Seeking advice about a mistreated pit-bull

[chknltl]

I posted this in the DU Lounge, unaware that this Animal Rights forum was also here in the DU. Folks there suggested I turn to you guys for suggestions. In short, I am aware of a female pit-bull who is in a back yard who is rarely being given food or water. I and a friend feed and water her daily from the alleyway behind her house. There are more details in what I posted in the Lounge post:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=7279906&mesg_id=7279906

My friend wants to contact the ASPCA...I feel that will be a death sentence for the dog and am willing to continue feeding her. I am hopeing for perhaps an alternative which does not entail me adopting the dog OR seeing her put down. Thanks

[flvegan]

1. Caveat: I'm a thief.

I steal dogs with regularity.

Anyway,

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x7279906#7279993

[yewberry]

2. Is there any local help?

You could try DRAW
http://www.freewebs.com/drawrescue/

or bullseye
http://www.bullseyerescue.org/

for some advice.

She sounds pretty adoptable--even the ASPCA might be able to help.

Thanks so much for trying so hard to take care of her. You're a hero--I hope you know that!

[chknltl]

3. Aw shucks....thanks

I swear I never thought of myself as being particularly heroic. No human with even half a heart could stand by and watch an animal starve... As to the 2 pups, I know both pups are bringing tons of puppy-joy to their new families...I know that they both have a good chance for a far better life than they would have had, that is what is important. What I did I'll never ever take pride in...actually I will always feel bad for being that kind of crook...knowing that the pups will have a chance to do what puppies do so well in good homes will allow this crook to sleep a little better. I need to check out your links now...thank you for them.

[chknltl]

4. Further thanks:

I went to both links tofunut. Each one was EXACTLY the kind of place I was looking for without knowing what it was that I was looking for! I asure you I had no preconceived notions as to what my post would turn up...I just hoped someone would know who or what would be best to aid me in my quest to help an animal in need... I think you may have provided it. It is late as I write this but I wanted to let you know that BOTH of these links will be hearing from me directly asap. Thank you
c

[yewberry]

6. I hope they can help you.

If nothing else, they may be able to offer advice or even get Jezebel into their systems for rehoming.

I've been where you are, and I know it's sometimes hard to figure out what is the 'right thing.' I hope that you'll get some guidance from one of the above links and I hope that you're able to help Jezebel.

Best of luck--and please, please, never feel funny about saving a life. Yes, sometimes value systems do conflict with badly-constructed laws about animals as 'property.' We just have to do the best we can.

Thanks for caring enough to go to such lengths.

Yup--you're a hero.

[LeftyMom]

5. Don't feel guilty about taking the puppies.

It would be a bad thing if you'd taken them for personal gain, to sell them or fight them or simply because you liked them and wanted a dog. But you took them for their sake, aware of the risks involved, and with nothing to gain from it. That was a selfless act, and something you should never, ever be ashamed of.

[chknltl]

10. Thank you LeftyMom

I am not ashamed of my actions at all...yes I confess that a part of me feels that what I did was wrong both ethically and legally BUT my heart knows better. Folks who do what I did are of the same heart and have my respect. Folks who treat another living creature, a creature who is counting on them for sustenance, for support, for nourishment, folks who treat these creatures inhumanely are the sick ones! They are the ones I am ashamed for. The fact that I had to lower myself to thievery BECAUSE of them is equally sad. We need better laws I think...laws which better serve and protect these pets who are so abused. I have known all along that calling the ASPCA could bring about the death of this dog and many of her pups... Euthanasia should not have been the motivator which prevented me from fixing the situation long ago. Thank you for your kind words of support.

[flvegan]

7. I need to apologize to you.

It's because of me, it seems, that your thread was locked and I'm sorry. Though we've talked via PM and done the etc, I'm still sorry for getting your thread locked.

I'm honestly saddened that collectively, we can discuss/support the absolute murder of two people by Joe Horn, but we can't support the liberation of an abused animal. Why? Because it advocates "a crime".

We can discuss the use of pot, but not the liberation of an animal. Liberation is a crime.

We can talk about Britney's kid sister being pregnant and how her boyfriend might be out of the "safe" range and bordering on the needs-to-be-charged pedo list. That can be justified, but the liberation of an animal can't. Because liberation is a crime.

It's okay to wish prison rape on the gamut of folks we hate, but that's okay. Though prison rape is a crime, it's not one that bills with the liberation of animals. And again, Liberation is a crime.

We can discuss various forms of assault and violence here, and that's okay. So long as it doesn't involve the liberation of animals.

Because once again...Liberation is a crime.

However, I want to tell you this. Liberation is NOT a crime. I'm still sizing up number 2,000 and I haven't been convicted of shit yet.

Also, nobody ever gave me shit for beating the shit out of a wanna be rapist. Yup, that was a crime, and I own it. I'm proud of it. I've posted it here.

Odd...

[LeftyMom]

8. A lot of lounge posts about abuse of Rx drugs, too.

But that's not a crime. Lifting a starving dog over a fence, that's a crime.

Not really a criticism of moderation, per se, more of our deeply fucked-up priorities as a society, both on DU and at large.

[chknltl]

9. YOU of all folks need NOT apologize for anything!

We are on the same page as to wanting to do the right thing. I posted my requests for advice and got exactly what I needed! Help for Jezibel is what matters and you have come to her aid...so have others. I feel no ill will at the mod who locked the thread either! I knew I was treading on thin ice by confessing to taking the last 2 pups away from Jezibel and conspiring openly regarding future dog-nappings. If I were the mod who spotted that thread I would have locked it too. I believe we are all doing the right thing...no apologies needed. My thanks instead, to you and all respondents as we continue to do the right thing. Jezibel's story is just getting started....I look forward to the happy ending....a happy ending we will ALL have taken a hand in.

[flamingyouth]

11. ...And it's a crime to abuse an animal, last I checked.

It's not a severe enough of a crime, but a crime nonetheless.

You beat the shit out of a wannabe rapist? You're my hero yet again.

[flvegan]

12. I was the little freshman friend.

She and I were at a party. She came down the stairs crying. She filled me in. He was confronted. He admitted to it and suggested that she was "asking" for it or "deserved" it.

Only time I've ever been put in cuffs and "arrested", thankfully.

If he learned from it, it's the only time his ass got shipped to the ER.

Funny, now that I think of it. The police praised me for what I did. Obviously in defiance of the law, but still justice. I remember when they released me to my mother that night, I was so scared. Here I was, getting picked up from small-town custody by my mother. They (the cops) said, "well Mrs. *****, sometimes breaking the law ain't all it's set up to be."

Makes me laugh, considering who/what I am today.

[chknltl]

13. You sir are indeed a hero!

Yes you do qualify as a hero my friend. My own fellow dog-lover, the one who has been aiding me in the feedings and in the ...um... 'relocations' of the 2 pups, has had the opportunity to read all of both threads and our PMs. She agreed with me that Jezibel looked worse off than the female pit-bull in your provided photos. She even immediately offered to pay the airfare for 1 dog from Wa. to Fl. if needsbe... (I agreed to go 1/2 with her on "Operation Red Bull" IF that should present itself as an option AND if a better options has not turned up.) She has also dropped the notion of calling the ASPCA unless there is an emergency. We are both actively researching alternatives. (She was VERY happy and encouraged from her readings of our discussions here my fellow DUers!)

Feedings of Jezibel have been doubled. There are digital photos of her and additional photos of her 2 happy sojourning pups expected to be made available here within 24hrs! Jezibel looks a bit better. She actually turned down 1/2 of the dried dog food I just provided her less than an hour ago at her 2nd feeding today! (I am betting it will be gone by tomorrow morning's feeding) We will be seeing our vetrenarian and discussing Jezibel's situation within a couple of days. Our goal is further advisement and perhaps aid...we are both concerned about worms at the very least.