See Update - 10/1/08 - Two in ‘Dog Killer for Hire’ Case Sentenced

See Update - 8/21/08 - Freddie Mock Offered Plea Deal

Freddie Mock, 53, of rural Manito is charged with aggravated cruelty, a felony, in Mason County. Mock was arrested for beating a cocker spaniel with a hammer after he was allegedly hired to kill the dog for $25.

This story is enough to turn anyone’s stomach, among other things.

A woman had seen Mock in a wooded area and asked him what he was doing, Oldham said. He told her he was going to the bathroom, then he left in his vehicle. As soon as he pulled away, she could hear the dog wailing, Oldham said. The woman called police.

When they got there, the cocker spaniel was in a lot of pain and was bleeding, with injuries to its head, back, jaw and mouth, Oldham said.

A veterinarian did emergency surgery, but the dog’s injuries were so severe it had to be euthanized the next morning. Oldham said she thinks it was around 4 years old.

A Pets Without Parents volunteer recognized the cocker spaniel because a woman in Manito had approached her about it recently, asking if the group would take it since it had bitten someone.

She was told that because the dog had bitten someone it probably was not adoptable. She was advised to go to a veterinarian and have it euthanized for $30 or $35, Oldham said.

When she confronted the woman who owned the cocker spaniel, she said she had gotten rid of it, Oldham said, but she could not produce a veterinarian’s bill for euthanasia.

“She said, ‘There is no vet. I paid a guy $25 to kill my dog,’” Oldham said.

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It’s great news for the dogs and puppies at Limestone Kennels, the Chester County, PA, puppy mill that was raided last week!! The endless cycle of use, abuse, neglect, breed and overbreed is finally over for them. They will now have a chance at life, the way life is supposed to be; life out of a cage, good food and water, proper medical care and most of all, a loving and caring family.

John Blank, owner of Limestone Kennels, has had his kennel license revoked permanently and has pleaded guilty eight counts of animal cruelty and two violations of the Dog Law. The remaining dogs at the kennel, approximately 75 or so, have all been surrendered to the Pennsylvania SPCA.

Blank will be allowed to own no more than 5 personal dogs while he is on probation for 2 years. As usual I find the sentence far too lenient for the prison sentence that more than 100 dogs in his kennel were subjected to, not to mention the abominable conditions they lived under. I guess we can take consolation in the fact that he will will not be running a kennel again.

“As a result of today’s actions, the dogs from this commercial breeding kennel will be cared for and put up for adoption to homes. This is the best possible outcome for the dogs,” said Wolff. “While the results are positive for these dogs, the case shows the need for better laws to protect all dogs in commercial breeding kennels.”

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