Dog Whose Rescue Initiates Legal Battle has Died
"Duke", "Doogie", "Jake" dies peacefully and on his own terms
after 5-1/2 months of loving care, proper medication
March 3, 2007, Altoona, PA—The dog whose September 11, 2006 rescue initiated an ongoing legal battle has died. Duke, alias "Doogie" and "Jake" died Thursday morning, March 1st, at the home of his foster mother. He went peacefully, waiting for her to leave the room before passing, as many dogs (and humans) do.
He had been struggling with up and down health through December, until his foster mom found a medication that seemed to give him relief from pain; he then flourished, turning into a loving family member. She wrote: "It’s with great sadness in my heart that I tell you Doogie passed away yesterday morning (March 1st) around 9:10 am.
Doogie had surpassed all goals I had set for us both. He learned how to smile, love, kiss, hug, wag his tail, trot (yes! literally trot!) up to me and check me with his hip in an attempt to play. He gently took food from me and never complained about anything we had to do to help him.
I thank you, Tammy, for letting me have time with him. He was an amazing little old man and sadly, the way he lived, no one enjoyed his comedy; a life spent chained had done a number on his mind. I have had much training; I studied animal behavior, first aid, and thank God live in a place where cruelty charges would have been given and upheld on the owners of Doogie for the condition I saw him in—and that was after a month of care.
I want to thank everyone for the presents Doogie received and all the well wishes. Please know he went very peacefully and on his own, he chose his time and was not in any noticeable pain. I hugged him and told him all the amazing stories about the bridge, about how people who have hurt him will suffer in the end, and about Tammy’s amazing love in refusing to give him back to an immediate death. He had almost 5 months with me, during which time we both learned so much about love."
Doogie's body was returned to Altoona, Pennsylvania, where an autopsy is being performed, and where it has been confirmed by the vet to be the same dog examined September 11, 2006.
Video of Doogie's condition at the time of his rescue has been viewed over 43,000 times on You Tube. Subsequent videos can be also be seen on You Tube, with the latest showing Doogie's much-improved condition from October 18th. The case has made national headlines, and has been featured on Inside Edition, the National Enquirer, Animal People, animal magazines, and on blogs all over the internet.
The case against Grimes for rescuing Doogie is still pending in the Blair County, PA court system; visit the site at dogsdeservebetter.org for updated information.
Dogs Deserve Better is a 501c3 nonprofit organization headquartered in Tipton, Pennsylvania, is the 2003 First Place Winner of the ASPCA Pet Protector Award, and currently has 150 area reps in 38 states as well as in Canada and Australia.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Formerly Chained Foster Dog Attacks Founder of Anti-Chaining Nonprofit
Formerly Chained Foster Dog Attacks
Founder of Anti-Chaining Nonprofit
Grimes Taken to the Emergency Room via Ambulance, later Released
1 March, 2007, Altoona, PA — Dogs Deserve Better founder Tammy Sneath Grimes was attacked in her home in Tipton, Pennsylvania, on the morning of February 28th, 2007 by a recent foster dog from Ohio. Cyclone, an unneutered and unsocialized black chow chow, had been rescued from chains only three weeks previously, and had been neutered by Dogs Deserve Better February 16th. Grimes suffered multiple lacerations, the worst of which was on her left ankle, 5 inches long and 1 inch deep. She was also bitten on her left arm and chest.
Grimes had been feeding the chow separately from the other foster dogs, but on Wednesday a bowl was knocked off the table onto the floor, and the chow began to eat the food immediately. She then fed the other fosters, and when she tried to move the chow from another's bowl, he turned and attacked her, coming back repeatedly until she was able to get pots and pans from the sink to protect herself.
Grimes son Rayne called 9-1-1, and a Bellwood ambulance took them both to the Altoona Hospital Emergency Room, where she underwent x-rays to determine if the Achilles tendon was affected, and received wound care and stitches. She was then released with medication and crutches.
Grimes states, "I've been bitten before, but this attack was different, terrifying. Cyclone meant to do tremendous damage, and I feel blessed that my condition is not worse than it is. Unfortunately, Cyclone is a product of our societal mistakes; an unneutered male dog, left chained for life and unsocialized with humans, may be exceedingly dominant in personality. He may not understand that humans are meant to be pack leaders, and he may have no fear of attacking even the human who is caring for him.
I'm so grateful that a child did not approach him while he was eating and chained; I feel sure the child would have been dead had that been the case. A unneutered male, alone and territorial, can be as deadly as a loaded shotgun laying in your yard. I am more dedicated to this cause than ever...I would like to prevent others from going through what I've gone through; the terror of being attacked by something so powerful, knowing I could easily die, is not a pain I would wish on anyone."
The attack was investigated Thursday morning by Pennsylvania Dog Law officers Bob Beck and Harold Walstrom, and Cyclone was taken to the Central Pennsylvania Humane Society where he was euthanized as a dangerous dog. Grimes continued, "I'd like to thank the officers and the Humane Society for their kindness in a very hard situation. While I'm exceedingly sad to fail Cyclone, I realize that in light of the circumstances, there was no choice remaining for him. I will keep Cyclone's ashes by my bed with Bo's and others who've gone to the bridge."
Grimes heads up the Mothers Against Dog Chaining program of Dogs Deserve Better, which hopes to partner with parents of chained dog attack victims to create further legislation and education on a nationwide basis. To learn more about Dogs Deserve Better programs, visit the site at www.dogsdeservebetter.org. To learn more about the Mothers Against Dog Chaining initiative, go to www.mothersagainstdogchaining.org
Founder of Anti-Chaining Nonprofit
Grimes Taken to the Emergency Room via Ambulance, later Released
1 March, 2007, Altoona, PA — Dogs Deserve Better founder Tammy Sneath Grimes was attacked in her home in Tipton, Pennsylvania, on the morning of February 28th, 2007 by a recent foster dog from Ohio. Cyclone, an unneutered and unsocialized black chow chow, had been rescued from chains only three weeks previously, and had been neutered by Dogs Deserve Better February 16th. Grimes suffered multiple lacerations, the worst of which was on her left ankle, 5 inches long and 1 inch deep. She was also bitten on her left arm and chest.
Grimes had been feeding the chow separately from the other foster dogs, but on Wednesday a bowl was knocked off the table onto the floor, and the chow began to eat the food immediately. She then fed the other fosters, and when she tried to move the chow from another's bowl, he turned and attacked her, coming back repeatedly until she was able to get pots and pans from the sink to protect herself.
Grimes son Rayne called 9-1-1, and a Bellwood ambulance took them both to the Altoona Hospital Emergency Room, where she underwent x-rays to determine if the Achilles tendon was affected, and received wound care and stitches. She was then released with medication and crutches.
Grimes states, "I've been bitten before, but this attack was different, terrifying. Cyclone meant to do tremendous damage, and I feel blessed that my condition is not worse than it is. Unfortunately, Cyclone is a product of our societal mistakes; an unneutered male dog, left chained for life and unsocialized with humans, may be exceedingly dominant in personality. He may not understand that humans are meant to be pack leaders, and he may have no fear of attacking even the human who is caring for him.
I'm so grateful that a child did not approach him while he was eating and chained; I feel sure the child would have been dead had that been the case. A unneutered male, alone and territorial, can be as deadly as a loaded shotgun laying in your yard. I am more dedicated to this cause than ever...I would like to prevent others from going through what I've gone through; the terror of being attacked by something so powerful, knowing I could easily die, is not a pain I would wish on anyone."
The attack was investigated Thursday morning by Pennsylvania Dog Law officers Bob Beck and Harold Walstrom, and Cyclone was taken to the Central Pennsylvania Humane Society where he was euthanized as a dangerous dog. Grimes continued, "I'd like to thank the officers and the Humane Society for their kindness in a very hard situation. While I'm exceedingly sad to fail Cyclone, I realize that in light of the circumstances, there was no choice remaining for him. I will keep Cyclone's ashes by my bed with Bo's and others who've gone to the bridge."
Grimes heads up the Mothers Against Dog Chaining program of Dogs Deserve Better, which hopes to partner with parents of chained dog attack victims to create further legislation and education on a nationwide basis. To learn more about Dogs Deserve Better programs, visit the site at www.dogsdeservebetter.org. To learn more about the Mothers Against Dog Chaining initiative, go to www.mothersagainstdogchaining.org
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