Cookie on Death Row

I don't think you'll see a case like this on Animal Cops.
My wife got a job at a private animal hospital. One day the city
brought in a dog
and four cats
owned by a woman who was neglecting them. The animals are in limbo
because of
the court battle that's going on; the woman says she wants them back,

Judy...

We had a seizure of miniature schnauzers and cotons in June 2004 in NYS.
These dogs were tied up in the court battle for months. There were litters
born from the already bred dogs. Because the court had not yet taken
ownership of the animals away from the owner, nothing could be done by the
vets except what was absolutely necessary. There are now a bunch of
miniature schnauzer puppies running around NYS with long tails because they
weren't allowed to dock the tails - even though the "owner" gave permission.
Dogs with obvious medical problems could be treated but vets weren't allowed
to look for problems.

but doesn't
even show up for the hearings. The dog in question is a poodle named
Cookie and my wife has fallen in love with her. We'd like to take her,
she'd be a
good companion for our Westie and we'd certainly qualify to adopt at
any animal
shelter, but the dog will probably be exterminated if the woman loses
custody in
court.

Judy...

Why in the world would that happen? Why wouldn't the dog would be put up
for adoption through either a shelter or a rescue group? I can't imagine
that there aren't people lining up for the chance to adopt the animals.
That's the typical scenario - dogs and cats can spend months in shelters but
give one some media coverage of abuse and everyone wants to be a hero. (Not
saying that's your reason. Sometimes you save the one that you can.)

Her fur is so matted and overgrown she can't even see, and the hospital
won't
make the effort to groom her.

Judy...

These dogs in NYS were in TERRIBLE shape. There were dogs that were so
matted that the feces couldn't make it through their coats. There was one
dog so matted - and in such pain - that it took months for volunteers to
work down through the mats to find that there was a part of her intestines
bulging out through her spay incision.

My point is that in the NYS case, volunteers were allowed in to groom the
dogs. They spent hundreds of hours at two shelters working through the mats
and eventually even working on teeth and nails and ears. The vets were not
doing the bathing and grooming. But when the dogs were finally clipped
down, the vets were then allowed to treat medical conditions such as skin
irritations and ear infections.

As far as Illinois law, the animal hospital knows what it's allowed to do
and what it's not. They would also know if they can allow a volunteer to
bathe and groom the dog - not to make her "show ready" but to make her
comfortable and to be able to diagnose problems that may arise from the
matting.

In the NYS case, thousands of dollars were raised and channeled through a
rescue organization. When the court finally gained custody of the dogs
(took about five months IIRC), they were able to immediately arrange (and
pay) for vets to start working on the dogs less urgent medical problems
along with neutering. As dogs were cleared, they were immediately adopted
out through the shelters that had been housing them. With around a hundred
dogs, including some show champions and litters of puppies (all then without
AKC papers), it took over three months more to home them.

shelly...

why can't your wife volunteer to clip her, or to take her to a
groomer to have her shaved down? surely, her employer
wouldn't begrudge her spending off-duty time caring for the
animal?

One reason I'm posting this is that I'd like to know what Illinois law
says about
pets under these circumstances. A problem though is that my wife will
be seen
as a "whistleblower" if she interferes in any way.

edswoods.1...

My wife is 58 and has some physical problems. She went 3 years without
a job after breaking her wrist while working as a grocery bagger. She
got
a job at this clinic. Mainly she cleans cages. She loves being with
the dogs and cats but the people in charge
are rather strange. For example, they have told her not to talk to the
animals
or customers. The owner is a woman in her eighties who is from the
sound of
it inept at grooming, clips nails too close, etc. My wife prefers
eating her lunch
in the kennel rather than in the office with the owners.
We are not too well off financially. I work full time but her job is a
boon to us
and she likes the work. We would never take our own dog to this place.

Judy...

Okay. The fact that the animals have been taken from the owner (and why are
they at a vet's office rather than at a shelter? Who is paying for their
room and board?) and the courts are involved means that the situation is
certainly a matter of public record. Couldn't someone call the local media
and make them aware that the dog is terribly matted - which is a health
problem - and is not being taken care of properly at the vet's office? They
can check out the situation.

Your wife (or you) wouldn't have to disclose your name or the relationship
with the vet's office. A good pet rescue story is always of interest to the
media. And it just might get someone else from the community involved.

I might also consider calling the local shelter and asking about the
animals. Say that you are aware that the court seized them and you wonder
about where they are and if there is a possibility of adoption if the owner
is forced to give up custody. You might learn a lot. If you're concerned
that they will want your name, either use a fake one - or have someone you
know call for you.

If what you're after is simply to adopt the dog yourself, then you might
have to get in line with a bunch of other people. If what you are really
concerned about is the dog's welfare, then there surely are other people in
your area who might quickly jump on the bandwagon once the story becomes
more public.

shelly...

i would not want to work for an organization that would leave
a dog in a neglectful condition. severe matting is a health
issue, and should be addressed as such. i would think that
any half-way responsible animal hospital would understand
that.

has your wife tried actually talking to the folks in charge?

Mark Shaw...

You're probably better off posting to misc.legal.moderated,
actually.

Kathleen...

I don't understand the "whistleblower" concern. I can't imagine anybody
objecting to your wife either cleaning the dog up personally, or taking
her to be groomed (on her own time, of course)...

Unless this is the same shelter whose staff have also been doing things
like giving kongs to dogs housed in groups and then wondering how to
stop the fighting? In which case, I guess maybe revealing the condition
of the dog to outside parties (like a groomer) might draw unwanted
attention to the less than optimal circumstances.

There's obviously more to this story.