Dog found covered in pipe glue, eyes glued shut - Gautier, MS

Thursday, Jul 20, 2006

County: Jackson

Disposition: Open
Case Images: 2 files available

Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!

Case Updates: 4 update(s) available

Early July 20 morning, a 16-week old black male Labrador Retriever covered in PVC pipe glue was discovered on Martin Bluff Road in Gautier across from the Singing River Grocery.

The animal's eyes were sealed shut from the glue. His mouth, the inside of his throat and deep in his ears were also saturated. Lennep said she was positive the puppy could no longer hear or see. His hind legs were also fractured in several places.

Animal cruelty is a misdemeanor crime and carries a fine on a case by case basis. According to officials in the Gautier Police Department, the crime can carry up to six months of jail time if it is extremely cruel.

The officials also said their policy on animal cruelty is to file a report, find the owners of the animal and file charges if necessary.

If you have information on this case, please contact:
Gautier Police Department
228-497-2486

Case Updates

Although Buddy's abuser is still at large and there are no new leads, Gautier police say it's still an active investigation. Detective Jason Pugh said every tip police have received has been followed to no legal end. "When there is probable cause, an arrest will be made," Pugh said. Buddy, the 16-week-old Black Labrador retriever that was tortured with PVC pipe glue and left for dead, was found by Gary Emerick early July 20. The puppy was found taped in a diaper box that was deposited by the gate of the Hickory Hill Nursery on Martin Bluff Road in Gautier. The Pet Connection's veterinarian, Dr. Colleen Lennep, said there was no hope for recovery and was forced to euthanized the puppy. Reward donations poured in from all over the country for the capture of Buddy's abuser and an outcry to change the animal cruelty law in the state began. Currently, animal abuse in Mississippi is only a misdemeanor. Several local business have partnered together in a fight to change the law and have received more than 7,000 letters to send to the local state legislators. Their goal is 10,000. Rep. Jeff Smith told The Mississippi Press in July he is pushing for the passage of House Bill 710 along with Senate Bill 2410, which would expand the animal cruelty law and provide a felony penalty for: Cruelly beating, mutilating or intentionally killing an animal. Unjustifiably administering any poisonous or noxious drug or substance to any domestic animal. Extreme deprivation of minimum care that causes critical physical injury to any living animal. Smith said would like to see a first offense of animal cruelty remain a misdemeanor, but repeat offenses would be considered felonies. The bill would give repeat offenders up to one year of jail time. Smith said a House Bill 710 was presented to the agricultural committee in 2005, but unfortunately it was overshadowed by bills asking for Hurricane Katrina support and failed before the House. Both bills are slated for the House, which convenes in January 2007. Sen. Bob Dearing said he supports Smith's push for the bill and said his original thought was to make the first act of animal cruelty a felony, but has since reconsidered the issue. "I think what Jeff is doing is a good compromise," Deary said. "Give people one strike before they are hit with a felony." Deary said the state appears to be well covered with support for changing the law. "That's the way to pass a bill," Deary said. "You have to get everyone involved."

Source: The Mississippi Press - Nov 4, 2006 Update posted on Nov 4, 2006 - 5:10AM

Instead of spending their last days of summer vacation playing in the sunshine, Blake Muhler, 9, and her friends Maggie, 10, and Avery Toubs, 11, raised money for the Buddy Reward Fund. Buddy, the 16-week-old black Labrador retriever who was tortured with PVC pipe glue in Gautier, inspired the girls to go door-to-door in their Ocean Springs neighborhood washing cars. The trio raised $54. "We walked around our neighborhood asking people we knew if they would help us raise money for Buddy," Avery said. "We thought it was terrible what happened to him and we wanted to help catch the bad guys." The girls are in elementary school at St. Alphonsus Catholic School in Ocean Springs and their principal, Miriam Jones, said the girls are simply acting as Jesus would, as the school has taught them. "We always recognize young people for kind acts at our Friday assembly," Jones said. "They brought me the deposit slip and said they'd raised the money for the little dog Buddy who'd been through so much and to just make that effort -- is wonderful. To see something in the news and want to do something about it is extraordinary." The girls learned about Buddy from reading The Mississippi Press, and Maggie and Avery's grandmother was the one who drove the girls to Hancock Bank to make the deposit. "It was fun," Maggie said. "We've been to the bank before, but never for a good cause." "Yeah," Blake added. "We usually just go for the candy, but his was better." Sen. Tommy Moffatt said he's not surprised about the St. Alphonsus' students' participation. "That school is something else," Moffatt said. "A few years ago they wanted to learn how a bill is passed and I made many trips to the school. But, I just didn't talk about it, I actually showed them." Moffatt said the students discovered there was not a state reptile for Mississippi and wanted to make the alligator Mississippi's reptile. "It took about two years," Moffatt said. "But we did it and the students learned something." Moffatt also said the fact that Buddy's story is reaching fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders, is proof the animal cruelty laws need changing. "It is a matter of wording," Moffatt said. "But, I do believe that the punishment needs to fit the crime and whoever tortured Buddy needs to be punished. I probably get 8 to 10 e-mails, calls or letters a day expressing the public's wanting to change the law. A lot of folks are behind it and I think it will be changed. We just need the wording right." Colleen Lennep, the veterinarian who euthanized Buddy, hopes Moffatt's predictions are correct. "I'm glad to see the number of people that care," Lennep said. "The laws are very weak and misdemeanors just don't scare people. It needs to be a felony." Lennep said she hopes Buddy's story will help not only change the animal cruelty laws, but personal views on animal abuse as well. "I hope this will inspire people to get involved," Lennep. "Maybe the next time someone sees an animal being abused they'll call the police or at the very least a vet."

Source: The Mississippi Press - Aug 24, 2006 Update posted on Aug 24, 2006 - 12:21PM

Currently, the reward is $3,000 for information that leads to the capture and conviction of Buddy's abuser, and is steadily growing. If the person is not apprehended then the funds will be returned.

Source: The MIssissippi Press- July 27, 2006 Update posted on Jul 27, 2006 - 9:36PM

A passerby, who found the lab rushed her to The Pet Connection Town and Country Veterinary Hospital in Ocean Springs, but doctors could not save her. She was put down. Right now, Gautier Police tell us they do not have a suspect. Hopefully a growing reward will help change that. The Humane Society of the US is offering a $2500 reward for information leading to an arrest. Also, the Gautier Police Department says several private citizens have called wanting to add to that reward. Call Gautier Police with any information. ((228-497-2486.))

Source: WPMI - July 26, 2006 Update posted on Jul 26, 2006 - 7:54PM

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