! Some neighbour knows this dog & who she belongs to…please if you have any kindness in your soul, tell the police; I’m sure you can do it anonymously with no fear of reprisal from the bastard that did this!”

“The monster that did this needs to be caught, if he can do this to a dog, what else is he capable of…those that know who he is, do you want it on your conscience if he does it again or hurts a child?? I hope the evil piece of shit that did it, is haunted whenever he closes his eyes, with the vision of one he loves aflame, burning, screaming in pain, shouting for his help…but he can do nothing…only watch while his worst nightmare unfolds each & every night…until the images send him crazy & he ends up in an asylum for the mentally insane! It’s nothing less than the sadistic bastard deserves! Better still, he could bar-be-cue himself; I would be happy with that!!”

“Please, can I ask that everyone say a pray for this poor sweetheart… lets hope that Petunia (her new name) recovers soon & has a beautiful litter of babies; all who finding loving homes. I especially hope & pray, Petunia also finds a new forever home where she will receive all the love she can handle! God bless her xx”

There is always so much controversy surrounding Pitbull Terriers!

So many people may not like them, but do they really have to set a dog on fire to prove their dislike?

Pregnant & set On Fire

It’s absolutely sickening; especially awful when the Pitbull is a pregnant female!

Not only was the dog set on fire, but afterward was hit by a car.

This maddening sense of abuse happened right in the south Chicago suburbs on Tuesday. That was when “It’s a Pittie” (IAP) Pitbull Rescue in Monee, Illinois were called in. Before IAP was contacted, another animal shelter had her. She required immediate medical assistance so IAP had to wait 24 hours for the dog’s release.

The poor mother-to-be had burns over 25% of her body. Due to the car accident, Petunia, as the dog is being referred to, also has internal injuries.

Pregnant Pit Bull Set On Fire

Why someone would have the audacity to do this in the first place is awful, but considering that the female dog’s milk has come in, it is extremely horrifying because she is likely to give birth in just about a week.

The person that carried forth the abuse will most likely never be discovered. This is very unfortunate indeed! No animal or human deserves treatment like Petunia received.

Culprits like whoever committed the abuse on Petunia make sure that they remain free from indictment. They do so by removing any identification that the dog may wear and fail to have them microchipped because to the abuser, the dog is ‘dispensable!’

No mother is ever dispensable but Petunia may be too weak to care for her coming litter which is yet another concern. She is receiving hydro-therapy treatments but needs constant care so that her burnt flesh does not get infected as that could prove life threatening.

So what if you do not like Pitbulls? Is that any reason whatsoever for someone to hurt them to this degree?

Shelters and rescues are filled with them. Perhaps the shelters and rescues should take in the individuals that abuse the dogs and cause them such utter pain; locking them away from harming yet another defenceless animal. It is because of those individuals that Pitbulls act the way that they do. “Yes, totally agree with locking the MF’s up & causing them intense pain!”

We need better laws. Not just laws that stipulate that Pitbulls are not allowed to live in certain areas, but laws that protect Pitbulls and other animals that are on the “hit list” from being treated with such utter disdain. Maybe if we began with the root cause, the dogs themselves would not have such a pathetic reputation and be treated to mortifyingly.

It really and truly is hard to believe that this poor dog has to go through all of this.

Dog lovers everywhere apologize for those that should know better but obviously do not!

News Link:-http://www.examiner.com/article/unbelievable-abuse-to-pregnant-pitbull?cid=rss

It’s a Pittie Rescue:-http://rescueapittie.org/

Sultan Man Faces Felony Charge In Assault On Puppy

“What I don’t get in this story, is why the owners of the puppy have nothing to say; perhaps they just don’t care either…it’s just a dog right? WRONG!! Its a living breathing sentient being that feels pain, bleeds & hurts just like we do!

“Thank heaven the neighbour was able to get the puppy away, little precious certainly was precious & had a guardian angel that day…had she not been there to stop the abuse, the little pup may have been killed! Abusive cowardly bullies like Palmer make me sick, always picking on those who can’t fight back. I hope this knob spends his anger management issues in the county jail!!”

SULTAN — A Sultan man accused of kicking and choking a puppy named Precious has been charged with a felony.

Prosecutors allege that Kenneth Palmer beat a pit-bull mix puppy because he was angry that the dog wasn’t housebroken. The animal suffered severe trauma, but is expected to make a full recovery, court papers said.

Palmer, 43, was charged Friday with first-degree animal cruelty. He is expected to answer to the charge later this month in Snohomish County Superior Court.

Police were called Oct. 17 to a home in Sultan, where Palmer was a house-guest  A neighbour reported that she saw Palmer kick 2-month-old Precious across her neighbors’ yard and pick the dog up by the throat. Concerned for the puppy, she ran toward the pair. She told police Palmer had the animal by the throat and was hitting her head against a porch floor.

The woman screamed for Palmer to stop. She told police the puppy belonged to the home-owners, her neighbors.

Palmer allegedly told the woman the dog was his and repeatedly talked about the puppy defecating everywhere, Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Cheryl Johnson wrote in court papers.

The woman threatened to call 911 if Palmer didn’t hand over the dog. She told police that eventually Palmer tossed Precious to her. The woman was able to catch the dog. She fled and called 911. Palmer allegedly chased after the woman, but she warned him that she would defend herself if he stepped onto her property. Palmer left.

Precious was vomiting and unable to hold up her head or walk, court papers said.

The puppy was taken to Pilchuck Veterinary Hospital, where an ultrasound revealed internal bleeding, most likely involving the liver or spleen. A veterinarian said that type of severe trauma is typically only present if a dog has been hit by a car or kicked in the stomach. The puppy also had an injury to her eye, either from direct trauma to the eye or increased blood pressure due to strangulation.

When police questioned Palmer, he reportedly told them that he was disciplining the dog because she wouldn’t go outside to defecate, court papers said. He said “maybe” he shouldn’t have kicked or thrown the puppy. He later allegedly told an animal control officer that Precious was “just” a dog. “Maybe??..he shouldn’t have kicked or thrown the puppy…MAYBE…WTF… Perhaps someone ought to do similar to Palmer; then see if he thinks it still a ‘MAYBE’ shouldn’t have done it or learnt that ‘ABSOLUTELY NOT’ is the correct answer!! What a pretentious twat…it’s not just a dog either, it a living sentient being that feels pain just like we do.“

The man told police he already owes the courts 16 hours in anger management class’s. “Well I hope the judge had the balls to say he better attend the course & more…before his temper makes him beat some other poor innocent being up!”

News Link:–http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20130107/NEWS01/701079945

Update on Star: The New York Pit-bull Shot By NYPD Police, Meets Her Number One Fan

One man’s dream came true this week when he flew halfway across America to meet the dog that has changed his life and inspired his Facebook page entitled, “Star – The New York pit bull shot by police.”

Charlie Cifarelli founder of the Facebook Star page, finally meets his inspiration, “Star.” Credits: Charlie Cifarelli

Charlie Cifarelli, is a native New Yorker who now lives and owns a successful recycling business in Nebraska. Cifarelli was just one of the millions that watched a viral video this summer of a pit bull being shot point blank in the head by an NYPD officer, and survived.

The public was outraged because the dog whose name would later be revealed as “Star,” was protecting her homeless owner that was having a seizure.

Cifarelli quickly turned his outrage into a constructive tool that is now called the “Star” page on Facebook; it has kept the public informed on Star’s recovery, and possibly saved her life.

Examiner asked Cifarelli what inspired him to create the Star page?

“I was so horrified by her shooting and when I looked at Star and Lech (Star’s owner at the time) lying on the ground like no one cared. I saw Lech not being checked on even after Star was shot. I saw a man’s dog shot and screaming and even after she was no longer a threat no one checked on her or Lech. I had enough I was going to do something several days later I started the Star page.” Cifarelli replied.

“For me this would be so out of my comfort zone but for Star and Lech I felt it was necessary.” Cifarelli ended.

Cifarelli has stayed in touch with the officials in charge of Star’s recovery and releases the updates to the public on the Star page. But the one thing Cifarelli has been unable to do up to this point was meet the dog he affectionately calls “our Star girl.”

“Ever since August when she was shot and almost died, I have had a desire to help her and at the very least rally those around me to know her story and support her. Since the moment I saw the video of her being shot I wanted to reach out and hug her and tell her I love her and she has people all over the world who feel as I do.” Cifarelli stated.

That finally changed this week for Cifarelli who was invited to meet the dog that changed his life.

In this exclusive Examiner interview, Cifarelli reveals his physical and emotional journey to meet Star.

“This week, I left my home in Nebraska and some 12 hours later I would meet my hero dog “Star.”

“It was surreal I would go through several doors, a long corridor and a steel door along with a gate. The lights were dim I was a guest in this facility which treats animals with care, the way that all animals should live.

It was quiet with classical music being played. Instead of dogs that bark you could hear a pin drop. As I entered her large 20 x 20 room a rush of emotions entered me I was finally here I made it to see the dog who I have wrote about, talk about, I was even on the radio in the UK talking about her.”

“I saw Star!”

“The words came out of me “Hey Star Girl it’s me Charlie.” “She sat for me and gave me that look with a wide smile, her trademark look. The lights were turned on for me and I literally hugged her for what seemed like an eternity. I hugged her for me and the whole world and realized how fortunate I was to be able to have this time with her. She has such a smooth coat and she is actually a little shy at first. I talked to her and I hugged her over and over again.”

“I’m quite amazed at how well she has recovered.”

“Her sight seemed good as I played with and her toys she hears noises in the corridor outside her room. I spoke to her doctor a wonderful woman who has compassion and understanding of Stars injuries and her treatment to this point.”

“I can’t over emphasize how much our Star Girl is loved by staff.”

“She is walked four times a day. She has the best medical staff and hospital steps away from where she resides, and a kind soul who makes this all possible because he believes the animals that come into his care should be treated in the most humane capacity available. If anyone had concerns about Stars well-being let me put you at ease; I don’t know if there is a place that could do more or care more about Star.”

“I spent time with our girl on the first day of my visit. When I returned the following day, Star knew who I was and there were more belly rubs, hugs and kisses. At some point the next day it was time for me to go. I had to say goodbye again like the first day of my visit, and I cried inside. I gave her a hug and walked away, not easy to do.”

“When someone sees her in person for the first time, you feel like you know her so well. I looked and saw the trademark dots on the back of her neck the dots by her nose. “

“I have never slept so well after seeing our girl. I will always cherish the memories this dog has evoked in me and will always think about meeting her. This was something I thought could never have happened.”

“Ask me today if I believe in miracles, the answer is yes!”

“Thank you Star.”

The Star page grows larger every day, but Cifarelli will always be Star’s number one fan.

News Link:–http://www.examiner.com/article/star-the-dog-shot-by-nypd-meets-her-number-one-fan?cid=db_articles

Stars Facebook page:-https://www.facebook.com/StarTheNewYorkPitbullShotByPolice?ref=stream

Related:-

• https://preciousjules1985.wordpress.com/2012/08/24/disturbing-video-police-shoot-and-kill-a-dog-in-east-village-new-york/
• https://preciousjules1985.wordpress.com/2012/08/25/10-day-hold-ends-on-star-the-dog-shot-by-nypd-public-concern-continues/
• https://preciousjules1985.wordpress.com/2012/09/02/photos-star-the-dog-shot-by-cop-in-east-village-is-okay/
• https://preciousjules1985.wordpress.com/2012/09/11/shooting-star-by-sinthya-somorra-video-tribute-dog-shot-by-nypd/
  

Investigators Looking To Find Those Responsible For Dog Found Buried Shot & Buried Allive

“Come on friends, if you think you have any information no matter how irrelative you think it might be, please contact the number below. This is a particularly nasty & violent crime, somebody wanted that poor dog to die a slow miserable death, anyone that can do that to a dog is a danger to society in general; evil bxxxxxd’s…watch video’s below!”

Animal Services in Hillsborough County, Florida are asking for the community’s help to find the person responsible for committing a horrible crime to a 2-year-old pit bull mix breed. The dog, who investigators have named Phoebe, was found buried up to her neck in sand and shot twice. It’s a miracle that she is alive.

On October 29^th the Hillsborough Sheriff’s Office received an anonymous call reporting shots fired at a vacant home.

Deputies arrived on the scene to find Phoebe buried alive in the backyard. Phoebe was rescued with the help of Animal Services officers. “What they saw was a dog, her head protruding from the ground still alive,” said Animal Services investigation manager Pam Perry. “The dog was whimpering. It appeared from the area in the backyard. There were blood trail. There was also blood coming from the dog’s head.”

Phoebe was brought to the emergency vet where she spent a week recovering. She not only had her gun shot wounds to recover from, but she weighed only 30 pounds. “It’s a miracle that this dog is even alive,” said Perry. Phoebe has survived and is putting weight on, but she will still need some time to completely recover from her injuries. Once she is recovered she will be looking for a good home.

Investigators are appealing to the community to please come forward with any information that they may have about this incident. The only lead they have received so far is from a neighbour who has seen teenagers hanging out at the vacant home. “Anyone please, please come forward. You can remain anonymous,” said Perry. If you have information you are asked to call Hillsborough Animal Services at (813) 744-5660.

News Link:–http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/2012/11/investigators-looking-for-those-responsible-for-dog-found-shot-and-buried-alive/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LifeWithDogs+%28Life+With+Dogs%29

Discretion Advised Live leak Video:-http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=6c5_1353198278

ABC Video:-http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_hillsborough/two-year-old-dog-shot-twice-in-the-head-and-burried-up-to-its-neck-but-survives#ixzz2CWtwlvAq

Lakeland Village Dog Dies After Water Hose Crammed Down Its Throat, Owner Alleges

“This is in-sane, I can’t understand how this could happen without someone trying to save the dog? If what is said is true, then that neighbour is one evil SOB for killing a pregnant dog!””

A dog in Lakeland Village was found dead Thursday, and the owner is alleging a neighbour killed it by sticking a hose down its throat.

“They murdered our dog,” said Jane Ray, the family pet’s owner. “It was hateful.”

According to John Welsh, spokesman for the Riverside County Animal Services Department, a 911 call came into the sheriff’s department Thursday afternoon alleging that someone was trying to kill the dog in the 15000 block of Laguna Avenue.

The call was forwarded to animal services and when officers arrived they found Puddles, a 3-year-old Pit Bull mix who was very pregnant, dead.

The dog’s owner told an animal services officer that the next-door neighbour put a water hose down Puddles’ mouth and, shortly afterwards  the dog and its puppies died, said Lesley Huennekens, a Riverside County Animal Services sergeant based out of the department’s San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus.

Ray alleges the water hose was on when the killing occurred.

“My son and daughter saw it happen,” Ray said. “My son tried to get to the faucet while it was happening but he couldn’t get past the electronic gate. Water was coming out of ‘Pud’s’ mouth.”

“The dog was wet and the water hose was on at some point or another,” Welsh confirmed.

A necropsy is being performed to determine the actual cause of death.

Witnesses told animal services investigators that Puddles had been involved in “fence fighting” with the neighbour’s dog, Welsh said.

The two dogs were engaged in aggressive acts against each other through a small opening between the two properties, and that gap is where Puddles was found dead – her body lay on her property, but her head was on the neighbours side, Welsh explained.

According to Ray, the neighbour said, “I’m going to take care of this once and for all. My son and daughter heard him say that.” During the alleged attack on Puddles, the neighbour’s German Shepherd also kept a hold on the animal’s face, Ray said. “She couldn’t go anywhere.”

Dr. Allan Drusys, Riverside County’s chief veterinarian, said the “dog died under contentious circumstances.”

No arrests have been made in the case, but if the necropsy results determine Puddles died due to an inhumane act, the Department of Animal Services will file an arrest declaration seeking animal-cruelty charges with the Riverside County District Attorney’s office, Welsh said.

Ray said Puddles was a family pet and got along well with the other canines in the household.

“She bonded with my daughter’s boyfriend and followed him everywhere,” Ray added, but admitted that Puddles and the neighbour’s German Shepherd often sparred through the fence separating the properties.

Welsh confirmed that animal services has never been called to either home, and Ray said during the nearly two years of living at the location she has not had any altercations with the neighbour.

Neighbour disputes over dogs are common, Welsh said, noting that in many cases they can be avoided with proper fencing that deters canine fighting and barking.

News Link:–http://lakeelsinore-wildomar.patch.com/articles/lakeland-village-dog-dies-after-water-hose-crammed-down-its-throat-owner-alleges

GRAPHIC Pictures: Abused dog found in Baltimore City

There is another horrifying case of animal abuse in Baltimore City — a dog with severe injuries, left to die inside of an abandoned home.

Courtesy of Examiner.com

But the dog survived, and is now recovering with the help of the BARCS animal shelter.

Animal control officers brought her to the shelter on Thursday, where workers named her “Molly.”

“I walked out and saw her to do her intake and I just immediately started crying,” said Lisa Morabito of BARCS, who will serve as Molly’s foster caretaker.

Warning Graphic Picture Below – Do Not Scroll Down If You Don’t Wish To See It

“If anyone has any information that can help shed light on what happened, or who the dog belongs to; please contact the BARCS shelter”

There are fresh bite wounds on the animal’s face and paws, all of them deep and infected.

“She has wounds down here on her paws, he ear is ripped in half,” Morabito said.

There’s also skin missing on both of the dog’s sides, with infection causing those areas to bulge out.  Still, there’s a better than 50-percent chance that Molly will survive.

“Her main thing is the severity of the infection that has spread all throughout her body.  She is losing layers of skin that is just sloughing off right now,” Morabito said.

Courtesy of Face Book

The dog needs antibiotics, cream for her wounds — and rest.

“There’s kind of a lot of bite wounds and trauma around her eye, so we’re not sure whether she’ll be able to keep it or not but we’re going to try,” Morabito said.

The dog was found in an abandoned home in the 2400 block of Christian Street, not far from the West Side Shopping Center.

A contractor entered the home to begin rehabbing it and found the dog in the basement, tied up on a leash. They left her there in this condition,” Morabito said.

Animal Control is now trying to find out who left her there.  Morabito says it’s one of the worst cases of animal abuse she’s ever seen.

“I get upset thinking about it. It’s, you don’t know how anyone could do something like that to a dog,” Morabito said.

Is Molly the victim of a dog-fighting operation?

BARCS officials aren’t sure – it’s a possibility, but it could also be that she and another dog simply fought, and the owner decided to abandon her in that basement.

Video & News Link:-: http://www.abc2news.com/dpp/news/crime_checker/baltimore_city_crime/graphic-video-abused-dog-found-in-baltimore-city#ixzz2AXyI1r5a

BARCS Web page:–http://baltimoreanimalshelter.org/

Puppy eaten by littermate at MAS, evidence points to starvation

Animal advocates have been fighting for change at Memphis Animal Services for years. And the latest gruesome story is one more reason they say changes can’t come too soon.

Puppy #245825
Credits: Memphis Animal Services

According to recent reports, a litter of 6 puppies were taken from a school on September 6th after being picked up by MAS. Other than notes that two had “nasal discharge” they appeared to be healthy and put up for adoption.

Later last month an adopter wanted to take the puppy pictured in this story home but ran into red tape when this puppy was listed as a “Lab mix” but another in the litter was noted a “Pit mix.” The shelter “would not release him without a background check and a yard inspection” which were required in accordance with Pitbull adoptions.

Six days later the adopter was told the puppy was dead. What that caller was not told, was that the puppy had been eaten either before or after it died, by the litter-mate it was caged with.

“The final notes are: Cause of death undetermined. Body was cannibalized post-mortem.”

Further investigations have looked into MAS records and indicate the dogs were starving to death. And this falls in line with previous reports of neglect and abuse at the facility.

In the end, MAS is being targeted with anger for failing the animals.

The two puppies are now dead after the litter-mate involved was euthanized. And no one is answering for it.

News Link:–http://www.examiner.com/article/puppy-eaten-by-littermate-at-mas-evidence-points-to-starvation?CID=obinsite

Four Year Sentence in St. Louis “House Of Horrors” Torture Case

Darick Stallworth of St. Louis, who pleaded guilty to three counts of felony animal abuse and torture and two counts of animal abuse and abandonment, was sentenced to four years in prisonon Thursday morning.

Darick D. Stallworth, 31, was charged May 22, 2012, with animal abuse and neglect in connection with the torturing and mutilating of five dogs inside a vacant building in St. Louis.

This marks the first successful felony prosecution in St. Louis since the city has stepped up efforts to fight animal abuse.

Back in May, Randy Grim, the owner of Stray Rescue of St. Louis was contacted by police about a dead dog that was hanging from a second-story window of an abandoned apartment building. When Randy and other members of Stray Rescue checked out the apartment building with police they found five dead dogs, all of which had clearly been tortured.

The five deceased pit bull dogs had been hanged, strangled and burned. Stray Rescue, which responds to many animal abuse cases described the scene as “one of the most horrendous cases of animal abuse we have ever encountered.”

Stray Rescue Founder Randy Grim

 

Defense attorneys for Stallworth petitioned the judge for leniency and asked for only probation because 31-year-old Stallworth has an IQ of only 54 and has never been in trouble before. Stallworth’s parents believe sending him to prison serves no purpose and that he needs counselling and rehabilitation.

Many supporters of Stray Rescue showed up to the courthouse for the sentencing. Grim said the sentencing was “a start” and added, “This case will haunt me for the rest of my life. It’s ingrained in my brain forever and it’s like a nightmare that’s always in the back of your mind.”

The severity of this case, along with other animal abuse cases in St. Louis, has led to the creation of the St. Louis Animal Cruelty Task Force. Their goal is to raise awareness, increase convictions and deter future animal abuse. Grim whose rescue organization was a key member to the creation of the task force stated, “This is a new day in St. Louis, and I want to see this become one of the most humane cities in the country, not just with the animals but with each other.”

Video & News Link:-http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/2012/10/four-year-sentence-in-st-louis-house-of-horrors-torture-case/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LifeWithDogs+%28Life+With+Dogs%29

Related:–https://preciousjules1985.wordpress.com/2012/05/23/st-louis-man-charged-in-mutilation-torture-of-dogs/