Step In: Don't Let Abuse Continue!

By: Susie Sturzl

I am the Business Operations Manager of a small Humane Society in Northern Wisconsin. Humane societies have several duties. We take in strays, reunite lost pets with their owners and find homes for animals. The Humane Society also unfortunately has to deal with animal abuse. In animal abuse cases, each person that becomes involved plays a different role.  I want to share with you my role in this particular case. In sharing this story I am hoping to enlighten you on what the Humane Society does for the community as well as for abused and homeless animals.

 I had just returned from a vet run. The phone was ringing.  When I answered I was greeted with, “Sheriff’s Department I have three dogs here for you to pick up. They’re in rough shape and will need vet care.”

When I arrived, I could see that these dogs were severely emaciated. They didn’t have any food or water and were chained to trees. I proceeded to assess the dogs. One of them was growling and barking at me, I could tell he was going to be a challenge. The owner was at the scene.  She surrendered three of the dogs and wanted to keep two. The two she wanted to keep were not in as bad of shape as the three she surrendered.  I knew they would be ok until I could come back for them. Without a court order, I can’t take a dog that someone isn’t willing to surrender.  It was a long ride.  One of the aggressive dogs was biting through the carrier, barking and trying to break his way out.

The first dog I took in to the clinic was so emaciated that she could barely walk.  I placed her on the table.  As I waited for the veterinarian to enter the room I fed her a handful of treats.  I couldn’t help wonder when the last time was she had got a treat.  I am sure that treats were something of the past; something she got when she was that cute little puppy that her owner just had to have.

The veterinarian did the examination and determined that because of her medical condition she would have to be euthanized. The veterinarian was very kind and let me know I didn’t have to be in the room. As much as I dreaded it, I had to stay with her. I was this dog’s voice.  She had been alone starving in the cold for weeks.  I wasn’t going to let her go through this alone. I watched as the veterinary technician prepared the injection and then held the dog as it was administered. I kept telling myself I should be crying.  I was so angry I couldn’t cry.  In minutes, the dog was gone.

Holding back tears I knew we had to move on to the other two dogs. The two remaining dogs were so aggressive that the veterinary technicians had to administer a “cocktail”. This made the dogs groggy and easy to manage. Upon examination it was determined that these dogs needed to be euthanized as well. Once again I stayed with the dogs as they took their last breaths.

I don’t remember much of the ride back to the Humane Society; I was numb. I was on a mission. I had to save the last two dogs on the property. The Sheriff’s department accompanied me to the property where I seized the last two dogs.

Like any job you have your good days and bad. When I walked through the door that night, my kids were waiting to tell me the events of their day.  My six year old son wanted to know what I “did” today. The events in my day were too much for a little boy to hear. I kept it positive, “I saved two dogs today.”  

When I finally had a chance to sit and think about what actually did happen, tears rolled down my cheeks as I replayed the events in my head.  Even though I knew that we had saved two of the dogs, it doesn’t make it any easier. I just kept thinking of what all of these dogs had to go through before we got to them.  I took the dogs to the veterinarian the next morning. It was determined by a behaviorist and the veterinarian that these dogs were capable of being adopted.
 
Unfortunately this kind of abuse happens every day.  In this particular case, these dogs were very visible. People could see this abuse occurring on a daily basis, but did nothing. Animals don’t have a voice. Humans do. Please be that voice for helpless, defenseless animals.  Report animal neglect to your local authorities or your local Humane Society. Animals don’t deserve this kind of inhumane treatment.