by Jim Branson
On Monday (March 15th), David and Rene George received a harrowing call from a dog groomer near Five Corners in Burien: their beloved black lab, Charlie, had somehow escaped.
David and Rene searched and put up fliers, but they didn’t really know the best way to look for their lost dog until they contacted the Missing Pet Partnership.
My dog Kelsy and I have been volunteering for MPP for a couple of years, and we have been trained to work as a team to find missing dogs. Kelsy, a black lab who looks very much like Charlie, has learned to follow the scent trail of a dog, and my job is to read her body language and help her find the dog. Actually, my main job is to hang onto the end of the leash while Kelsy drags me along on the search.
Charlie, the missing black lab, was found by Kelsy, hiding in these bushes.
Tuesday morning at dawn, I obtained a scent article from David and started Kelsy on the trail, beginning at the groomer. Kelsy followed the scent trail from Five Corners to the library, to Firestone, down past Albertson’s, down Ambaum to 174th, and then back up First Ave to about 163rd, where she found Charlie hiding in the bushes!
I never would have seen Charlie, even if I was looking right at him. Kelsy’s nose alerted us to his hiding place in the brambles.
Charlie didn’t want to come out, even with the lure of food. I called Rene, and she took a little time off of work to come get Charlie. When Charlie heard her voice, he came right out of the bushes to her. David and Rene are very glad to have Charlie home safe, and Kelsy has her reward of finding the missing dog. Plus some treats and a belly rub.
Charlie was happily reunited with his owners thanks to Kelsy and Jim of the Missing Pet Partnership.
Charlie's owner David George, Charlie and Kelsy on the right.
The 16-year old Burien girl who was accused of using her pit bull as a weapon in an attack on two women in SeaTac has plead guilty to charges of second-degree assault, third-degree assault and minor in possession of alcohol.
The suspect, who is not being named because she is underage, had trained “Snaps,” the pit bull (pictured at left), to attack, according to charging papers (read our June 22nd report here).
Her sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 8th, and she faces between 15 to 36 weeks in juvenile confinement.
Court documents (view/download PDF here) allege that the female and a group of boys were found abusing the animal on June 21st before the two women were attacked by the dog.
“Snaps,” the pit bull used as a “weapon,” will not be put to sleep, and was scheduled to leave King County Animal Care and Control today (Fri. Sept. 11th) so he can live at the Olympic Animal Sanctuary in Forks, WA.
King County Animal Care and Control staff determined that, due to “Snaps” continued aggression towards people, he should not be placed with a foster or adoptive family as is often the outcome for other animals surrendered in criminal cases.
Two independent behavior assessments commissioned by King County from outside experts supported that determination and the recommendation that long term care in a sanctuary was the only option for the dog.
Olympic Animal Sanctuary, a non-profit animal welfare and rescue organization located in Forks, has agreed to take custody of the dog. It provides a place for the care and rehabilitation of dogs that are non-adoptable due to behavior such as fighting dogs, street dogs, feral dogs, wolf or coyote hybrids, and dogs that have killed other animals or bitten people. Staff take their time rehabilitating the animals to ensure the process is done correctly and to help the animals learn to get along with humans and each other while never being placed for adoption again.
The City of Forks does not require nor offer a kennel license; however, the Forks Police and Clallam County Sheriff’s Departments are in frequent contact with the Sanctuary and are very knowledgeable about the facility and the work being done there. King County Animal Care and Control has been in contact with the City of Forks Police Department to alert them to their new resident.
“The Olympic Animal Sanctuary will be a great place for Snaps to rest, heal, and learn to be a normal dog, even if he will never be truly safe for adoption,” said King County Animal Care and Control Manager Nancy McKenney.
The staff at King County Animal Care and Control cared for Snaps while the case of his former owner moved through the justice system.
“This is an example of the hard work our staff does to ensure that every animal has a chance,” said McKenney. “It’s one of the many reasons we only have a 20% euthanasia rate; one of the lowest in the country.”
King County Animal Care and Control extends its thanks to all the Snaps supporters who have e-mailed, called and offered to adopt the dog (several of whom rallied through this very blog).
“Experts agree that this dog is not a good fit for adoption but we encourage his supporters and others to consider bringing home one of the other adoptable pit bulls and pit bull mixes we have in our adoption kennels,” McKenney said.
Situations like the one with Snaps can be avoided through responsible pet ownership. If pet owners are having trouble managing their pet, they’re urged to consult a certified animal trainer.
For more information on responsible pet ownership, please visit the King County Animal Care and Control Pet Tips Page: http://www.kingcounty.gov/safety/AnimalServices/pettips.aspx.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- UPDATE: 16-Year Old Burien Girl Pleads “Not Guilty” In Pit Bull
- An Update On “Snaps,” The Pit Bull Used In SeaTac Attack
- Pit Bull Used As A Weapon In Sunday Night SeaTac Attack Against Two Women
The B-Town Blog welcomes Fetch Pet Care, our newest advertiser, owned by Deva and Hunter Samuels.
Fetch Pet Care offers in-home care for dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, rodents and even fish.
Fetch Pet Care is a locally owned and operated franchise, so they are able to call on their parent company if they need any support with making sure your pets’ needs are met.
Deva has taken a nine-month Veterinary Assistant course offered by Pima Medical Institute in Renton and received her diploma so she is well qualified to care for all types of animals.
Fetch Pet Care will treat your pets like family.
Deva offers a free in-home consultation to make sure you and your pets’ needs are a perfect match for her services.
She specializes in taking group excursions (four animals or less at a time) to off-leash dog parks, including Luther Burbank Park on Mercer Island, for robust canine swimming parties.
Deva can also take care of the special needs of animals, including medical injections and special diets.
When not working, Deva volunteers her time for Bulls Eye Dog Rescue, a group that pulls dogs from local shelters and fosters them, providing medical care and placing them in loving homes.
Fetch Pet Care is located right on the West Seattle/White Center border, so its location is perfect if you work downtown and need a great place to keep your pet happy and secure while you are at work
Contact Deva for more information:
Fetch Pet Care
9425 12th Avenue SW
Seattle, WA 98106
Phone: 206-965-9851
Website: http://fetchpetcare.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Seattle-WA/Fetch-Pet-Care-of-West-Seattle/60648432694
Email: westseattle@fetchpetcare.com
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Meet hundreds of adoptable cats and dogs from across Washington State, all at the Kent Animal Shelter on Saturday, July 11! Pet microchipping, pet licensing, & pet product vendors will be on site as well as animal trainers and a raffle to benefit the Animal Angel Fund. Click here to learn more…
This is "Snaps," the pit bull used as a weapon by four kids in SeaTac. Photo courtesy King County Animal Care and Control.
According to the King County Sheriff’s Department, two women were attacked Sunday night (June 21st) by four young persons using a pit bull as a weapon.
The oldest suspect was a 15 year-old girl. The youngest was 11.
The incident began Sunday evening around 6:30pm in the 13300 block of Des Moines Memorial Drive in SeaTac (map below).
A 63 year-old Seattle woman stopped her car when she saw four kids repeatedly kicking a pit bull dog. She thought the group might need some assistance. However the oldest in the group, a 15 year-old girl, told the women to mind her own business, then tried to pull the woman from her car.
The woman got out the car and was immediately attacked by the girl who repeatedly punched her on the head and back with closed fists. One of the boys in the group ran over with the dog who began biting her. Eventually the four ran off with the dog.
The victim had bruises from the hitting and puncture wounds from the dog to her hand and thigh.
All this was witnessed by a 41 year-old Seattle woman, who followed the group to nearby North SeaTac Park. When the 15 year-old figured out they were followed, she walked up to the woman and head-butted her, then threw punches to her head and body.
Next the dog joined the fray and became increasing violent as the rest of the group egged the dog on. The woman suffered serious bite injuries, including wounds to her head and face, as well as serious gashes and puncture wounds to both arms. Her left forearm was flayed open and the bone could be seen.
Sheriff’s deputies arrived and found the four nearby, still with the dog. All were taken into custody without incident.
The 15 year-old girl was injured by the dog in the melee, and her foot was injured from repeatedly kicking one of the victims.
All four suspects were released to their parents, as the 15 year-old needed medical attention.
The suspects are 15, 13, 12, and 11 years old respectively. All are boys except for the 15 year-old.
Deputies turned the dog over to Animal Control.
Sheriff’s detectives will likely file felony assault charges against at least the 15 year-old.
We love to share positive news about our community, and what better day to share a success story of a found pet than on Mother’s Day?
On Friday, May 8th, we posted a “Lost” notice from Marsha Hargrave for “Scarlett,” her missing Bernese Mountain Dog that was last seen in Boulevard Park.
And on Mother’s Day (Sun. May 10th), we post this update about how, with the help of Burien’s finest, the once-missing Scarlett was found and safely reunited with its owner; here’s an email from Marsha:
Thank you so much for posting this.
We have found Scarlett today 5/10 in Burien with the help of your fabulous police officers. They spotted her this morning and called me. They kept her in sight and headed her off out of the traffic.
I hope you can post a HUGE thank you to Officer Garske who was able to finally chase her down and tackle her. She was so scared after all these days out that she kept running.
And a special commendation also to Officer Weekley who kept in touch with me via cell phone so we could coordinate the rescue.
These officers helped save her life and give me the best Mother’s Day present ever!
From BTB Reader Marsha Hargrave comes this email about a missing Bernese Mountain dog, lost in Boulevard Park on Wednesday May 6th:
LOST 5/6/09
MISSING FROM BOULEVARD PARK
SCARLETT IS 4 ½ YEARS OLD, 88LBS.
SHE WAS RECENTLY FROM OREGON SO SHE DOES NOT KNOW THE AREA.
PLEASE CONTACT MARSHA IMMEDIATELY IF YOU SEE HER –
CELL 206-819-5087
SHE MAY COME TO YOU BUT SHE IS PROBABLY EXTREMELY SCARED.
SHE HAS HER “HOME AGAIN” NUMBER & HER NAME AND OREGON PHONE NUMBER ON HER COLLAR.
BTB Reader Amy Thomson sent us this alert about a dog (pictured above) she found this week:
Found this sweet, lovely dog running loose up 28th Ave. SW near 100th on Wednesday, May 6th around 4:30 PM.
She is red, with one crumpled ear, and an age-whitened face and muzzle.
She had no tags, no license, and no microchip.
She was trailing a leash.
If she’s yours or if you recognize her, please contact me at amy (at) jetcity (dot) com.
She misses her people.
Tracy Clark, the man accused of “gutting” Scatt, a therapy cat at White Center’s Cross Church, plead “Not Guilty” to a first degree animal cruelty charge Wednesday morning at King County Superior Court.
Clark allegedly attacked Scatt, the church’s therapy cat for the last eight years, on Sunday April 19th, resulting in multiple injuries including a “collar-bone to tail” knife wound.
According to KOMO News, Clark told deputies the cat attacked him first, forcing him to defend himself. He admitted that he grabbed the cat by the throat, threw it against a wall and then stabbed it with his own knife.
Clark, 47, claimed that he’d enrolled in rehabilitation at the church, which offers a full-time residential discipleship program for distressed men.
According to the report, another church resident told police that Clark awoke him late that night and said he had “gutted the cat.”
Scatt is still recovering after being treated for 10 days at South Seattle Veterinary Hospital. He was near death when admitted.
Clark is currently in custody on $50,000 bail, and he faces up to five years in prison if convicted.
BTB Reader Sally Irvine sent us the photo above, of herself feeding an apparently lost male Golden (aka “Chinese”) Pheasant bird Thursday in the Hurstwood neighborhood of Burien.
Sally says:
“I live in Hurstwood and have been visited by a Golden Pheasant, he ate out of my hand today.
The zoo thinks he is most likely an escapee from someone’s private aviary. I would like to try to find his owner so a coyote doesn’t get him.”
According to Wikipedia, the Golden Pheasant is:
“…native to forests in mountainous areas of western China but feral populations have been established in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.
The adult male is 90-105 cm in length, its tail accounting for two-thirds of the total length. It is unmistakable with its golden crest and rump and bright red body. The deep orange “cape” can be spread in display, appearing as an alternating black and orange fan that covers all of the face except its bright yellow eye, with a pinpoint black pupil.
Males have a golden-yellow crest with a hint of red at the tip.
Despite the male’s showy appearance, these hardy birds are very difficult to see in their natural habitat, which is dense, dark young conifer forests with sparse undergrowth. Consequently, little is known of their behaviour in the wild.
They feed on the ground on grain, leaves and invertebrates, but roost in trees at night. Whilst they can fly, they prefer to run: but if startled they can suddenly burst upwards at great speed, with a distinctive wing sound.
Although they can fly in short bursts they are quite clumsy in flight and spend most of their time on the ground.”
So, has anyone out there lost a male Golden Pheasant?
If so, please email us immediately and we’ll connect you with Sally, who will help you retrieve your bird.
Found on seattle-tacoma craigslist > south king > pets:
This sounds like the perfect pet for the kids:
I was given a male bearded dragon a year ago but i am moving now and cannot take him with me.
He is healthy, but very grumpy, and IS NOT A PET FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT EXPERIENCED.
He is about 3-4 years old, and small compared to many other beardies.
He needs a loving, patient, and knowledgeable home that can give him care and are not afraid of being nipped in the process.
I am asking $50 for the beardie or $125 for both the beardie and the 25 gal tank with accessories that he calls home now, OBO.
Thanks so much.
Found on seattle-tacoma craigslist > south king > pets:
We found this ad on Craigslist today.
We’ve never heard of a “Sugar Glider” before, so we looked them up.
Allegedly they’re “small arboreal marsupial that is found in the forests of Australia, as well as in Tasmania, New Guinea, and the neighboring islands of Indonesia.”
Yeah, right. We know better – they’re ALIENS! Just look at it – these things are prolly crawling all over Area 51 as you read this!
And somebody in SeaTac is trying to sell one (photo is not of the alien being sold but one we found online):
I have an 11 month old female Sugar Glider, I love her, but I am about to have surgery and I want to make sure she gets the care she needs.
I cant get her to sit still long enough for a picture, but she is very tame and sweet.
She is on the BML diet, with veggies and fruits, along with mealworms. I got her for 200, but I am only asking a 175 rehoming fee.
She will come with a big bag of veggies, mealworms, what is left of the bml already mixed, and some ingredients that are ready to be mixed, and glider pellets, the cage, pouches for the cage and that go around your neck.
It doesnt take her long to get used to you, and she has a lot of personality. She even seems to play peek-a-boo.
Let me know if you are interested, I know Glider’s are hard to find out here!
Found in the middle of SW 172nd Street, just below the hairpin turn from Sylvester, near the Soundview B & B.
Poor thing looks like a terrier of some sort, with a ring around its eye.
It appeared to be a bit worn out, and was actually on its side in the middle of the street!
Is this your lost dog?
Last week, we found a rather odd Valentine’s Day-related Craigslist Ad from a guy who lives in B-Town:
I’M LOOKING FOR A FEMALE BEARDED DRAGON FOR MY MALE TO MAKE HIM HAPPY ON VALENTINES DAY.
IF YOU HAVE A FEMALE YOU WANT TO GET RID OF AND SHE IS 14″ OR LARGER (MY MAKE IS AROUND 12″), SEND ME A EMAIL AND POSSIBLE A PICTURE AND I WILL CONTACT YOU ASAP.
I WANT HER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE..
THANKS!!
j_scaman@msn.com
Well obviously he hasn’t found one yet – here’s his latest ad posting from yesterday:
I’m looking for a FEMALE Bearded Dragon.
I have looked at 3 that said they were female and in fact, they were all males.
If you have a female or think you do, please email me some pics if possible and if you don’t know, I can tell you what to look for.
Let me know your asking price for her only.
Willing to pick up asap
j_scaman@msn.com
Come on, people…can’t you tell the difference between a male and female lizard?
And will someone just go buy this poor guy a female Bearded Dragon?
Valentine’s Day is almost here!
