Okay, I've got to tell you of our $15,000 drug dog and the personal dilemm

[catmandu57]

Savannah Mo. pop 4,352 at last count. Back in the late nineties when the town was flush with cash, and everyone was screaming about the meth problem, the city decided they wanted to do something about it.
The fact that property seizure was the big thing then probably didn't have anything to do with the decision, but, the local constabulary, with their dripping members in hand and salivating at the prospect of enriching the dept.
The local constabulary stomped it's collective feet, held it's breath, and bullied the town council into buying a $15,000 drug dog.
Now, they purchased this dog shortly before the fourth of July, and being patriotic Americans here we love blowing up firecrackers, bottle rockects, and anything else.
The first drug dog wasn't conditioned against explosions, and some bright boy had it chained, "chained" inside the kennel. On the first explosion this dog scared to death jumped over the kennel fence and promptly committed suicide by hanging itself.
Now, the town council, they scratched their heads, wondered about the need for a $15,000 drug dog. The local constabulary threw another fit, and bullied the council into taking the insurance money and buying another drug dog.

So, I told you that story to tell you this one.
Up the hill, from me lives one of the big fish cops in our little pond, he bought the house after we had bought ours, and I really don't mind him living there, since I don't do anything to warrant looking at.
Now piggie, we named him piggie, had a dog last year in this little kennel, accross the alley from us, that dog died, froze to death in all likelihood.
They never let it out of the kennel, and didn't clean up after it too well either. Piggie, being one of the higher members of our police force, was entrusted with the care of the new $15,000 drug dog.
Now, the meth freaks are still here, but the forfeiture laws have been changed and it's not open season on druggies or their assetts, and the $15,000 drug dog is more of a white elephant that someone has to take care of, that someone being our beloved neighbor.
Here is the dilemma, this $15,000 dog, is stuck in a kennel 5x8 feet, they moved it down onto the old pad last week and I can watch it out of our kitchen window.
Since they moved it I have yet to see anyone feed or water the animal, take it out of the cage for exercise, or clean up the excrement. I know mutts that are better taken care of, given a place inside someones home and fed and watered, one would think that a $15,000 investment would be taken care of.
If I were to drop a kite on piggie about the care of this animal, it wouldn't take a genius to figure out who said anything, and I don't want to make enemies of the local law enforcement, so what do I do???

[Beetwasher]

1. Speak to the Cop First

and tell him you're appalled at the treatment of the animal. If he tells you to fuck off take pics and go to the local paper, bring it up at town council meetings etc.

It's shameful and disgraceful to treat the animal like that. I know you don't want to make an enemy of the cop, but if you go public his hands would be tied because if he retaliates it would be obvious.

The poor animal..You HAVE to do something.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

2. Report it to Animal Planet

Send them the details anonymously.

[dolo amber]

5. Yup

I have a friend in Cincinnati who reported her landlord to them last year. (The woman had over 40 cats in a one br. apt.) Shortly thereafter, animal control was at her doorstep, and the landlady was none the wiser. She even told my friend she was kinda glad they were off her hands. :eyes:

[RebelOne]

3. Do you have a local humane society you could contact?

[Occulus]

4. I'd just call animal control

and give him a taste of his own. I'd also get a video camera and a whole LOT of tapes, maybe even a surveillance camera. You could spin it this way:

"Well, he has the dog kenneled in plain view from my home, and the dog being a $15,000 investment this town made, well, I took it upon myself to make certain there was a record of any meth-heads trying to hurt it. I initially only wished to provide additional protection of the town's investment. But what I saw when I viewed several hours/days of the tape sickened and shocked me.

This dog is not being taken care of; in fact, I'm tempted to phone animal control and ask them to investigate. The tape clearly shows that the caretaker of the animal is uninterested in the animal's care. This inattention borders upon animal cruelty, and based on the surveillance tapes I have here in my hand, the animal should be removed from the officer's care.

Furthermore, this animal is a member of the police force; there is no reason under the sun why it should be made to live in a kennel of this size. This dog deserves the respect and dignity which comes with being a special and valuable member of the police force- and it is certainly not receiving such from what these tapes show."

Nail him. Clearly, he could care less about the dog.

edit: or you cvould just call animal control and tell them you are aware of a severely neglacted animal at your neighbor's house. Let them figure out it's a police dog!

I predict they will be as outraged as I am.

[catmandu57]

7. These guys are animal control

it's a little town, people here pull double duty, but it's retribution I'm scared of, I like living here I don't want to be hassled from this time out.

[Kolesar]

6. I know small town cops can be really vindictive fuckheads

I wonder if there are any dog-loving cops on the squad that would "back you up" and keep the bunch of them from blaming it all on you.

Perhaps there is a cop on the squad who feels a "rivalry" with the chief (wants his job) and would back you up. My brother had to fire the police chief in my town for stealing. Nothing is impossible.

I'm just glad you care.

[madrchsod]

8. where i live

a fellow officer cooked his partner-our drug dog- by leaving him in his car during a 95 degree day. seems the car stopped running and the dog died. now they will bring the dog inside during hot days.duh,what a dumb ass. call the state humane society and of course video tape.

[roguevalley]

9. call your troopers/sheriff. Or call the 800 crime number and report it. no

names that way. then call the newspapers and leave an
anonymous tip that a dog is being tortured by the local
fathead. The news people will take care of it. Trust me.

[bleedingheart]

10. Call your local news channel and give them the background

on this story... including the first dog and how it died...

Then get them to come out to your place and video tape the appalling conditions that the $15k dog lives in... also stress how the taxpayers are the ones who paid for this poor dog and how its being treated worse than a POW...

Your neighbor will soon have some explaining to do...

[beevul]

11. Jeez

"we named him piggie"

That made me laugh so hard I cried.


Seriously though, something needs to be done. I hope it works out for you, and for the dog.

[davsand]

12. Aren't police dogs considered part of the force?

If there is any kind of law making it illegal to kill a police dog, I'd say you might have a good reason to call the State Police about it. My guess is they wouldn't want to see this turn bad for a fellow cop.

Alternately, you could try contacting your local Representative on the village/City council and see if they realize that $15,000 investment is being neglected. I can't imagine he'd like to see the good tax payers have to pay for yet another doggie, and he sure won't want to face that in a re-election campaign.

Laura

[catmandu57]

13. I'm going to keep a pretty close eye

on the situation for the next couple of days, watch and see if when the weather improves they clean up after this poor thing, or feed and water it.
If not I'm going to a pay phone and calling the local TV station to see if maybe they would look into this.
Thanks for the input everyone, it just seems that people would be more concerned about their animals.
I know it's a working animal, but were it mine the dog would be living with the family and spoiled rotten.

[Kolesar]

15. The animal needs some social contact

Human or canine would do. I gather that you know that. Good luck.

[RebelOne]

16. In my state of Georgia, it is a felony to kill or injure a police dog.

[proud patriot]

14. I googled "K-9 support police dogs"

lots of hits
this looks like it may be a good place to start .
I'm sure there is a National group of Dog Loving
police officers who could handle this , somewhere .

http://police.sas.ab.ca/prl/dogs.html

[Kolesar]

17. still thinking about the dog

thread kick