Dog #680-13 was impounded by Petersburg Animal Care & Control in VA at approximately 1pm on Saturday, July 27, 2013. His records indicate he was a 2 year old, white, male Shih-Tzu weighing 15 pounds who was “severely matted”. There are no notes indicating he received an exam by a veterinarian. Instead, he appears to have been sent to a place called Red Fox Farm which I take is a grooming facility. The notes from the Petersburg pound employee indicate the dog was dematted and that his skin appeared scalded. It is additionally stated the dog had maggots “in hole where testicle should be”, in his rectum and down the entire length of his left rear leg. The maggots were removed and the dog was bathed in flea shampoo. The notes state the dog should receive 500mg cephalexin (an antibiotic) twice daily. Again, there are no notes to indicate a vet examined this dog or prescribed anything for him. There are no notes to indicate any pain medications were prescribed for this dog who would obviously have been suffering tremendously. I can only imagine the additional pain that would be caused by bathing a dog with flea killing chemicals who had massive gaping wounds and scalded skin. The notes indicate the dog was given one cephalexin dose on 7/27 and another on 7/28 – not the twice a day dosage originally prescribed by I Don’t Know Who.
The dog was finally taken to see a vet on Monday, July 29. The vet euthanized the dog. The notes are hard to read because of the quality of the handwriting but common sense tells me the dog would have been suffering and in extremely poor condition:
Animal advocates are asking for an investigation into the treatment of this dog at the Petersburg pound and for any applicable cruelty or other charges to be filed against the appropriate parties. Contact info for respectful letters and phone calls requesting a complete and transparent investigation:
- Petersburg City Council: citycouncil@petersburg-va.org 804-733-2323
- City Manager, William E. Johnson III: wjohnson@petersburg-va.org 804-733-2301
- Dan Kovich, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services: dan.kovich@vdacs.virginia.gov
- Sheryl Helsel, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services: sherry.helsel@vdacs.virginia.gov
If you are local, there is a city council meeting tonight at 7:30pm at Vernon Johns Junior High School, 3101 Homestead Dr. in Petersburg.
(Thank you Jill for sending me this story.)
I am pretty good at reading dr handwriting and from what I can deduce is that the dog had gangrene set in and separated the hip and tail region on his little body. The pound should be fined/sued etc for letting this fester in their care.
Thanks for the handwriting interpretation. I get that the severe matting may have obscured the gaping wounds this dog had so that’s why he was initially sent to the groomer. What I don’t get is once the groomer saw the maggot filled holes in the poor dog’s body, why wasn’t the dog immediately sent to a vet? And why on earth would the groomer proceed with a FLEA BATH at that point? Fleas are low man on the totem pole at that point IMO. Saving the dog’s life, if possible, would be emergency priority #1.
I agree he should have been taken to the vet as soon as they finished grooming him. The vet then could have surmised if a flea bath was appropriate and given to him while under sedation when debriding the wound.
this makes me sick… a shih tzu mom myself, i can only imagine the hell this sensitive, trusting, people loving breed went through. hope that something is done to the people responsible – the ones who had him at the end, who should have been the ones to help him, not add further torture to him…
So, you spot ulcerations under the mats and your first thought is not “pain meds, vet care”? Instead, they go ahead with a chemical bath (which must have been horrific for this poor beast) and put him in a cage? And who is prescribing these meds? What the hell is going on there????
It looks like pain medication was only administered right before this poor pup was euthanized — I can make out Buprenex (buprenorphine, an opioid analgesic) and the part at the end where it basically says “Talked with Officer B– OK to euthanize — will pick up body — #4 Fatal Plus 3cc”
So little so late :(
Petersburg continues to have violations, yet nothing is done about it. It really makes you scared to own a cat or dog in Petersburg…what if it got out and was picked up by the Animal Warden while you were at work???? Who knows what could happen to your pet!
THANK YOU for bringing this dog’s torture to light. The more people asking for an investigation the better our chances of getting one.
Will an investigation be opened? And, is there someone associated with the case who could property file civil litigation against the shelter and personnel involved? This abuse and neglect really needs to be addressed!
I would LOVE to sue the city for their abusive sheltering practices & FOIA violations. Civil litigation costs money & I am not willing to take the extra I do have away from the dogs. The last quote I got was FIVE THOUSAND bucks just to file suit.