Looks like Mars Petcare is still in the doghouse as salmonella from their contaminated dog food is linked to salmonella infections in humans.

An outbreak of 66 salmonella infections in humans across 18 states, including 25 cases in Pennsylvania, since early 2006 has been linked to two brands of dog food produced in an Everson, Fayette County, plant.

No one has died, and no pet illnesses or deaths have been reported, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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The other day I did a story on Maryanne Adams, of Greenwood Lake, NY who starved her dog, Princess, to death in February. Charged only with ‘failing to provide sustenance,’ a misdemeanor, she pleaded guilty. Her sentence? 100 hours of community service, $1000 fine and $300 in restitution to the Warwick Valley Humane Society.

I was, and am, upset and angry about the sentencing. The Justice said the sentence was due to her children. I’m sorry, I just don’t see it and it seems I am not the only one. I came across this story and thought it was worth sharing because it practically mirrored my feelings.

Dog ruling is too lenient

When it comes to flawed reasoning by somebody in a black robe, the worst example in a long time came in Warwick this week where a town justice tempered the sentence of a dog killer because of what he said was concern for the woman’s children.

You don’t have to be an animal rights activist to be outraged by the ruling. You don’t even have to be interested in the gruesome details of how the woman’s dog suffered and eventually starved to death.

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I’ve told about the Chewed Up Michael Vick Sport Cards that were being auctioned off on eBay by Rochelle Steffen and I just wanted to give you the final on it. The auction ended yesterday with a high bid of $7,400!!! The winning bidder, Activists4animals, is actually Laura Norton-Dye, 40, of Cape Girardeau. Norton-Dye who said she hadn’t even heard of Michael Vick before his indictment said she wanted to send the message that local animal shelters need help and she actually challenged Vick to donate money himself.

Norton-Dye has requested the money be donated to the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri and to Safe Harbor, a local animal sanctuary. She has incurable gastrointestinal carcinoid cancer and a big heart for animals, “I really think this was the right thing to do. This is one way I thought I could make a difference,” the former teacher said.

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A couple of weeks ago I told you about Lucky, the pit bull who was found with a hunting knife embedded about 4″ into her skull.

Now, less than two weeks later, Lucky is recovered and doing great, a ‘bouncing bundle of fur.’ And this sweet ‘bouncing bundle of fur’ is ready to be adopted now.

As of  late Monday, the Atlanta Humane Society stopped taking application for her adoption and it is expected that they will announce today who Lucky will be going home with.

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In the beginning I told you about Sparky, the dog that was dragged on Frontage Road, just off Interstate 75 Exit 237 in Clayton, GA.

Sadly, there’s been no progress in finding the person who so callously did this to this poor little guy and the reward is now up to $6,800 for information leading to the arrest and conviction.

But I did want to bring you an update on how Sparky’s doing. He’s been recovering at Paces Ferry Vet Clinic under the care of Dr. Merritt and his progress is wonderful!

Atlanta Pet Rescue has been posting updates on his story and I thought I would pass them along.

Sparky is a 1 year old, 28 pound Terrier mix. He’s cute as a button, and very sweet, which makes it all the harder to believe that a “human” would intentionally inflict such horrific injuries on a helpless dog. Sparky was tied to the bumper of a car by his leash and dragged behind the vehicle on July 26th. He survived when his head slipped out of the collar, and he was quickly picked up by passers by who took him to Animal Control.

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Yesterday afternoon, Stephani Montesi and Lovell Grant, Hillsborough County, FL, were arrested and are now looking at numerous animal cruelty charges after a sweep of the Sulphur Springs area turned up Roscoe and two other dogs without food and water at their home.

Roscoe, as you can see, is not much more than skin and bones and he’s also missing an eye. He was so malnourished when he was found that he could barely stand and walk. His ribs and hip bones poke through his skin and his backbone is a series of hard knobs. He has little muscle left.

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Three teenage boys, 12, 14 and 16 years old in Guadalupe County, TX got their sick twisted jollies off of torturing a small dog to death! This crime is just beyond horrific!

The walked into Stephanie Tavere’s yard and stole her beloved little Pomeranian mix puppy, Tobey, and took it to an abandoned house where they cruelly and mercilessly tortured it to death! This little dog, who had probably never known anything but gentle kindness, caring and pampering was repeatedly thrown out of a second story window then when it’s legs were broken they hung it from a tree and beat it like a pinata then decapitated it! There was also evidence that the dog was burned while it was still alive!
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Looks like more potentially dangerous dog and pets foods. The FDA blocked the shipment is July but what about anything from before then?

This from Consumer Affairs

Products “appeared to contain poisonous substances and unsafe additives”

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July blocked more than 100 Nutro Products — various styles and flavors of its dog and cat food — from entering the United States.

ConsumerAffairs.com learned the FDA took that action at the Port of Los Angeles — and listed Nutro’s pet food on its Import Refusal Report — because the products appeared to contain poisonous substances and unsafe additives.

The FDA has authority to block and detain any regulated products from entering the United States if they “appear to be out of compliance with The Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.”

Some of Nutro’s pet food on the Import Refusal List include its Adult Turkey with Chicken Liver, Choice Adult Cat w Turkey & Duck, Choice Complete Care Kitten Rich in Chicken with Liver, and Adult Large Breed Chicken & Rice.

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Maryanne Adams, of Greenwood Lake, NY was convicted of a misdemeanor charge of ‘failing to provide sustenance’ after worker from the Warwick Valley Humane Society found her 80 lb St. Bernard-collie mix, Princess, motionless in the backyard, eyes were matted shut and she had no food in her digestive tract in February.

That’s right, a misdemeanor! And not animal abuse, only of ‘failing to provide sustenance!’

So a once beautiful dog is dead because a woman starved it to death and again the law looks at it as only a triviality and yet another ’slap on the wrist’ sentence!

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We’ve all heard of people leaving bequests in their will to their pets, well the notorious ‘Queen of Mean,’ Leona Helmsley has to top the list! Her little Maltese, Trouble, has a $12 million dollar trust set up and will continue to live in the lap of luxury. And when the pup’s time is up, Trouble will even be buried ‘in the lap of luxury’ with Leona, husband and son in the 1,300 square foot Helmsley Mausoleum.

Eight year old Trouble is a notoriously picky pup who lives up to her name. A gift from one of her advisers, John Codey, Trouble wouldn’t eat normal dog food. Her meals were gourmet, prepared by a chef and hand fed to her by one of Helmsley employees. Helmsley didn’t think twice about disrupting service in the kitchen of her Park Lane Hotel - where she lived - by insisting that the chef drop whatever he was doing to make special meals for the cranky canine.

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After Micheal Vick pleaded guilty in court yesterday, he made his first, and to date, only, public statement. He was scheduled to appear on “The Tom Joyner Morning Show” but canceled after his advisers said someone “might take any part of our interview out of context,” the Associated Press quoted Joyner as saying.

Below is the full transcript of his public statement.

For most of my life, I’ve been a football player, not a public speaker, so, you know, I really don’t know, you know, how to say what I really want to say.

You know, I understand it’s - it’s important or not important, you know, as far as what you say but how you say things. So, you know, I just take this opportunity just to speak from the heart.

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On August 24, Anthony Smith and Takisha White, were each charged with six counts of animal cruelty and abandonment, exactly one month after a Washington County/Johnson City Animal Shelter worker found six puppies on their doorstep, two had died and all had mutilated tails. Their tail were literally rotting off.

Someone had tried to dock their tail by wrapping rubber bands around them and the wounds were seriously infected. It was likely that the puppies had suffered for weeks like this.

“All four puppies had to have a tail amputation on July 26 from the injuries they received from their prior owners,” Young’s Animal Hospital Veterinarian Stephen Strickler said. “To see the infection and the appearance of the skin and the tail, I guess disgusting is a good way to put it.”

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