Wendy Cunningham Photography Blog

What can I say?  I’m a big softie!  I love animals… especially puppies.  And when I got a call asking me to foster a couple of Rottie puppies that I had a hand in saving, I couldn’t say no!  This is a small way for me to give back to my community!

When they arrived at my home, they had just been neutered that day.  They were also very nervous pups.  They have never had any sort of socialization because they were being held in a back room at the animal shelter pending a court case against their owner.  However it didn’t take them long to realize that we were their friends, and man did they come out of their shell!

These two babies are two of the eight puppies that are left from a litter that died.  What a sad story!

Momma and Daddy Rottie were abandoned in their own back yard!  The owners moved out of their home and showed up about once a week to throw some food in the yard.  I slowly watched these animals lose more and more weight.

Then I realized that the Momma Rotty was pregnant, yet emaciated.  You could see her ribs terribly.  Even though I called the animal shelter several times, they could not do anything about it because Tennessee laws state that if the owner responds to animal control’s requests within five days, then animal control is not legally allowed to remove them.  So all the owner had to do was show up and feed them once every five days to avoid having them removed.

Since nothing was getting accomplished with these dogs, I finally called a police officer that I was told by a local vet would do something about this.  So when I called the officer, she immediately showed up at my neighbor’s home to take pictures, and not long after that charges were brought against the animal owner and the dogs were finally seized!

The animal shelter held the animals for several months while the case was being heard in court.  I am happy to say that the animal owner had to surrender Momma Rottie and the puppies, as well as pay thousands of dollars in fines to repay the animal shelter for what they provided while in court.  He is supposed to be allowed access to Daddy Rottie, but only after he pays his fines.  I am still holding out hope that never happens.

All of this could have been avoided at little to no effort.  I’m really upset that the owner (young and stupid) did not take care of his animals.  He was simply breeding them to make a dollar or two off the sale of a puppy.  He surely didn’t love them.  Momma Rottie had not been vaccinated in Lord knows how long.  She passed a disease called parvo along to the puppies, and only two of them survived as a result.  Now they suffer from the beginning stages of demo dex, which is apparently common in shelters, but can luckily be treated.

I wish the laws were more strict to protect animals.  If we are going to take animals into our homes, then those animals become completely dependent upon us for their survival.  It doesn’t take that much money or time to feed them properly and have them vaccinated once a year.  If people can’t provide at least the bare minimum, then they should not be allowed to have animals.

Like Bob Barker says, “Have your pets spayed or neutered.”  And for crying out loud… HAVE THEM VACCINATED!  Be a responsible pet owner.

If you would like to become a responsible pet owner, please visit Operation Education Animal Rescue.  They have many puppies and dogs available for adoption!