When the carpenter first saw the puppy, it was facing away from him under the corner of a vacant double-wide. The dog turned, and Gary Franckewich could see there was something strange about its face.
"It looked like it had a monkey face," he said. "Its tongue was out of its mouth."
He got low on his knees as the puppy stepped toward him. "I just looked into her eyes," Franckewich said, "and she looked at mine."
A rubber band clamped the dog's jaws over its tongue. The female pit bull terrier had been stuck that way, with no possibility of food or water, not even able to suck her tongue back in, for perhaps several days.
"If that dog could talk," Franckewich said, "she would've been saying, "Please, help me."'
Franckewich said he couldn't help crying.
Flies circled the tongue. Maggots had found it. The smell was nauseating.
Franckewich retrieved a blanket from his truck. He wrapped the puppy in it, left the Bay Avenue mobile home where he had been working Monday afternoon and headed to Crystal Springs Veterinary Clinic.
As veterinary technicians took the dog from his truck, Franckewich wondered: How was it that, after being subjected to something so cruel by a human, the puppy seemed to know that they would not hurt her?
"This dog had this trusting heart, and she was so betrayed by some horrible, sick person or persons," Franckewich, 46, said Tuesday.
A day after the incident, he still could not recall it with an uncracked voice.
Neither could Pam Edris, the office manager at the Crystal Springs Veterinary Clinic.
"It's very hard for me to talk," Edris said Tuesday. "It's been an emotional couple of days."
They named the 14-pound puppy Miracle. Her face is swollen. She is on an IV. And the veterinarian was forced to amputate more than half of her tongue. There's no telling when she will be able to relearn how to eat or drink again without it. Maybe never. If not, they will try a feeding tube.
Someone had wrapped the rubber band several times around the 4- or 5-month-old puppy's snout. "As far as her tongue was pulled out, and as tightly as it was wrapped," Edris said, there was no doubt it was done deliberately.
The veterinary bills will climb easily beyond $1,000, Edris said.
Franckewich said he wants to adopt Miracle, but needs help.
"I live paycheck to paycheck, and I got 50 cents in my pocket right now," he said. "But I'm going to take care of this dog if I can."
HOW TO HELP
The Crystal Springs Veterinary Clinic can be reached at (813) 788-4511. The Pasco County Sheriff's Office asks anybody with information about what happened to the puppy to call toll-free 1-800-706-2488. Case UpdatesAfter the beating and torture came weeks of surgery and rehabilitation. Her plight earned her a national following, but it wasn't until April that Miracle got to be just another dog. Running and playing outside, fetching anything she could, being rubbed and scratched behind the head.
That's how she spent the last days of her life.
Miracle, the abused dog found with her tongue sticking out of her clamped jaws, was found dead May 20 at her new home by the man who rescued her six months before.
The miniature pinscher was just 8 months old when she choked to death. She had a gag reflex and threw up but was unable to clear her throat with her partially amputated tongue, a result of her ordeal.
"She brought so much joy to my life when I brought her home," said Gary Franckewich. "To see her from the day I found her to the day I got to bring her home, she was an incredible little dog. She only lived 33 days (here), but I tell you what, she lived a lifetime, and this house isn't the same without her.
"She was just always happy. It was like she was always smiling. She was more than a joy. ... I don't know what the words are. She was the love of my life.
A life changed, Franckewich said, that Dec. 5 day he saw the frail puppy limp toward him at a job site. Someone had pulled her tongue out, then used a rubber band to shut her jaws around it.
The builder rushed her to the Crystal Springs Veterinary Clinic. The prognosis was grim: The dog had been without food or water for days, maggots infested her tongue, flesh rotted off her lips, three limbs were broken, her hip was dislocated and her immune system was shot.
Once near death, the puppy started to live up to the name Franckewich gave her. Miracle's ordeal didn't leave her afraid of those lining up to help her. Letters, cards and checks arrived from across the nation for Miracle. Soon, she was playing again, and even learned to eat and drink with her amputated tongue.
In February, authorities arrested a 14-year-old Crystal Springs boy who they said boasted of abusing Miracle and charged him with felony animal cruelty. The boy, whose identity is being withheld by the St. Petersburg Times because of his age, pleaded no contest and was sentenced to a year at a detention facility.
Franckewich, 47, showed up at the clinic at 8 a.m. on Easter to take Miracle home. She was facing a lifetime of medical care, complications and more surgery but had $30,000 in donations to pay for it all. What's left will be returned, the clinic said.
"She got everybody to start looking out more for the animals," said Pam Edris, clinic officer manager. "She was wonderful. She was more than just a dog."
The day before she died, Miracle visited a sixth-grade class at Pine View Middle School in Land O'Lakes. It was her biggest audience yet. The students built her a toy box and filled it up. Miracle would pick up the toys and lay them at their feet.
The next day, Franckewich left Miracle and Timber, his 8-month-old German shepherd/pit bull terrier, in the back yard while he ran errands for an hour or two. When he returned, Miracle lay by the back door. At first, he thought she was sleeping.
He doesn't know how long he cradled her.
Franckewich takes solace in two thoughts: that the day he found her, tortured and beaten, was not her last and that she didn't die alone.
"Timber was with her," he said on Saturday. "I know it's another dog, but the thought of her being by herself after all that happened to her, at least she had her sister with her."
Miracle was cremated. Her remains sit in a rose-colored urn in a lighted glass case in his living room, surrounded by photos of her.
Franckewich couldn't work for days. A friend said he relates better to animals than humans. He doesn't deny it.
"I know this is going to sound weird, but I wear her tag around my neck," Franckewich said. "I'll probably never take it off." | Source: St. Petersburg Times - June 5, 2006
Update posted on Jun 7, 2006 - 9:38PM |
When news got out in December 2005 that a puppy had been found, beaten and tortured, Dan Timmer began collecting reward money for information leading to an arrest. But nearly three months after investigators charged a Crystal Springs teen in the case, the four boys who pointed the finger at Angel Andino haven't seen a dime. Parents of three of the boys say their sons deserve the money. Timmer, a New Port Richey business owner, said the boys didn't earn the money, and he doesn't plan on paying them.
Andino, 14, was charged with animal cruelty in February 2006, two months after a carpenter found the mutilated animal, known as Miracle. Andino pleaded no contest April 4, 2006 and was sentenced to a year in juvenile detention.
According to police records, Joshua Faulk, John Sizemore, Cody Hummerick and Bradley Marr told investigators Andino was the one who beat the mixed-breed puppy. The boys' parents said they have no received no indication their sons will receive any of the $9,400 in cash and pledges Timmer collected as reward money, intended to coax anyone with information to come forward. Last week, Timmer said he planned to return the roughly $1,100 in cash donations he's received. The organizations that pledged the rest of the reward money have withdrawn their pledges, he said. "They could have solved this case four months ahead of when they did, but nobody came forward," Timmer said. "The detectives had to drag it out of them. The only reason this kid was caught was because of the investigation by police and animal control."
Angie Marr said her son came home one night and told her that Andino was bragging about torturing the dog. Soon after, he reported the incident to the veterinarian who was treating Miracle, she said. "My son did come forward," Marr said. "Nobody came here to find him." Joshua Faulk's mother, Camelia, said investigators sought out her son after one of the other boys told them he knew something about the crime. Faulk said her son, who was in a juvenile facility at the time, was taken to the State Attorney's Office in Dade City for questioning. "He could have said he didn't know nothing," she said. "It's the principle of the thing. A man is only as good as his word."
Doug Tobin, a spokesman for the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, said Andino's arrest followed a joint investigation by the sheriff's office and Pasco County Animal Control. The deputy who investigated for the sheriff's office has said he thinks the four boys should get the reward, Tobin said. "If they wouldn't have talked to [animal control's] investigators or to him, they wouldn't have had a case at all," Tobin said. "That's why he feels the kids should get the reward."
Amid the ongoing debate about the reward money, Miracle went to a new home. Gary Franckewich, the Zephyrhills carpenter who found the pup on a job site in Crystal Springs, brought her home from the Crystal Springs Veterinary Clinic on Easter Sunday. Franckewich said Miracle and his other dog, Timber, a German Shepherd-pit bull mix, get along great. "I was worried about Timber dominating her because she was so small," he said. "But it's the other way around. Miracle came home and said, 'This is my house.'" | Source: TBO News - April 23, 2006
Update posted on Apr 23, 2006 - 11:33AM |
Angel Andino's grandmother maintains her grandson didn't torture a mixed-breed puppy found mutilated in December. But Marie Andino was on hand April 4 as her 14-year-old grandson pleaded no contest to an animal cruelty charge in juvenile court.
"He said he didn't do that to that dog," she said after the hearing. "He wasn't going to fight it because he wasn't going to end up with more time."
Andino's sentence amounts to one year in a juvenile detention center, during which he will receive psychological counseling.
After he is released, he will have to stay away from animals and abide by other conditions Circuit Judge Walter Schafer set as part of what's known as conditional release.
According to the terms of the plea bargain, Andino's sentence will run concurrently with a one-year sentence he received in February for a burglary conviction.
Andino, a middle school dropout from Crystal Springs, was arrested in February, two months after a carpenter found the tortured pup at a Crystal Springs job site.
When she was found, the dog, now called Miracle, had her snout clamped shut with rubber bands. Maggots had invested her tongue, part of which had to be amputated.
She also had three broken legs, and one of her hind legs was separated from the hip.
The animal was taken to the Crystal Springs Veterinary Clinic, where she remained Tuesday afternoon.
Pam Edris, who works at the clinic, said Miracle had undergone four surgeries and is in great health.
Miracle has remained at the clinic while Andino's case was pending, but Schafer on Tuesday said the dog could be released.
Gary Franckewich, who found Miracle, attended Tuesday's court hearing and has said he wants to adopt the dog.
Dan Timmer, the co-owner of George's Wholesale Tires, said he had received about $9,400 in pledges and cash as a reward for anyone who came forward with information about who hurt Miracle.
As of Tuesday, he said he had not given out any money.
Timmer, who did not attend the hearing, said Andino's punishment wasn't severe enough.
"I wish he could have gotten more," Timmer said. "If he's going to do that to an animal, what's next? Something's wrong with that. I don't think the judicial system is hard enough on some of these kids."
Members of Andino's family said he always has denied hurting the dog and that they never saw him hurt an animal.
"He's always loved animals, point blank," said his aunt, Danielle Andino.
She said her nephew feels bad about all that's happened and is relieved the case is over.
"He wants to be at home, but ..." she said, then paused. "Whenever I go visit him, he'll sit there and he'll cry." | Source: TBO - Apr 5, 2006
Update posted on Apr 11, 2006 - 1:54AM |
Authorities on Tuesday arrested 14-year-old Angel Luis Andino on allegations he beat and abused the pooch, found seriously injured Dec. 5.
Andino, of Crystal Springs, faces a charge of cruelty to animals, a felony.
Andino's arrest came at a juvenile facility where he had been since his July arrest on an armed burglary charge, records show. He was taken to the Pasco Juvenile Assessment Center.
Pasco County Animal Control Manager Denise Hilton said Andino had been a "person of interest" since early in the case. Four acquaintances eventually stepped forward with information that led to his arrest.
Hilton, whose department teamed with sheriff's investigators on the case, said more arrests are possible.
If Andino is convicted, Hilton said she will ask the court to require counseling. | Source: TBO.com - Feb 8, 2006
Update posted on Feb 8, 2006 - 9:51AM |
Casts covered her right foreleg and both hind legs. They're off now, and she's able to chase down her ball all over the clinic. More than half her tongue was amputated, leaving her dependent on IVs and humans for sustenance. Unable to lap up anything, she's learning to eat and drink on her own again. When the dog known as Miracle was brought to the veterinary clinic on Dec. 5, 2005, the 6-month-old pit bullterrier had been tortured, starved and left for dead.
But several weeks and four surgeries later, Miracle is well out of danger. She will live, the clinic said, and live. She can walk and run again. She can eat and drink again. She can even bark and play and have fun. In short, she's a puppy again. "Oh my gosh, the progress has been awesome," said Crystal Springs Veterinary Clinic office manager Pam Edris. "She didn't even resemble a puppy when she came in. "Now she acts like a puppy. She can move around. She's starting to eat really good."
Carpenter Gary Franckewich named her Miracle because when he found the 14-pound puppy her tongue was infested by maggots and sticking out of jaws tied shut with a rubber band. She was malnourished and dehydrated. But she was still alive. He took her to the clinic, where the veterinarian learned Miracle also suffered from a broken elbow on her right foreleg, a broken right hind leg, a broken left hip joint and rotting flesh. Since then thousands have been donated from across the Tampa Bay area and around the United States to pay for Miracle's medical care and a reward - now at $9,400 - leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever abused her. Miracle requires a fifth surgery, on her hip, but she's too young to have it now. Six months is the wait.
The case is still under investigation. Authorities still haven't decided who can take Miracle home. Franckewich hopes he can. He was at the clinic Christmas morning with presents for Miracle. At home there's more in a stocking with her name on it. "I still have people come up to me and say, "The dog should have been put down,' " he said. "I'm like, "How can you even say that?' "I know she's just a dog, but she has a chance now to live a normal life with somebody who loves her and be happy."
Miracle is being treated at Crystal Springs Veterinary Clinic, which can be reached at (813) 788-4511. The clinic is asking donors to send checks in care of the clinic to P.O. Box 818, Crystal Springs, FL 33524. Anyone with information about what happened to the puppy is asked to call the Pasco County Sheriff's Office toll-free at 1-800-706-2488 or contact Pasco County Animal Services at (352) 521-5194, (813) 929-1212 or (727) 834-3216. For information about the reward, contact Jo-Dan Auto Sales at (727) 846-0446 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. | Source: St Petersburg Times - January 12, 2006
Update posted on Jan 15, 2006 - 9:21AM |
Pasco County Animal Services and the Pasco County Sheriff's Office are continuing a joint investigation into the torture of a pit bullterrier puppy found abandoned in Crystal Springs.
As the investigation mounts, so too does the incentive to those with knowledge of the crime to cooperate: a $3,800 reward, privately raised, for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the dog's plight.
Her jaws were rubber-banded shut over her maggot-infested tongue, which later was partially amputated. Her mouth also rotted and she is losing parts of her lips. Miracle can be fed only liquids through an IV. A back leg is broken, as is the hip joint on the other leg. A front leg has a shattered elbow. Miracle will need surgery and rehabilitation if she survives, which is not yet assured. Franckewich got to see the puppy he intends to adopt at the clinic. "She looks right at you," he said. "It looks like she wants to smile at you, but she's not out of the woods yet."
The clinic has been inundated by callers pledging money to pay for Miracle's medical care. Pasco sheriff's spokesman Doug Tobin said investigators have received two tips in the case.
Danny Timmer, one of the west Pasco businessmen who contributed toward the original $700 reward to aid the investigation on Wednesday, has also been inundated with pledges from Tampa to Spring Hill more than quintupling the reward. "They're just disgusted, they're outraged at this thing, and they just can't believe somebody would actually do that to an animal," he said. "One man called up and pledged $3,000. They don't want notoriety from it or anything. They just want to see this person caught and prosecuted to the fullest."
Information and money are sought after the torture of the puppy known as Miracle. She is being treated at the Crystal Springs Veterinary Clinic, which can be reached at (813) 788-4511. The clinic is asking donors to send checks in care of the clinic to P.O. Box 818, Crystal Springs, FL, 33524. Anyone with information about what happened to the puppy is asked to call the Pasco County Sheriff's Office toll-free at 1-800-706-2488 or contact Pasco County Animal Services at (352) 521-5194, (813) 929-1212 or (727) 834-3216. For information about the reward, contact Jo-Dan Auto Sales at (727) 846-0446 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. | Source: St Petersburg Times - December 9, 2005
Update posted on Dec 9, 2005 - 10:05PM |
Miracle, the puppy so badly tortured that part of her mouth rotted, faces at least one more surgery before her caretakers think she'll be fully recovered.
That is, if she ever fully recovers.
The dog most likely hadn't eaten in days, according to a Pasco County Sheriff's Office report.
Gary Franckewicz brought the tan puppy to the nearby Crystal Springs Veterinary Clinic. She was in bad shape. Veterinarian Gail Mendenhall had to amputate part of Miracle's tongue almost as soon as the dog arrived, said Pam Edris, the clinic's office manager.
"It was so black and dead," Edris said.
"That had to come off immediately."
Miracle lost a few teeth because her mouth was so infected, Edris said.
Three of the dog's legs were broken. One hind leg is separated from the pup's hip and will permanently require pins, she said.
"We don't know what happened to her. She could have been hit; [her leg could have been] pulled on [and] yanked back in."
Miracle's leg will require at least one surgery, Edris said.
Treating Miracle has proved difficult because she is still a puppy; the veterinary staff estimates she is about 5 months old. At that age, dogs' immune systems haven't fully developed, and they are susceptible to infection, Edris said.
In addition to having her bones reset, Miracle needs surgery on her face. Dead tissue must be removed.
As a result of stories about Miracle in the local media, the veterinary clinic has been overwhelmed by offers of donations - money, treats, blankets and toys for the puppy.
All donations will go to Miracle's immediate and future care, Edris said.
Because of the overwhelming number of phone calls to the Crystal Springs Veterinary Clinic, the clinic asks that donations for Miracle's care be mailed to: P.O. Box 818, Crystal Springs, FL 33524. Write "Miracle" in the memo line. Anyone with information about who hurt Miracle can contact the Pasco County Sheriff's Office at (727) 847-5878 or the Pasco County Animal Services at (813) 929-1212. | Source: TBO - Dec 8, 2005
Update posted on Dec 8, 2005 - 8:25PM |
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