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10-23-2005, 01:09 PM

NortheastLabRescueNetwork

From: "Katie Walter" <katie.walter@...>
Date: Fri Oct 21, 2005 6:24 pm
Subject: UPDATED INFO - Lebanon, Tennessee - AC put Blk Lab in Pen with Pits and LEFT! - Not the first time! katieblueeyes53

From: Susan Trear
To: Katie Walter
Sent: Friday, October 21, 2005 7:55 PM
RE: Lebanon, Tennessee - AC put Blk Lab in Pen with Pits and LEFT! - Not the first time!

Dear Katie -
I have wanted to reply all day! Called Mayor Fox's office early this morning. Spoke with "Debbie." She agreed that the incident was horrible, and they are desperately trying to change things. She gave me the names of 2 newspapers that carried the story, which I haven't had time to look up yet - will send to you. The whole story is that they didn't even have a shelter for a long time, and things were really awful. Then they built a modest shelter, and have part time and volunteer staff to help out. They were pretty proud of the little shelter they finally got together. The lab was actually found by a policeman as a stray, and had bitten 2 people already. (Wonder about that "family" of his). The policeman brought the dog to the shelter and did put it in with the 3 dogs, but they were not all Pits. One was a 28 lb Pit mix, the other 2 were just mixes. The cop stayed for a while and things seemed okay. I really pushed her on that, but she was pretty firm that it was not intentional, and that space for the dogs is a real problem. They all feel horrible, and have been getting a lot of calls and mail on it. They are desperate for money and volunteers to do a better job for the animals. The lab was destined for PTS, due to the biting, when this all came down. The poor thing. I'll try to get some details when I get home.

Perhaps we could ask for people to help them out or donate. So, I'm sure that the whole story is somewhere in-between, but this is what I found out. Above all, I don't think the lab's family is without blame. Labs don't usually have that temperament (Debbie has one herself, and said that they do not usually bite like that w/o a reason). Okay! Got to run!

Susan
Susan A. Trear
Assistant to
Andrew P. Bernstein
Rafik Mattar
Laura V. Leszt
Jackson|DeMarco|Tidus|Peckenpaugh
2030 Main Street, Suite 1200
Irvine, CA 92614
Dir: 949.851.7466
Fax: 949.752.0597
email: strear@jdtplaw.com

PLEASE NOTE NEW FIRM NAME

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-----Original Message-----
From: Katie Walter [mailto:katie.walter@comcast.net]
Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2005 4:12 PM
To: Undisclosed-Recipient:;
Lebanon, Tennessee - AC put Blk Lab in Pen with Pits and LEFT! - Not the first time!
Importance: High

AC put Blk Lab in Pen with Pits and LEFT! Not the first time! Lebanon TN

This is HORRIBLE!!!! Please Cross Post

----- Original Message -----
From: Phran Galante
To: 'Lou Anne Ward' ; 'Mary Morriss' ; 'Sharon Hoffman' ; 'Judy Bishop' ; 'Linda Furness' ; Lmucerino1014@aol.com
Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2005 9:25 PM
*AC put Blk Lab in Pen with Pits and LEFT! Not the first time! Lebanon TN

Also contact William Farmer via e-mail at: wefarmer.lebanon@att.net (@att.net), as he is running for city mayor…

Thanks for everyone’s help!

Phran Galante

phrannie@comcast.net (@comcast.net)

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From: Lou Anne Ward [mailto:lward@cta-inc.com]
Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2005 2:54 PM
To: Mary Morriss; Sharon Hoffman; Judy Bishop; Linda Furness; Lmucerino1014@aol.com; phrannie@comcast.net
*AC put Blk Lab in Pen with Pits and LEFT! Not the first time! Lebanon TN

I called the City Of Lebanon and asked for the email address for Mayor Don Fox. I was advised his Personal email is: donfox@lebanontn.org (@lebanontn.org)

I’m going to be writing today and asking if his officers were charged with animal cruelty, and if they’ll be prosecuted.

Lou Anne Ward

Account Mgr - CTA, Inc

Office: 316 267-5016 ext 524

Fax:316 267-8903

"life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away"

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From: Mary Morriss [mailto:morriss@MRC.TWSU.EDU]
Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2005 4:27 PM
To: Lou Anne Ward; Sharon Hoffman; Judy Bishop
*AC put Blk Lab in Pen with Pits and LEFT! Not the first time! Lebanon TN
Importance: High

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From: Pit-Bull-Crusaders@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Pit-Bull-Crusaders@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Dawn Krall
Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2005 4:17 PM
To: EBBRR@yahoogroups.com; partnersforpits@yahoogroups.com; Pit-Bull-Crusaders@yahoogroups.com; Pitbull-Forever@yahoogroups.com; pitbullhelp@yahoogroups.com; pitbullrescue@egroups.com; Rott-N-PitbullRescue@yahoogroups.com
*AC put Blk Lab in Pen with Pits and LEFT! Not the first time! Lebanon TN
Importance: High

Graphic Pictures below

This dog was continuously attacked for HOURS! Locked in a pen!!!!!

From: Lmucerino1014@aol.com (aol.com)

Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2005 4:54 PM

Domestic Animal Update - 10/18

Please call, write or e-mail the City of Lebanon ( no matter where you live ) and demand that this be stopped. These animal control officers should be terminated immediately for allowing this to happen.

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From: Phran Galante

Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2005 12:46 PM

Domestic Animal Update - 10/18

Up until now, we’ve dealt mainly with the Katrina/Rita animal situation. As a result, we’ve built this incredible e-mail network which is now coming to you as caring and concerned animal people of this community. Though the hurricanes were certainly devastating and our main interest, we want to take this opportunity to parlay our mutual compassion for domestic animals into an ‘organization’ that can possibly change some of the outrageous animal situations that are allowed to exist. It is with that sentiment, that I am sending you the following. If you wish to be removed from this list, please let me know.

Phran Galante

phrannie@comcast.net (comcast.net)

This is Sara Felmlee with the Humane Association. I hesitated to get involved, but this situation could not be ignored. I feel that you all should be aware of what is happening.

I received an anonymous phone call around 7:30 pm last night 10/16/05. I was told that there was a dog at the city animal control facility that was badly injured and laying outside dying. I did some research and found out that a black lab mix dog had been put in a cage with 3 pit bulls on Saturday and was found laying bloody in the pen Sunday afternoon after being attacked. When the animal control officers found the badly injured dog it was removed from the pen, hosed off (to wash off blood) and left outside on the concrete. When I arrived at the Lebanon City Animal Control facility around 8:00 pm a reporter from the Lebanon Democrat was there. They had also received a call from the woman. I walked around the side of the building and found the dog laying lifeless on the concrete inside a chain link fence.

At first I wondered if the dog was already dead because she did not move at all but then I noticed breathing. I called the police department who came (with an animal control officer) about 1/2 hour later and removed the dog from the area. I asked what they would do with the dog and was told it would be taken care of. I waited for quite some time because I knew if I left the dog would receive no treatment. After about 30 minutes the animal control truck left and I followed it to Lebanon Animal Hospital. There I confirmed with the animal control officer that this dog came in as a seemingly healthy dog on Thursday or Friday, that this dog was put in a pen with 3 pit bulls and had been attacked, that they were aware that the dog was injured and it was left outside after being hosed off. (It was 50 degrees, the dog was injured and wet laying on cold concrete) I also was told that earlier in the week another dog was attacked and killed by a pit bull in the facility. Dr. Craig (veterinarian) verified that the dog was in shock and had a subnormal temperature, had lost a lot of blood and would not have made it over night if left at the animal control facility. His report stated, "The patient was recumbent, unresponsive and in shock. There were multiple deep soft tissue punctures to the legs, neck and chest." The dog was treated with fluids, pain medication and antibiotics and the wounds were cleaned.

He stated today, "This morning the patient is minimally responsive and still unable to stand. Her temperature is normal; however blood tests today indicate that the infection has entered her blood stream. The left foot is very cold and there is likely damage to the circulation in that limb. Her prognosis at this point is guarded."

It looks like she will lose her leg... if she lives.

There is no question that this dog was put in a terrible situation, was violently attacked and suffered while at the city animal control facility and that this was not the first time they had an incident like this. If I had not received the call the dog would have been found dead today and disposed of with out anyone knowing about the circumstances. This dog belongs to a family in Mt. Juliet. The owners are extremely upset - as they should be. When I talked to them tonight they were told that they had to make a decision because the city could no longer incur the expense of the vet bills. I could not believe she was told this!

It is not acceptable or humane to put dogs with unknown histories in cages together especially with breeds known for fighting like pit bulls. The housing of animals at this facility is unacceptable and people's pets will continue to die if a policy is not set. Young puppies outside in cages with no dog house just a concrete floor to sleep on, cats in wire cages (right next to the dogs) with no protection from the cold or wind (no bedding or litter box) and of course the dog that was dying.

Lebanon City Animal Control must be improved - more/separate runs for dogs (and there is room to build them), housing for cats inside or in a protected area, consideration when weather is cold or hot, compassion for injured animals and hours that benefit the tax paying public which include afternoon/evening when most animal control related events happen. This can only be accomplished if an experienced and qualified director is hired to head the program. At this time the animal control officers (one part time and one full time) get little supervision and the program is understaffed - policies seem to be nonexistent. No one answers the phone and no one is at the facility to accept strays from city residents. I can't imagine anyone finding this situation acceptable and it will go on unless someone makes some drastic changes to the program. The director at Rutherford County Animal Control (an excellent city/county program) said, "If the situation you describe occurred in my shelter the employee/s responsible would be terminated & charged."

Sara

If you’d like to help, just call the city and tell them you heard about this and leave a message for the mayor. The more calls the better. Press is covering but feel free to forward. City is lying and trying to cover. This has been happening for years.

http://www.lebanon-tn.com/default.aspx

Lebanon City Mayor:

Mayor Don Fox

200 Castle Heights Ave. N. Suite 100
Lebanon, TN 37087
Phone: 615-443-2839
Fax: 615-443-2851

City Council Members:

Ward 1
Carl Woods
1140 Fairways
Lebanon, TN. 37087
615-449-1814

Ward 2
Annette Stafford
325 West Main Street
Lebanon, TN. 37087
615-444-3339

Ward 3
William Farmer
104 W. Main St.
Lebanon, TN. 37087
615-444-7391

Ward 4
Joe Hayes
1015 1/2 West Main
Lebanon, TN. 37087
615-449-5723

Ward 5
Jim Mills
305 Hartmann Dr.
Lebanon, TN. 37087
615-443-9133

Ward 6
Kathy Warmath
500 Park Avenue
Lebanon, TN. 37087
615-449-0045

Lebanon Animal Control
410 Park Drive, Lebanon, TN 37087;
444-0825

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http://www.wilsoncountytn.com/countycommission.htm

County Mayor:

Robert Dedman, Courthouse-E. Main St, Lebanon, TN 37087; 444-1383

Contacts in Wilson County to write to or call:

County Commissioners:

District 5, Carolyn Thompson, 1464 Mann Road, Lebanon, TN 37087; (h) 444-3334; (w) 444-8370

District 6, Wayne Drennan, 1400 Old Hunters Point Pike, Lebanon, 37087; (h) 444-4568; (w) 741-2406

District 7, John R. Woodroof, 1264 Young Road, Lebanon, 37087; (h) 444-3519

District 11, Billy G. Rowland, 1050 Burnt House Road, Lebanon, TN 37087; (h) 286-2217

District 14, Rusty Thompson, 4190 Murfreesboro Road, Lebanon, TN 37087; (h) 444-0682

(w) 444-2246

District 15, David "Billy" Swindell, 2985 Swindell Hollow Road, Lebanon, TN 37087; (h) 444-7883

District 17, Jim Major, 216 Horn Springs Road, Lebanon, TN 37087; (h) 444-5477

District 19, Ross Averitt, P.O. Box 160, Lebanon, TN 37087; (h) 444-6267, (w) 444-2359

District 20, Annette Stafford, 607 C.L. Manier, Lebanon, TN 37087; (h) 449-2473 (w) 754-4766

District 21, Eugene Murray, 1016 Quail Meadow Dr., Lebanon, TN 37087; (h) 444-5869

District 23, Rhonda Moore, 1113 Silver Meadow Dr., Lebanon, TN 37087; (h) 449-4042

District 24, Paul Abercrombie, 712 Westwood Drive, Lebanon, TN 37087; (h) 444-6644