See Update 8/30/08 - DeCarlo Gets 2 Yrs Probation
Michael Vick got 23 months for running a dogfighting ring, gambling, killing dogs, abuse and more. Randy DeCarlo, who rescues dogs, many of them with issues, is facing 12 years in jail over a nuisance noise ordinance.
DeCarlo, 55, of Lilburn, GA, has been rescuing dogs since 2001 and figures he saved about 250 of them from death. Right now he has about 25; 12 beagles, 12 basset hounds and a Shih Tzu.
Unfortunately for DeCarlo, his neighbors aren’t as enamored of his avocation as he is and police issued him 24 citations for violating Gwinnett County’s nuisance noise ordinance last year. Potentially he could face 6 months in jail for each of the 24 citations for a total of 12 years.
Gwinnett County Solicitor Joe Randazzo offered DeCarlo a deal to avoid trial and jail: give up 10 of the 25 dogs, and accept 24 months on probation.
No deal, DeCarlo says.
He likens a two-year term of probation for barking dogs to Michael Vick’s 23-month prison term for, among other things, killing dogs. And giving the dogs to Gwinnett’s animal control is probably a death sentence, he said.
“I specialize in dogs with issues,” he said. Sitting behind him was Casey, a one-eyed beagle who was kicked around by former owners, DeCarlo said. Casey is probably not adoptable. Nor is Frannie, who has a thyroid problem. Or even Mulligan, who needed months of physical therapy when he was found on a dirt road.
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Just goes to show you don;t have to be a big dog to be a hero!
Most than a year later, after the recalls, thousands of pets dead and sickened, the number of which will never truly be known, lives changed forever, Menu Foods and others involved in the massive recall will finally be ponying up the green. Not that any amount of money will ever bring back the lives lost but maybe it will help the people whose pets will suffer and continue to need expensive vet care for the rest of their lives.
Maybe it will help pay off the vet bills for those who lost their beloved furry family members and are still paying. It will never erase the hurt, pain and sorrow but if it can help to ease some of the financial burden these people are still facing. And maybe it will wake these manufacturers up that they can’t get away with not giving a damn anymore. This hits them where it hurts, the wallets. Since this is all they care about, their bottom line, this is the only way to make a point to them!
Menu Foods, other pet food makers and retailers involved in last year’s massive pet food recall will set up a $24 million cash fund to compensate pet owners, according to a proposed settlement filed Thursday in federal court.
The fund is expected to compensate thousands of pet owners in the U.S. and Canada who bought recalled pet foods made by Menu and 11 others. The products had a contaminated ingredient from China that sickened dogs and cats.
The $24 million is in addition to $8 million that pet food makers have already paid to pet owners. Legal fees and expenses, which haven’t been determined, will come out of the fund. The settlement, negotiated over the past seven months, would resolve more than 100 lawsuits by more than 250 plaintiffs brought in the U.S. and a dozen in Canada.
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How will my dog and my new baby get along? Will I have to get rid of my loyal, furry companion in order to ensure the safety of my child? These are the questions that plague many dog owners as they anticipate the birth and homecoming of their first child. The good news is that even though the process of introducing your dog to your newest family addition is a careful and cautious one, it’s not impossible. With some pre-planning on your part, you can train your dog to get along with your child and can raise your child to respect and love your dog as much as you do.
Getting Your Pet Used to a Baby
So, you’re expecting a baby. Congratulations! This is a time of change, discovery and joy like no other. If you are a dog owner, however, your happiness may be tempered by thoughts of your dog and how your “fur baby” will react to all of these monumental changes. Fear not! If you start preparing your dog for the baby’s arrival well in advance of the baby’s due date, you should be able to minimize any associated conflicts or problems.
If your dog currently has access to all rooms in the house, get him used to not entering which ever room will serve as the nursery. Keep that door closed so your dog will not consider it part of his regular territory. Then, get the dog used to your being in the room without him. Keep the nursery door closed while you’re assembling baby furniture or decorating the room. This way, the dog will learn that even though there is activity there, he is not a part of it. Make sure, though, to pay a little extra attention to your dog once you leave the nursery and return to his territory.
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Now that I’m home, bathed, settled and fed,
All nicely tucked in my warm new bed.
I’d like to open my baggage lest I forget,
There is so much to carry - So much to regret.
Hmm . . . Yes there it is, right on the top.
Let’s unpack Loneliness, Heartache and Loss;
And there by my leash hides Fear and Shame.
As I look on these things I tried so hard to leave -
I still have to unpack my baggage called Pain.
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