var _sf_startpt=(new Date()).getTime() Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Abuse Case Details: Chihuahua suffers two broken legs, one amputated - Dallas, TX (US)
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Case ID: 11534
Classification: Throwing, Neglect / Abandonment
Animal: dog (non pit-bull)
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Chihuahua suffers two broken legs, one amputated
Dallas, TX (US)

Incident Date: Monday, Apr 30, 2007
County: Denton

Disposition: Alleged
Case Images: 2 files available

Abuser names unreleased

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

Don Pablo, a 1-year-old Chihuahua was reportedly thrown to the ground by his angry owner in a fit of rage.

According to reports, when it was pointed out to the owner that he had broken both of the little dog's front legs, he fashioned splints from small pieces of wood and wrapped the fragile legs in electrical tape-but never took the little fellow to a vet for treatment or medication.

A week later, a concerned person brought the dog to Operation Kindness. But because so much time had elapsed, massive infection had set in. The little dog had to have one leg amputated and was in danger of losing the foot on his other front leg.

Don Pablo, now called "Peanut", was adopted by a veterinary technician who participated in his care.

The case was reported to the Dallas Police Department, and an investigation has been launched. The Dallas County District Attorney's Office and Animal Services have also been informed.


Case Updates

An ongoing effort to help a Chihuahua brought to a Carrollton animal shelter last month after he was the victim of a violent crime, officials say.

Don Pablo, as the little dog has come to be called, was brought to the shelter May 11 with two badly broken legs.

Johnnie England, executive director for the shelter, said Don Pablo was thrown to the ground so hard that the impact broke his legs. When he arrived at Operation Kindness, a splint of electrical tape and small sticks was haphazardly attached to his legs and the electrical tape had cut off circulation to his legs.

The dog was an owned dog who likely was abused, England said. Investigators from Dallas Animal Services and the Dallas County District Attorney's office has a suspect in the case and are investigating the dog's owner for possible animal cruelty.

One of Don Pablo's legs had to be amputated, and England said the other likely would be amputated as well, due to an infection resulting from a loss of circulation from the electrical tape binding the little dog's legs. England said a prosthetics company in Farmers Branch may be able to fashion a prosthesis for Don Pablo to give him some mobilization of his remaining legs

England said Don Pablo arrived at the shelter and tested heartworm positive and was flea-bitten and dirty in addition to his injuries. "He mainly walks on his rear legs, and then he stumbles and catches himself, but his paw collapses underneath it," England said. "He obviously was not a well-cared for little dog even before that happened."

Don Pablo currently is staying in a foster home, and the foster caregivers plan to adopt him once he is through with his treatment. England said the veterinary bills for Don Pablo add up to about $2,000 but that amount is likely to increase once his heartworm treatment is through.

Don Pablo is the second animal with intense abuse to be brought to the shelter in the past few months. In March, a small dog named Angel was brought to the shelter after someone wrapped her muzzle with a wire for six weeks.

Angel's and Don Pablo's abusers face criminal charges if convicted, but England said evidence is lacking in both cases. While police have a suspect in the case of Don Pablo's abuse, there has been no further information discovered about Angel's case.

"This hinges on evidence and witnesses who would be willing to come forward and speak up," England said.

Donations totaling $15,000 have been given as a reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the abuser of Angel, who has been adopted by a couple living in Farmers Branch. While she is healing well, England said investigators still need information on who abused the animal. The statute of limitations for animal abuse cases is two years.

An initial reward of $2,500 was offered by Operation Kindness, the animal shelter that took in the injured dog. Additional contributions by The Murrell Foundation of Dallas ($5,000), radio personality Russ Martin ($4,000), Dallas restaurateur Jack Knox ($1,000) and most recently The Humane Society of the United States ($2,500) now put the total at $15,000.

The 9-pound dog was found at the intersection of Belmont and McMillan streets in East Dallas. She was wearing a plastic "E-collar" (Elizabethan collar), which is normally put around an animal's neck to keep it from pawing an injury or wound.

"The wounds left by the wire completely encircled Angel's muzzle and were so deep that her teeth and jaw were exposed on the sides," said Jonnie England, executive director of Operation Kindness. "The wire must have allowed her to eat, but each time she moved her jaw, it cut even deeper into her skin."

The dog was rescued by Diane and David Leslie of Garland, who saw her attempting to cross the street. They took her to Operation Kindness, where the deep wounds around her muzzle were noticed.

Operation Kindness immediately took the 3-year-old spaniel-terrier mix to a veterinarian for treatment. According to Dr. Paul Keating of Trinity Pet Hospital in Carrollton, it appeared that wire had been wrapped around the dog's muzzle for about six weeks and had been removed three weeks before she was found and taken to Operation Kindness.

"It's a two-part process, and the first part, which people are so very good about, is to try to get help for the animals involved," England said. But, the other part is, if you see someone throw a kitten out of a car, and your first instinct is to get help for the animal, also try to get details about the person driving the car�Take some action so that the people who did this can be brought to justice."

Reconstructive mouth surgery was done on the dog, and she has since made a full recovery.

England said that there have been very few leads and so far there is no evidence indicating the owner of the dog. "Someone knows where Angel lived and who did this to her," she said. "We hope that a $15,000 reward will be the incentive needed to encourage at least one witness to come forward and provide this information."
Source: Carrollton Leader - June 19, 2007
Update posted on Jun 19, 2007 - 6:25PM 

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