Case Details

Animal Cruelty
Homer, AK (US)

Date: Dec 20, 2001
Disposition: Open

Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!

Case ID: 368
Classification: Neglect / Abandonment
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Web posted Friday, December 28, 2001




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Holly Beary, a 5-week-old mixed breed dog, peers out of her kennel at the Homer Animal Shelter shortly after being rescued from a garbage bin in Anchor Point on Dec. 20.
Photo by Caarey James, Homer News

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Abandoned puppy gets happy ending in Homer
By CAREY JAMES
Morris News Service-Alaska

HOMER -- Holly Beary, a fuzzy, brown puppy with a playful temperament, had a rough morning Dec. 20.

Sometime in the 15- to 20-below darkness, someone took her and her four brothers and sisters and threw them in the community garbage bins in Anchor Point.

While her siblings all died, Holly, a 6-week-old puppy with German shepherd-like markings, had other plans. She was lamenting her plight when a teen-age boy heard her howls while dropping off some trash.

The teen climbed into the bins to try and rescue Holly, but couldn't find the puppy. He went to Chapman Elementary School for help, returning with two staff members with flashlights who helped find the small puppy amid the trash.

The rescue couldn't have come at a better time. The Anchor Point garbage bins are hauled away to the landfill on Mondays, so luck truly was on Holly's side.

Her good fortune continued when Teresa and Greg Collins of Homer read about her plight in the Dec. 20 edition of the Homer News. Teresa Collins was the first to contact the shelter when she called later that night and then stopped by the shelter several times Friday until the couple was able to take the puppy home Friday evening.

"The story broke my heart to begin with, but as soon as I saw the name I just knew I had to have her," said Collins who said her sister's name is Holly and for as long as she can remember Collins has been called Beary by her sister Holly.

"It was fate," she said. "We love her. She is adorable and she is doing wonderful."

The young puppy was shivering uncontrollably and had trouble breathing when Sherry Bess from the Homer Animal Shelter was called to pick her up, and a trip to the vet found some injuries to the head, nose and mouth, but by the following Monday Collins reported she was doing just fine.

"She sleeps through the night. We put her in bed with us, but usually by morning time she has jumped down to the floor."

The family has other dogs and a cat that they also rescued from the Homer Animal Shelter several years ago, said Bess. Holly is fitting in just fine, Collins said, the other dogs don't know quite what to do so they are just leaving her alone.

"They are just a loving responsible family who loves their pets," said Bess who added that the five other families who called and offered to adopt Holly sight unseen were just happy she had gone to a good home.

"Their pets are family members. They had their heart set on her. When they saw her they just went 'awwww, she's so cute.'"

Collins left a message at the shelter Saturday reporting Holly's progress and promising to bring pictures of their new puppy to the shelter once the film was developed. Holly's Christmas, as it turns out, was a warm, safe one after all.

"My husband was going to get me a little lap dog," said Collins. "When I saw her I told him I don't care how big she gets, she will be my lap dog."

While Holly Beary's story might have a happy ending, the same is not true for many other animals. The cruelty someone inflicted on these dogs has angered many who care for abandoned animals.

"This is the reason dogs need to be fixed, so this cruelty doesn't happen," Bess said.

The animal shelter stopped taking animals from outside the city limits in September, though an exception was made in Holly's case. Homer Police Chief Mark Robl said the fact that the Kenai Peninsula Borough has no animal control program may contribute to these kinds of incidents.

"It's a problem the borough needs to take care of," Robl said.

Robl said peninsula cities have tried to reach an agreement to cover animal control in unserviced areas of the borough in the past, but were unsuccessful.

"Until (the borough) does something, I'm sure there will be more situations like this," he said.

Robl said, however, it is illegal to inflict cruelty on animals, as appears to have happened in this case.

"If anyone knows about this or has any information, they can contact the Homer Animal Shelter or the Alaska State Troopers," Bess said.

Trooper Sgt. Jim Hibpshman said he's responded to five or six reports of dead animals at the Anchor Point dump site this year, some of which looked to be victims of abuse.

He said he received one call on the case so far, but was unable to identify a suspect yet.

Hibpshman said animal cases like this are difficult for everyone. He said the laws allow a person to kill their animals, but it must be done in a quick and humane way.

Carey James is a reporter for the Homer News. Peninsula Clarion reporter Carly Bossert contributed to this story.

References

Homer news



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