Very sad story...

[parkersmum]

Thanks for responding and sending the links. Please everyone it was never my intention to criticise the rescue efforts of our four legged angels. I was only trying to get my head around the fact that this poor animal may never have a chance to be a normal boxer. Rough housing, running, pouncing on his favourite toys. (If he can even learn what toys are.) I do think of my furbaby when I see Charlie and I agree, without knowing what the vet had said about his current conditions I do not judge the rescue efforts. It was only my intention to learn more about such severe cases and the possible outcome for this gentle boy. Please keep us updated as he will be in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[Baileysmom]

That picture is amazing. And award winning with the story that goes behind it. Awesome!! I am glad things seem to be looking up for him.

 

[CinnamonDog]

Thanks for responding and sending the links. Please everyone it was never my intention to criticise the rescue efforts of our four legged angels. I was only trying to get my head around the fact that this poor animal may never have a chance to be a normal boxer. Rough housing, running, pouncing on his favourite toys. (If he can even learn what toys are.) I do think of my furbaby when I see Charlie and I agree, without knowing what the vet had said about his current conditions I do not judge the rescue efforts. It was only my intention to learn more about such severe cases and the possible outcome for this gentle boy. Please keep us updated as he will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Our dog, Lizzie, was rescued in 2004 from a puppy mill by the same rescue group that now has Charlie. Lizzie lived in a cage for almost 6 years of her life. Her hind legs and back were very weak from all those years of living in a confined space and breeding on that puppy mill. She had eye and skin infections. Her nails were so long that she could barely walk plus she was weak from hunger and neglect. But she slowly grew strong and was running, rough housing and pouncing like a normal boxer. She certainly had her share of health problems, no doubt due to her previous life on the puppy mill. We only had her for 3 years short before we had to help her cross the rainbow bridge. I know that she loved every day of her freedom and was the happiest dog you would want to meet. I hope Charlie will recover from this neglect and find a loving family that he deserves. Lizzie had a happy ending and I pray that Charlie will as well.

 

[EAO76]

I have a question about these puppy mill people. I was noticing that Charlie has cropped ears. Why would a puppy miller bother with cropping and taping if all he was going to do was stick the dog in a cage for the rest of its life? I may be naive but this makes me wonder if at sometime Charlie lived a normal life or was originally owned by someone else?

 

[crowpete]

I have a question about these puppy mill people. I was noticing that Charlie has cropped ears. Why would a puppy miller bother with cropping and taping if all he was going to do was stick the dog in a cage for the rest of its life? I may be naive but this makes me wonder if at sometime Charlie lived a normal life or was originally owned by someone else?

I was thinking that same thing!

 

[dafzichu]

The ear cropping was a pretty good observation, it passed me by. Although we can never know, this is what I would think. From what I understand, puppymillers are not always the most honest individuals (and I am not sure exactly which mill he came from) but it is possible they cropped his ears so if someone came to the farm, they could show him to the people as the father of the pups. I would assume as he got older, they would just showed another dog if anyone asked to see a pups father, one would never know the difference.

Or maybe he did have a normal life at sometime, a sad story we will never really know the answer to.

On an up note, I am doing a home visit tomorrow for a possible family for Charlie. We are all keeping our fingers crossed this family is the right one.

 

[crowpete]

That is great! Fingers and paws crossed that this will be Charlies forever home

 

[lisasentous]

I just want to say April, the work that you guys do is amazing. If only there were more of you in this world it would be an amazing place. appicon

 

[kayboxer]

PLEASE let us know how the home visit goes! I am saying prayers that this is the right home for this poor boy. Someone said earlier they were surprised an Amish breeder did that. I am too, I thought Amish were very respectful towards animals, that being because they are one of God's creations. Go figure. Please, if there are any Amish people reading this, DO NOT take offense, I did not mean it disrespectfully.

 

[dafzichu]

Someone said earlier they were surprised an Amish breeder did that. I am too, I thought Amish were very respectful towards animals, that being because they are one of God's creations.

I wanted to mention something about this earlier. People from outside PA may not know, but PA is considered the puppymill capital of the USA and Lancaster County houses many kennels that(where many Amish reside) are some of the biggest offenders. I think I read there are upwards of 200 "kennels" in that county. It is a cash crop for some and they treat the dogs as they would any cow or pig or chicken not as companion animals as we think of them.

In 2005, our Governor proposed sweeping changes to our cruelty laws because of the widespread mistreatment of dogs in puppymills. He fired the entire board and appointed new people. They are still revising the new laws, but are making great strides.