Case Details

Six pit-bull puppies neglected
South Bend, IN (US)

Date: Nov 4, 2004
Disposition: Not Charged
Case Images: 1 files available

Abuser names unreleased

Case ID: 2922
Classification: Neglect / Abandonment
Animal: dog (pit-bull)
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The cries of 6 pit-bull puppes caught the ear of a South Bend police officer early Thursday, who was dispatched to investigate a report of a pit bull fight at a residence in the 700 block of North Olive Street.

When Officer Patrick Lahey arrived at 2:30 a.m., he found a male pit bull sitting in the rain, a chain wrapped around a bush. The dog was unable to reach food, water or a nearby doghouse.

When Lahey walked to the south side of the house, a female pit bull was chained to a tree, but she also couldn't reach shelter, food or water, according to Lahey's police report outlining what he termed animal cruelty.

The female dog appeared to be nursing pups, but they were nowhere near her, Lahey said.

Following the whimpers, Lahey walked inside an unlocked garage and saw the cages with eight little eager faces staring at him.

"Each pup was about one-foot long, and it was impossible for all the dogs to have their feet on the floor at one time, so they were crying in pain," his report said.

"There was no water for the pups if they would have been able to stand up to drink," he added.

Police officers reportedly knocked on the homeowner's door -- the site of the alleged pit bull fight -- but no one answered.

Lahey called the city's Animal Control Department to pick up the pups.

An animal control officer reportedly refused Lahey's request to pick up the dogs, according to police.

Lahey said he and a higher- ranking police officer called the Animal Control employee's supervisor, but the supervisor also refused to pick up the pups.

"He said he would come out first thing during business hours," Lahey wrote in his report.

Fearing the pups were in danger of not surviving because of their cramped quarters, he let the pups out of their cages to roam in the garage. Two of the pups appeared to have injured their legs in the cage, Lahey wrote.

Meanwhile another police officer called the home of a St. Joseph County Humane Society board member and asked for her help.

She called staff members of the county's Humane Society, and they picked up all the dogs.

On Friday, the agency's executive director, Eric Durcinka, voiced frustration at the lack of help from the city's Animal Control Department.

He pointed out that the county's Humane Society used to have a contract with the city of South Bend to pick up unwanted animals and handle bite calls.

But the city a few years ago created its own Animal Control Department to do the job.

Durcinka said if a city employee refuses to help when a police officer asks for assistance, he wonders how Animal Control employees respond to calls from residents.

"For a police officer to call for help when they are usually dealing with murders and robbers, you know it's serious," Durcinka said.

Durcinka also was frustrated that he was unable to obtain a copy of the police report from the city attorney's office.

"I have the dog owner calling me asking me why I have his dogs, and I can't give him an answer because I can't get the reports," he said.

The city is reviewing the incident, said a city attorney, which is why the report is not available to the public.

References

South Bend Tribune

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