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Max's House
S.T.A.R.T. II
Save The Animals Rescue Team II -- P.O. Box 177, Elmwood
Park, NJ 07047
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Read this and cringe. A badly burned beagle puppy was found yesterday wandering the streets of Paterson, a victim of horrific abuse. Someone had poured chemicals or boiling water on the pup, and left it to die.
Animal Control Officer John DeCando was emotional when he spoke with Baristanet, "Thirty-one years on the job, and I've never seen anything so horrible. The abuse this animal suffered is heartbreaking, and the person who did this needs to be taken off the streets. The person who did this could also do this to a child."
Jennifer Velardo, a Clifton resident, says she was driving home from Paterson when she saw the dog in the middle of Getty Avenue acting confused. "I had to stop, I couldn't leave it there," says Velardo. She describes the rescue:
"Then another driver stopped to help and covered the wounded dog with his jacket, but the dog screamed. So I picked it up by the front paws, and put him next to me in the car, drove home. He let me feed him, clean his wounds, then he licked me on the nose. I contacted Paterson Animal Control. They met me at an intersection, and brought it to an animal hospital. I begged with them to save this little guy's life."
John DeCando, Paterson Animal Control Officer said the dog's skin was hanging off, and vets say extensive skin grafts will be needed to save the puppy. Donations are being accepted to pay for the procedure. Donations can be sent to S.T.A.R.T. II, P.O. Box 177, Elmwood Park, NJ 07047.
$5,000 in reward money, has been offered by the national Humane Society and Save The Animal Rescue Team II (S.T.A.R.T. II), for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the responsible person(s), says DeCando, who is doing everything possible to find out who did this.
DeCando says the pup, named "Beagle Boy" made it through the night ok. "I really believe Beagle Boy will make it and live. But if he hadn't been rescued, it would've only been a matter of hours before infection set in."
DeCando says he believes Beagle Boy has been transported to a facility in West Caldwell for surgery. "I'm going to find out who did this," he said, the offense carries a $1,000 fine and six months in jail, but this person should get life."
Anyone with information about this case should call DeCando at (973) 881-3640.
Paterson Animal Control Officer John DeCando says the public is outraged over the case of a badly burned and abused beagle puppy, and the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person/persons has jumped from an initial $5,000 to $16,000.
Tomorrow, a group of 15 volunteers - from local law enforcement agencies and NJ SPCA - will be going door-to-door with reward flyers to get the word out. They intend to blanket the South Paterson neighborhood that the pup, who's been named "Champ" was found in. "We'll be on Getty Avenue, between Madison and Gould Avenues distributing 1,000 flyers in a 4-5 block radius," says DeCando.
"We need the public's cooperation to solve this case. Someone has to know something. Champ is only two-and-a-half, three months old. If anyone knows someone who recently had a litter of beagle puppies, we'd llike to talk to them. They can contact us anonymously - go to a phone booth," DeCando pleaded. DeCando even went to public school #9 to talk to the principal to see if any of the kids know something.
Marge Kayne, of S.T.A.R.T. II, says Champ is recovering slowly in foster care. Champ hasn't been operated on yet -- his wounds need to heal first. He is under the care of a vet at Riverdale Animal Hospital, in a private home. "He's doing a bit better; Champ has to get in a whirlpool, be patted down, coated with Silver Sulfadiasine three times a day, and wear four-legged pyjamas so he doesn't lick the ointment off," says Kayne.
Kayne says "I've never seen anything as horrible, but it's not the first time this happens in Paterson." Last year, around the same date, a bichon named Snowy was found in Paterson with burns. "What if the same crazy nut did this to Champ? It could be some kind of a ritual, it needs to be investigated."
If you have information, please call Paterson Animal Control: 973-881-3640. Donations can be sent to S.T.A.R.T. II, P.O.Box 177, Elmwood Park, NJ 07047. Donations can also be made online through Paypal.
--Photo courtesy of Start II