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"The Forgotten"
Hopewell #002-491, Hanover #43, Chesapeake #54919,
Sussex #2603.
These are numbers assigned by the Guardian and Special
Master of the Court to some of Michael Vicks pitbulls
that were lucky enough to find homes with approved
rescues. Each rescue received a stipend. to take the
pit bulls.
Like children in the foster system and our elderly in
nursing homes, the animals that get seized from raids
and hoarders sit in shelters across the country and are
the forgotten.
Aside from the financial drain and strain on shelters
that are already burgeoning with unwanted animals, the
shelters sometimes have to euthanize others to make room
and the seized animals have to "sit" somewhere during
litigation.
The quagmire of sorting through the red tape of who owns
what and who is responsible gains momentum as the
animals sit waiting confused having been ripped away
from albeit abusive owners for someone to come and claim
them, adopt them or just love them.
This is where private humane rescues like NJ Aid for
Animals steps in. Unfortunately restitution rarely
happens in the less high profile cases and small time
fighters if and when their cases get prosecuted.
- Kathy McGuire, President of NJAFA , has earned
a reputation throughout the state as an intrepid and
relentless advocate for animals in need. With no
official authority, she was recently able to get an
alleged armed robber currently under surveillance
by police to surrender two dogs chained to trees.
(Click here to read story and see photos)
Working in the past kenneling dogs she has rescued at
Halo House Kennels in Franklinville, McGuire recently
learned of a another situation that needed intervention.
 PENNS GROVE - Additional charges have been filed
against three people who allegedly operated a pit bull
fighting ring at a house on Lanning Avenue here,
authorities said.
Seven dogs were confiscated Sunday from the house. Diamond
E. McNeil, 20, of Locust Court, Maple Shade; Tremaine
Howell, 26, of Sussex Drive, Willingboro; and Khalil
Spikes, 29, of Sheffield Drive, Willingboro have been
charged in the case. They each face 31 counts of animal
cruelty.....read more
Three pit bulls allegedly used for dog fighting were
left at Halo House, a private S. Jersey kennel. One is
game, one is used for breeding and one is a bait
dog.What to do with them? Who owns them? Who is
responsible for their care?
McGuire, a state certified animal control officer and
cruelty investigator, (although not employed as either)
has given the State of New Jersey Humane Law
Enforcement dozens of leads that have resulted in
prosecution, decided to take the lead.
She made the trip to New Brunswick to talk to State
Humane Law Enforcement to ensure the dogs weren't needed
by them for evidence. After that, she traveled to Salem
Co. to talk to prosecutors there to ascertain the
animals who had now been sitting in a kennel for almost
a month were able to be surrendered to a rescue group.
NJAFA took the littlest one named for the holidays,
Noel, immediately to the vet as she was severely
anemic. There is a direct link between poor
nutrition and anemia. Dogs used for fighting are kept
very lean.
Noel spent l0 days in the hospital fighting for her
life. Dr. Milden at Delaware Valley and his staff kept
her alive despite a red blood count of only l5. Once
Noel's red blood count gets to 25, she can be sent to
Absolute Control Dog Training to be trained and then
NJAFA will find her a home but is recuperating with
NJAFA.
Scarface aka Chance and Miracle both will be altered and
arrangements have been made to send them to a pitbull
refuge in Houston Texas, Spindletop Pitbull Refuge.
After being assessed by local expert dog trainers, John
Richardson and Perry Parks, it was deemed one of the
dogs is "game" and the other was just used for breeding.
We are raising money to reimburse Noel's vet bill,
airfare for the dogs to Houston and their boarding fee.
Let's hope society will remember the "forgotten" in
2009......remember our children and our elders and our
animals that sit and sit and sit and wait and wait and
wait and hope and hope and hope .. that someone will
come along that will be their advocate.
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