Showing posts with label Craigslist. Show all posts

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Justice for Puppy Doe

Puppy Doe

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Justice for Puppy Doe: Tell Craigslist to Help Stop Violence Against Pets

New Trial Date Announced

FEND

AUG 8, 2017 — After several delays, the most recent being due to a medical emergency with the Massachusetts assistant district attorney, the trial of the man accused of torturing “Puppy Doe” will finally begin with jury selection on October 24th 2017.

Justice for Puppy Doe: Tell Craigslist to Help Stop Violence Against Pets

On August 31st 2013, a young, small, female dog named ‘Puppy Doe’ was found brutally tortured in a Quincy, Massachusetts park, and we were all left wondering who could let this happen to any animal. The dog’s injuries were so violent and severe that the only humane thing to do was to euthanize her. She had been starved, burned, stabbed, and limbs pulled from her joints in what’s been described as a “medieval" style torture.

It was later determined that the original owner of the dog had to give her up for undermined reasons. According to media reports, the owner decided to put the dog, named Kiya, up for adoption on Craigslist. The Pets category is often a go-to source for animal abusers looking for victims because it is anonymous and there is no accountability or screening process. I'm asking Craigslist to change their policies on these re-homing ads so that it is never again a part of tragedies like what happened to Puppy Doe.

The before and after pictures of "Puppy Doe" speak for themselves. How many more times does this have to happen before Craigslist stops allowing people to give their pets away to strangers without any background checks or accountability? Craigslist already prohibits the sale of these animals according to your TOS, so I want you to update your policy to not allow the re-homing of pets by anyone not working for a registered shelter or rescue group that is able to conduct background checks to make sure animals are placed in loving homes.

These are breathing, feeling, loving animals we’re talking about, not old pieces of furniture-- we are challenging Craigslist to do better by adopting a new policy that protects these vulnerable animals!

It's beyond words that this sweet, innocent dog, that once knew love had to suffer this violent, evil fate. If actions were taken to improve the safety of animals posted on Craigslist, there would be some justice in Puppy Doe's name knowing that another pet will never suffer such violence as a result of being dumped off on Craigslist.

Mr. Buckmaster, while remembering the notorious "Craigslist Killer" murders which led you to ban the Erotic Services category on your site, I am asking your company to take a long hard look at your current policies on Pet postings to help keep these helpless animals safe.

To Puppy Doe: Rest in Peace sweet angel girl, and know that there are thousands of people who love you and are seeking justice.

This petition will be delivered to:

Craigslist CEO
Jim Buckmaster
Craigslist Public Relations Department
Susan MacTavish Best

Puppy Doe's illegal immigrant alleged torturer faces decades in prison as he's hit with 12 counts of abuse

Radoslaw Czerkawski, 32, charged with 12 counts of animal cruelty and one count of misleading police
'Puppy Doe' had been stabbed in the eye and had limbs pulled apart and had her tongue slashed in a forked serpent shape
Czerawski was staying in U.S. on expired tourist visa and working as home attendant to 95-year-old dementia patient
He is also accused of stealing 11 checks worth total of $6,700 from New Bedford, Massachusetts, church in April 2012

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2511829/Puppy-Does-illegal-immigrant-alleged-torturer-faces-decades-prison-hes-hit-12-counts-abuse.html

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Puppy Doe TORTURER To Go On Trial in October

Puppy Doe Defendant To Go On Trial in October

Joyel @ FEND

Boston, MA

MAY 11, 2016 — The accused will face 12 counts of animal cruelty in October, three years after he was arrested and charged.

As everyone here knows, a dog named Kiya who later became known as "Puppy Doe" was purchased for $40 via a Craigslist Pets ad before being held captive and tortured. Please click the link below to read the full report.

This is where it began on Craigslist:

This petition will be sent to Jim Buckmaster, Craigslist's CEO.

It was later determined that the original owner of the dog had to give her up for undermined reasons. According to media reports, the owner decided to put the dog, named Kiya, up for adoption on Craigslist. The Pets category is often a go-to source for animal abusers looking for victims because it is anonymous and there is no accountability or screening process like regular shelters and rescue groups provide. I'm asking Craigslist to change their policies on these re-homing ads so that it is never again a part of tragedies like what happened to Puppy Doe.

I'm a passionate animal welfare supporter who grew up in Quincy, Massachusetts and remember playing at the playground where Puppy Doe was found. I've personally tested the Craigslist platform since this horrendous incident and short of a buried link to a PETA article, there are no warnings on the ‘Pets’ section about the dangers of posting these re-homing ads. These are breathing, feeling, loving animals we’re talking about, not old pieces of furniture-- we are challenging Craigslist to do better by adopting a new policy that protects these vulnerable animals!

To Puppy Doe: Rest in Peace sweet angel girl, and know that there are thousands of people who love you and are seeking justice.

Puppy Doe defendant will go on trial in October

A Polish national facing 12 counts of animal cruelty will go on trial in October, three years after he was arrested and charged with torturing the dog known as Puppy Doe in Quincy.

By Patrick Ronan
The Patriot Ledger

May. 3, 2016

A Polish national facing 12 counts of animal cruelty will go on trial in October, three years after he was arrested and charged with torturing the dog known as Puppy Doe in Quincy.

A Norfolk County Superior Count judge has set Oct. 11 as the new trial date for Radoslaw Czerkawski, 35, who is currently serving a prison sentence for a separate larceny conviction. Czerkawski’s animal cruelty trial was scheduled to start Tuesday, but it was pushed back because he has a new attorney.

Public defender Larry Tipton is Czerkawski’s new lawyer after Alison Bloomquist left to take a new job out of state. Bloomquist joined the case last year after John Gibbons, the first public defender assigned to Czerkawski, withdrew from the case.

Czerkawski has pleaded innocent to the charges stemming from allegations that he tortured a female pit bull at a home on Whitwell Street in Quincy. The dog, given the nickname Puppy Doe, was euthanized as a result of her injuries after it was found on Aug. 31, 2013.

The dog’s plight received widespread attention, inspiring the dedication of a Puppy Doe memorial bench in Quincy and a new state law stiffening punishments for animal cruelty convictions.

Quincy police arrested Czerkawski, who was in the U.S. illegally, in October 2013

Czerkawski is currently serving three to five years at MCI-Cedar Junction in Walpole after he was convicted last year of stealing $130,000 from an elderly woman while he was her live-in caretaker at the same Quincy home where investigators say Puppy Doe was abused.

The next court hearing in Czerkawski’s animal cruelty case is July 21 and the final pre-trial hearing is Oct. 4.

http://www.patriotledger.com/news/20160503/puppy-doe-defendant-will-go-on-trial-in-october

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Senior Pit Bull on Craigslist: What's wrong with people????

Chase - A Rescue Dog Success Story

The typos are horrendous (as in, BAGS, not backs) - but so is the story.

OKLAHOMA CITY – The peace and quiet of a country neighborhood was shattered over Thanksgiving.

Kelsey Richardson noticed a starving pit bull in a private driveway a few hundred yards from her house at S.W. 89th and Rockwell. When she tried to help, she made a gruesome discovery.

“I went up to the house, got some food and some water, and then came back down and noticed that there was bags of animals laying there.” Richardson said. “One of them was halfway out of the bag and it looks like the other dog was kind of, you know, munching on him a little bit because he didn’t have any food or anything.”

Kelsey and her family contacted the humane society and The Bella Foundation and now the dog is getting medical help.

But bags of dead dogs still cover the driveway. The family says calls to police and the sheriff’s office were useless, and animal rescue groups have not responded yet.

“We got three dogs of our own. We just hate to see something like that going on two houses down.” Richardson said.

The family wants the bodies gone and whoever did it to be stopped.

“There’s a lot of sick people in the world and I just can’t believe somebody would do that to an innocent animal. And they were older dogs. They weren’t like babies or anything like that so it’s kind of rough.”

Once the pit bull recover, he will be put up for adoption.

The driveway is owned by Marathon Oil. A spokesperson for the company said this is the first they had heard of the dumping, and if no one had removed the dogs by Monday, they would take care of the removal themselves.

http://kfor.com/2013/11/30/backs-of-dead-dogs-dumped-in-rural-okla-neighborhood/

Cassie's Corner (Cassie the Senior Craigslist Dog)

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA - CRAIGSLIST 13 year old girl up on Craigslist Auntie Lourdes shared this on Mom's profile. What is wrong with people???

Female 13 year old pitbull

pensacola.craigslist.org

0 favorites∨∧CLpensacolaall communitypetsReply to:tnwsp-4221507883@comm.craigslist.org [?] flag [?] : miscategorized prohibited spam best ofPosted: 2013-11-30, 3:11PM EST Female 13 year old pitbull (pensacola) Female 13 year old gator pitbull. She is very sweet and loving.

Pet Pardons shared SOS Animals of West Tennessee's photo.

4 months old, black lab! Locacted in Memphis TN! Please share in hopes of a rescue or forever home! Thanks!

‪

#‎A261250‬Labrador Retriever Male-Neutered, 4mo, 16lbs Located at Memphis Animal Services 901-636-1416 Intake:11-16, *REVIEW Date: 11-22-13* probably brought in with ‪#‎A261251‬, maybe siblings

Pet Pardons shared SOS Animals of West Tennessee's photo.

1 YEAR OLD BEAUTIFUL NEUTERED YELLOW LAB IN MEMPHIS TN! Please share this boy , he looks like the perfect pet! He needs our help to get him into rescue or a forvere home! Thanks!

‪

#‎A261355‬"CODY" Labrador Retriever Male-Neutered, 1yr, 75lbs Located at Memphis Animal Services 901-636-1416 Intake:11-20, *REVIEW Date: 11-26-13*

Hendrick Boards

share to save this ‪#‎pitbull‬ from abuse and starvation. She was found starved in a demolished building Read her full story here and help!

► http://hendrickboards.com/s/honey-bear

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Puppy Doe

Let's make this POSITIVE - let's work to ban ANY animal ads from Craigslist!

Let's work for animal rights and protection in all areas.

Let's work to end breed-specific policies and regulations.

Let's work to increase penalties - studies indicate animal abusers escalate their behavior.

Help find the torturers of “Puppy Doe” via Keith Shannon

via- KEITH SHANNON ...
Published on 28 Sep 2013
Info - puppy doe, a dog in boston that was mutilated maimed and beaten video in her honor and all animals that are abused and mistreated.
A song by keith shannon, michelle biro and symphony grind

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Manhunt to find abuser of "Puppy Doe"

Help find the torturers of “Puppy Doe” via Denise Carey-Costa

THANKS Denise, another great journo keeping the story circulating.
I can't stress enough how much we need to keep this case in the news.
Thanks to everyone ..please keep sharing PUPPY DOE'S story to as many people as you can. Use as many internet tools / media sites as you can!

Manhunt to find abuser of "Puppy Doe"

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Caution Graphic Puppy Doe

Help find the torturers of “Puppy Doe”

IMPORTANT EVERYONE... WE MUST KEEP PUPPY DOE'S PICTURES AND NEWS CIRCULATING OVER FB... please!
REWARD ON OFFER STANDS AT OVER $18,000
and i'm sure it's increasing!
POST - HER- PICTURE... there are many to be found.

NEWS STORY TO SHARE ..
Link: http://news.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981956760

PUPPY DOES - AUTOPSY REPORT>>>
VIA- Betty Geist ·

* here the autopsy on Puppy doe

Part one On September 6 and 11, 2013 I radiographed and examined the remains of a young adult female pit bull type dog, white with brown brindle markings, at the request of Lt. Alan Borgal of the Law Enforcement Department of the Animal Rescue League of Boston. On August 31, 2013 the dog had been presented to VCA South Shore Animal Hospital in Weymouth by the Quincy animal shelter for exam after having been found on or near Carroll’s Lane, Quincy.

After veterinary evaluation, the dog was humanely euthanized at VCA and the remains were frozen.

On September 3rd the dog’s body was transferred to the Animal Rescue League of Boston and thawed in a refrigerated
setting. Radiographs were performed by me on September 6, 2013 and I performed a post mortem examination of the
remains on September 11, 2013.

The dog weighed 18.2#. I estimate that a normal healthy weight for a dog of her size to be about 40#. Although
described as an 18 week old puppy in the VCA South Shore veterinary hospital records, this dog was a young adult as
evidenced by full dentition with a light accumulation of dental calculus and the lack of open epiphyseal plates (growth
plates). The light calculus accumulation is commonly seen in cases of starvation. The enamel itself still retained a
bright white color, reflecting a young adult dog, with an estimated age of one to two years old.

The dog’s body was in a poor, emaciated condition, scoring 1 out of a possible 9 on the Purina Body Condition scale
where a 4 or a 5 is ideal, 1 is emaciated and 9 is obese. (“Ribs, lumbar vertebrae, pelvic bones and all bony
prominences evident from a distance. No discernible body fat. Obvious loss of muscle mass.”) This is the skinniest
score on the scale. She has a severe abdominal tuck and an extreme hourglass shape to her waist. Her stomach is full of
kibble from a recent antimortem meal fed at the hospital and her colon contains normally formed stool.

Her toenails were severely overgrown, with pointy tips curling under with the white keratin cuticle of the claw
extending 1 to 1.4 cm beyond the quick in the right front, left front and right rear feet. The left rear foot demonstrated a
more normal nail wear pattern. There are a number of areas over bony prominences where the fur is worn away from
pressure. These pressure scars are located over the right zygomatic arch (cheekbone), the right scapular spine (shoulder
blade), the right carpus (wrist), and the right lateral elbow. The hair coat was dirty and her body had a distinctive odor
of stale urine.

There were two distinct and unique lesions on the nasal planum (the flat of the nose, below the nostrils) consistent with
burns, either thermal or chemical in origin. They measure approximately 1 cm in diameter and are ulcers in healing
stages. The nasal lesion on the left has an area of actively ulcerated epidermis with a margin of scar tissue of
approximately 15 to 40 mm. The nasal lesion on the right is healing scar tissue. There are abrasions over the bony
prominences on the top of her head.

The dentition is normal. The tip of the tongue is split along midline in a manner known as “bifid”. A bifid tongue can
be a congenital anomaly (birth defect), but in those rare cases the tongue has a complete cleavage, divided with a “V”
shaped cleft formed between two equal parts. This split appears to be a healed 2.2 cm incision, with one part
contracted and smaller than the other, curling around underneath with apparent scarring. There is no dental injury or
abnormality, nor are there any injuries or malformation to her lips. The lack of a hallmark of attendant injuries or
congenital malformations to the lips or teeth suggest that this serpent-like split to her tongue is non-accidental in origin.

The right eye has recent and healing incisions (days old) to the upper and lower lids, approximately 6 to 7 mm in height.
The incisions are wider at the lid margin and narrow to the tops, consistent with a cutting instrument, and the base of
each incision lines up with the other. This is consistent with a sharp blade instrument in vertical orientation being
stabbed into the eye. The conjunctiva in that eye socket is hyperemic. The integrity of the globe appears intact; the age
of the remains precludes evaluation of the cornea for abrasions. There is dried, crusted blood in the fur of the back of
her skull at the occipital prominence. The right ear contains abundant black crusty, waxy discharge. The left ear is
normal.

The following abnormalities are evident on radiographs: .
a fractured left frontal sinus (skull fracture) .
a fractured right frontal bone at zygomatic process (skull fracture)
.
a fractured left frontal bone at zygomatic process (skull fracture)
.
periosteal reaction of the top of the head in 2 locations
.
a fractured and collapsed right cheekbone, fractured left cheekbone
.
a dislocated right elbow, right carpus (wrist) and right tarsus (ankle) with associated fractures, there is
radiographic evidence of infection within the large heel bone of the ankle
.
a misaligned, overriding diaphyseal fracture of the right femur with a large bony callus
.
crush fractures of the dorsal spinous processes of the thoracic vertebrae 7, 8 and 9 & the lumbar vertebrae 1, 2,
3, 4 and 5
.
fractures of ribs 7 & 8 of the right thorax
.
soft tissue and osseus remodeling and of one toe and comminuted fracture of one long bone in right rear foot
.
osseus remodeling of one long bone in the left front foot
.
soft tissue swelling of the right knee
.
lucent and indistinct head to the left humerus and dislocated shoulder.

On postmortem evaluation, the luxation of the right hock is found to be old, with no contemporaneous inflammation;
the luxation of the right carpus is slightly hemorrhagic, suggesting a resolving injury and the elbow luxation is fresh
with frank blood in the joint and bruising of the skin overlying the joint. There is a blood clot in her chest cavity and
evidence of pulmonary contusions to the lobes of the left lung; these are fresh injuries inflicted within days of her death.
The rib fractures are callused and mobile. These are older fractures. Chips of sinus bone are found in fibrotic pockets
under the skin. These pockets are scar tissue which formed around the free fragments of skull bone some time ago.

In my opinion and with a reasonable degree of medical certainty, this dog suffered from “battered pet syndrome”, a
deliberate abuse condition characterized by multiple fractures, dislocations and soft tissue injuries from a variety of
causes in a variety of stages of healing. The orthopedic evidence suggests she suffered violent and forceful events of
non-accidental origin (fractures, dislocations, bone remodeling in response to trauma, suggestions of bone infections
due to repeated trauma) at 24 distinct and associated sites over a period of months to years. Periosteal reaction of bone
at the top of the head and left humerus are suggestive of old and repetitive trauma. The blood clot in her thorax is an
indication of recent blunt force trauma to her chest. The more recent soft tissue injuries, and elbow injury are days old,
and other bony and soft tissue injuries are of varying ages. The split to the tongue is suggestive of a healed, non-
accidental injury. The burns to the nose and stab wound to the eye are distinct injuries.

The predominantly right sided pressure scars, the right ear infection, overgrown toenails and urine stench suggest the dog was non-ambulatory and in right lateral recumbancy for protracted period of time.

There is further evidence that this dog was deprived of adequate nutrition (starved); she ate food well when offered at the hospital, and she apparently
performed normal digestive processes. The severe muscle wasting and lack of body fat stores noted grossly indicate a
prolonged period of negative energy balance and undernutrition. Because of her poor nutritional plane, fracture healing
was likely delayed. The lack of evident disease in the internal organs indicate an exogenous cause of the emaciated
state and her willingness to eat also denies the existence of a disease induced anorexia. Starvation implies intent, the
willful withholding of food. Intent cannot be determined by the necropsy exam. However, intent can be inferred by
circumstantial evidence such as signs of concurrent abuse.

Dr. Martha Smith-Blackmore

Vice President of Animal Welfare

Animal Rescue League of Boston

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Caution GRAPHIC: Breed Specific Prejudice: Pit Bull Puppy

Please add your name to a petition demanding Craigslist animals ads stop:

Stop Animal Ads on Craigslist!

Many of the details are contradictory, yet surrendering a puppy to a Craigslist adopter was irresponsible at best. Please care enough about your animals to appropriately screen potential adopters with vets, among others.

Let's work to find the person/persons responsible and prosecute.

Help find the torturers of "Puppy Doe" FACEBOOK PAGE LINK:

FACEBOOK PAGE LINK: https://www.facebook.com/JusticeForPuppyDoe

Justice sought for Kiya

‘PUPPY DOE’: The original owner of the tortured pit bull euthanized by veterinarians on Aug. 31 released several pictures yesterday of the dog she called Kiya. Authorities are seeking information that will further the investigation into who brutalized the helpless animal.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

Cops are tracking new leads in the “Puppy Doe” case after the pit bull’s heartbroken original owner has come forward in a dramatic bid to help capture the barbaric brute who tortured the dog and left it for dead in a Quincy park.

“The guilt and responsibility I felt — my heart broke. It was my responsibility to find her a good home,” a tearful Laura Hankins told the Herald yesterday.

“The list of things done to her are just so inhuman and so disgusting. She was the sweetest dog.”

Hankins said she gave the puppy pit bull mix she named Kiya to a Grafton woman in May after she said she was forced to get rid of the dog because her landlord was afraid she would lose her homeowners insurance.

Hankins said she contacted police and tried to call the Grafton woman when she heard the news that Kiya, known to authorities as Puppy Doe, was euthanized Aug. 31 after she was found in a Quincy park beaten, stabbed, burned and tortured, including having her limbs pulled apart and her tongue crudely cut into a split.

“She has been forthcoming and assisting in any way she can. The information she’s given us we’re following up on,” said Quincy Detective Sgt. Richard Gilmore, adding that cops continue to field hundreds of calls from tipsters. “We appreciate any help that the public can give. It’s not just because of the cruelty to the animal but because there could be more behind it.”

The Grafton woman, who police believe gave the dog away, said she had no information about Kiya and hung up when reached by phone yesterday.

Hankins said she and her boyfriend bought Kiya in December for $200 through a Craigslist ad from a Weymouth man. Hankins said Kiya, who a vet estimated to be about 12 weeks old at the time, soon happily bonded with the family and her two other dogs, a chihuahua named Molly and a miniature pinscher, Nico.

But when Kiya began to show more prominent pit bull features as she got older, Hankins said her landlord told her the dog had to go.

“No one was willing to rent to someone with a pit bull and two other dogs. We looked for four months,” Hankins said.

“We even offered our landlord more money.”

Hankins feared Kiya would be locked in a crate if she took her to a shelter, so she adopted her out to a Webster woman through Craigslist. Hankins took the pup back after a only few days when the woman contacted her to say the dog didn’t seem to like it there. Then, the woman from Grafton contacted Hankins about Kiya.

“She seemed so wonderful and she seemed like she could offer Kiya more than I could,” Hankins said.

Hankins said she asked the woman to contact her if she could no longer keep Kiya and she would find her a new home. The woman sent messages and pictures of Kiya, but the updates stopped in July, Hankins said.

The Animal Rescue League of Boston is offering a $5,000 reward for tips leading to the dog-torturer’s arrest, and Misty’s Journey and Second Chance Rescue in New York City yesterday raised an additional $10,000 in reward money.“I just want to find whoever did this,” Hankins said. “From what I read I think this is not the first time they did this and probably not the last.”

- See more at: http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/2013/09/justice_sought_for_kiya#sthash.XSi8nULm.dpuf

Animal Resue League

This young pit bull was severely tortured on Aug. 31, 2013, in Quincy. Its injuries were so severe she was destroyed.

Support pours in as Quincy police search for dog abuser

By Patrick Ronan

The Patriot Ledger

Posted Sep 21, 2013

QUINCY —

Quincy and the Animal Rescue League of Boston have received an outpouring of support – both through information sharing and donations – from people eager to catch the person behind the brutal abuse of a pit bull found in the city.

Residents are expressing shock and disgust over the case of Puppy Doe, the name given to the pit bull that was found last month in Quincy with multiple injuries, including dislocated limbs, bone fractures, a split tongue and a stab wound. The dog was so seriously hurt that she had to be destroyed.

By 1 p.m. Friday, Quincy Police Chief Paul Keenan said his department had already received more than 100 calls from people with tips in the case or who wanted to make donations in Puppy Doe’s honor.

Keenan said his department is following several leads.

“We are getting a little bit of information, which is a good thing, but we don’t have anything concrete,” Keenan said.

He said all calls regarding donations should go to the Animal Rescue League of Boston, which is offering a $5,000 reward for any information leading to the perpetrator in the Puppy Doe case.

The nonprofit Animal Legal Defense Fund is offering a $2,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator. Other Puppy Doe reward accounts have been set up on crowdfunding sites like GoFundMe.com and CrowdRise.com.

Sam Hawkey, a partner at Boston Urban Partners, a real estate consulting firm, had already raised $850 by 3 p.m. Friday, with a goal of raising $10,000 on GoFundMe.com.

“We just wanted to get it out there and help get some information about whoever did it,” Jessica Mancuso, operations manager at Boston Urban Partners, said.

Rob Halpin, spokesman for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said the Puppy Doe case likely won’t be solved unless the public helps investigators.

“Someone knows who did this. Whoever knows has a moral responsibility to call,” Halpin said.
He said his group investigated more than 2,000 reports of animal cruelty in 2012, of which only 25 to 30 were prosecuted. He said a majority of the cases stem from neglectful pet owners, and the most common issues are abandonment, starvation or a lack of veterinary care.

Halpin said his group investigates three or four “bait dog” cases per year. “Bait dogs” refer to animals used for training in dog-fighting rings.

Keenan said Puppy Doe’s injuries didn’t appear to be related to dog fighting and likely were the result of torture by her owner. The pit bull, believed to have been 1 to 2 years old, was found Aug. 31 when a Carrolls Lane resident saw the dog lying near the Whitwell Street playground.

Investigators said they’re confident someone dropped the dog off in Quincy, but they’re unsure where the abuse took place.

Appalled by the incident, state Rep. Bruce Ayers, D-Quincy, renewed his call Friday to toughen penalties for those convicted of animal cruelty. The current law, enacted in 2004, says animal cruelty is a felony and those convicted could face up to five years in prison, jail time, or a fine of up to $2,500.

Ayers, who filed his amendment to the animal cruelty law in January, wants to increase the fine to $5,000 and require that the fine be levied on top of a prison or jail sentence, instead of in lieu of a sentence.

Patrick Ronan may be reached at pronan@ledger.com or follow him on Twitter @PRonan_Ledger.
READ MORE about this issue.

Insurance companies put bite on dog owners

Bill would block insurers from raising rates based on breeds

By Amy Carboneau

Enterprise Staff Writer

Posted Sep 22, 2013

Purchase this photo

Joe Webb/The Enterprise

Ruckus, a 2-year-old Lab/pitbull mix charms the camera from inside his cage at the Animal Protection Center of Southeastern Massachusetts shelter in Brockton on Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2010.

BROCKTON —

Brockton animal shelter manager Kim Heise says it’s common enough.

Families looking to adopt a dog are forced to walk away empty-handed, or worse yet, dogs are abandoned because insurance carriers either won’t provide homeowner’s insurance or they raise their rates based on the breed of dog a homeowner owns.

“I have a dog here right now that was given up,” said Heise, 38, “because the woman is renting and the woman’s landlord’s homeowner’s insurance was going to go up.”

“It’s not right,” added Heise, shelter manager at The Animal Protection Center of Southeastern Massachusetts, on West Elm Street. “There are a lot of really, really good dogs out there who are discriminated against just because of who they are.”

Animal advocates last week squared off against representatives of insurance companies over a bill on Beacon Hill that would ban insurance companies from raising rates or dropping carriers from homeowner’s insurance altogether based on the breed of dog they own.

Insurers argue the rates they use are based on dog bite claims, which have risen starkly in the past decade.

“Dog bites accounted for more than one third of all homeowner’s insurance liability claim dollars paid out in 2012, which amounted to more than $489 million,” said Peter Robertson, representing the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America.

“The total cost of dog bite claims,” he added, “increased by more than 51 percent between 2003 and 2012.”

Still, the notion that a pet’s breed could cost a family its home insurance concerned some legislators, including Rep. Christine Canavan, who petitioned the bill. Canavan could not be reached for further comment Friday.

Sen. Thomas P. Kennedy, D-Brockton, also supports the bill, saying he is against blanket discrimination in general.

“One-solution-fits-all, I don’t usually favor those, no,” Kennedy said Friday.

Kennedy said the move by insurance companies is just a method to make more money, but added that something else should be done “to protect the safety of families, neighbors and communities,” when it comes to dangerous dogs.

Bill Ketzer, of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said no other state has passed similar legislation as the bill he is backing.

The move by insurance companies to raise rates or drop carriers is so common, Heise said, that the Brockton shelter she works for now discusses the issue with families before they choose a dog so that families don’t have to return it.

Pit bulls, German shepherds, malamutes, Doberman pinschers, Akitas and mastiffs are among the breeds that can make insurance difficult or impossible to obtain, according to the bill’s supporters.
Animal advocates said breed is a flawed means of judging whether a dog is likely to bite. They said they also hoped to identify dangerous dogs and keep them away from the public.

Robertson said policies that do not exclude breeds are “available in the marketplace; it may be difficult to find,” mentioning the Fair Plan, an insurer of last resort for people whose property is undesirable to commercial insurers.

The Fair Plan, a statutorily created entity comprising all the states’ insurers, generally provides insurance to homeowners who have lost coverage because of a dog bite, said Robert Tommasino, general counsel to the Fair Plan.

Tommasino said the Fair Plan excludes the dog that bit someone from its coverage.

Alyssa Krieger, who works at the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said her shelter has a 3-year-old pit bull named Princess whose owners brought her to the shelter because their insurer would not provide coverage.

“Now she finds herself in a shelter, up for adoption because the insurance company said, ‘No you can’t have that dog,’” Krieger told the committee.

She said a third of shelter dogs are pit bulls and the “vast majority” are there because of the insurers’ rules, which she said affects renters as well because landlords are in danger of losing liability coverage if a tenant has a banned dog.

“Just like with every breed,” added Heise, “you’re going to see the good and the bad, so it’s just not fair to discount an entire breed based only on a few you’re hearing about.”

State House News Service contributed to this report.

Read more: http://www.enterprisenews.com/news/x1343099367/Insurance-companies-put-bite-on-dog-owners#ixzz2fe5nVCXK
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Middleboro Review 2

Toyota

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Puppy Doe

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

New Trial Date Announced

Justice for Puppy Doe: Tell Craigslist to Help Stop Violence Against Pets

Puppy Doe's illegal immigrant alleged torturer faces decades in prison as he's hit with 12 counts of abuse

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Puppy Doe Defendant To Go On Trial in October

Puppy Doe defendant will go on trial in October

A Polish national facing 12 counts of animal cruelty will go on trial in October, three years after he was arrested and charged with torturing the dog known as Puppy Doe in Quincy.

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Pet Pardons shared SOS Animals of West Tennessee's photo.

Pet Pardons shared SOS Animals of West Tennessee's photo.

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Help find the torturers of “Puppy Doe” via Keith Shannon

via- KEITH SHANNON ... Published on 28 Sep 2013 Info - puppy doe, a dog in boston that was mutilated maimed and beaten video in her honor and all animals that are abused and mistreated. A song by keith shannon, michelle biro and symphony grind

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Help find the torturers of “Puppy Doe” via Denise Carey-Costa

THANKS Denise, another great journo keeping the story circulating. I can't stress enough how much we need to keep this case in the news. Thanks to everyone ..please keep sharing PUPPY DOE'S story to as many people as you can. Use as many internet tools / media sites as you can!

Manhunt to find abuser of "Puppy Doe"

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Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Sunday, September 22, 2013

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This young pit bull was severely tortured on Aug. 31, 2013, in Quincy. Its injuries were so severe she was destroyed.

Insurance companies put bite on dog owners

Bill would block insurers from raising rates based on breeds

Ruckus, a 2-year-old Lab/pitbull mix charms the camera from inside his cage at the Animal Protection Center of Southeastern Massachusetts shelter in Brockton on Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2010.

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Middleboro Review 2

via- KEITH SHANNON ...
Published on 28 Sep 2013
Info - puppy doe, a dog in boston that was mutilated maimed and beaten video in her honor and all animals that are abused and mistreated.
A song by keith shannon, michelle biro and symphony grind

THANKS Denise, another great journo keeping the story circulating.
I can't stress enough how much we need to keep this case in the news.
Thanks to everyone ..please keep sharing PUPPY DOE'S story to as many people as you can. Use as many internet tools / media sites as you can!