Socks, A Survivor

To Whom It May Concern,

I have lived in Sharpsburg my entire life, all 34 years and I have always felt safe.  A year ago when all six of our goats were killed one evening that feeling of safety disappeared.  We never went outside after dark unless we had flashlights and at least a ball bat.  If my husband was home he wouldn’t allow me to go outside without him.  After six months or so we started to feel safe again and then on December 23rd 2010, all of that changed. 

Before the attack Socks loved to lay outside and sun himself, he didn’t wander from the property, and he never bothered anyone.  He liked to watch the horses across the road and hunt for mice in our field.  He never went outside until I would leave to go to work at 7am.  He’d walk me the 100' to the basement where our office is and then he’d go and lay down in the flower beds or the yard.  Before dark we’d make sure that he was inside for the night.

On December 23rd 2010, Socks was sleeping on the back walk, up against the house, in the flower bed when he was attacked and wounded.  In the struggle the solar light broke off at the ground.  The dogs had to have come around the front of the house or around the pool in order to even reach the back walk.  This was not an attack that occurred in the yard or out in a field, it was on a walk along the back of the house.  These dogs had to have been looking for an animal to torture.  The day that it happened several of our employees were in the one building with the door open and they never saw the dogs.  They only knew of the attack when they heard Christine screaming.

For a cat that was used to his freedom, his entire world was destroyed.  He would spend the next two months going back and forth to the vet, being forced to take multiple medications, suffering the indignity of having to be cleaned when he peed himself, and not being able to do any of the things that he used to.  

Socks suffered the majority of his wounds to his right hind leg.  His injuries will affect him for the rest of his life.  He has trouble walking and always walks with a limp.  The cat that used to climb trees now has problems jumping on to the couch and requires steps to get in the window, on the couch, and on the bed.  He has trouble balancing on uneven surfaces and cannot lift his leg very far off the ground.  Whether or not he’ll recover any further is not known, but he has the best of care.  

Several visits to the veterinarian hospital were even free of charge because they felt so bad for Socks.  I’ve spent approximately $ 950.00 between the emergency animal hospital and our regular veterinarian.  It has  cost another $ 250.00 for items needed to care for Socks.  Some of the wounds that Socks has suffered are psychological.  If he hears a dog bark he becomes terrified.  If he hears any loud noises he becomes stressed.  He now spends the majority of his day in the bedroom away from everyone and everything.  When he isn’t in the bedroom he sits by the front door with his nose pressed to the door jamb crying to go outside.   

I have been asked many times what I would like to see happen and I’ve given it a lot of thought.  I’ve been asked about suing the dog owner’s for the vet bills, but to me the money is not important, I would pay anything to have Socks alive and well.  What I want to see happen is that the dogs need to be euthanized, they are a danger to all of our pets, our children, and adults.  I want to see the owner’s held responsible for allowing their dogs to run free when they should be confined to kennels or inside of the house.  I want the Humane Society to be held accountable for doing nothing to protect our pets and to be punished for not only failing to provide us with answers and assistance, but for failing their own mission.  I want my nieces to be able to walk outside without being afraid of the dogs and to be able to play on their swing set without adults standing guard.  Until these dogs are removed from this neighborhood, none of us are safe and an attack on a child or adult is imminent.  

Socks may not have been killed, he was very lucky, but every day is a constant reminder of what happened to him and the reason that it happened is because of irresponsible dog owners.

Thank You.

PS.  Socks would like to be able to go outside without having to wear a harness and leash or be locked in a welded steel kennel.  Socks would prefer not to have to fear that the dogs will return and kill him.

A Humane Society of Washington Co. Failure - A Chorus of Meows and Barks for Justice

In today’s society more and more people are getting involved with their local animal shelters and rescue groups.  No longer is a shelter a place where we only go to adopt, but it’s a place where we donate money and supplies, we volunteer, we use social networking to advertise shelter animals, and we foster both in real time and virtually.  As animal lovers we follow our favorite rescue groups, local humane societies, and organizations like Peta and the ASPCA on Facebook and Twitter.  Furmoms and dads all over the world sign petitions online and e-mail politicians and organizations pushing for animal rights, cruelty prevention, and harsher punishments for cruelty against domestic animals and wildlife.  With these changes a greater sense of right and wrong has been discovered and the expectations that we have of our local humane societies and governments have changed.  In today’s society our pets have a voice, both strong and far reaching.  This voice cannot be quieted, but it grows louder when we are seeking justice for a wrong that has occurred. 

My fur family lives in the small town of Sharpsburg, MD which is part of Washington County.  The Humane Society of Washington County (hswcmd.org) is our local shelter and animal control provider.  Over the past few months my neighbors and I have come to realize that although the HSWC gladly accepts our donations and public funding, they do not wish to protect our animals from violence.  When my tuxedo cat Socks was attacked by a vicious pit bull I did what any animal lover would do, I called the Humane Society of Washington County.  I was reeling from emotions of anger and fear as I left my baby in the hands of my veterinarian, praying that my Socks would survive.  As I waited several hours for the animal control officer to arrive I kept thinking about the dog that had brutally attacked Socks and how the HSWC would handle the attack.  I knew where the dog lived and the name of the dog owner, I was prepared for justice to be dealt.  Quickly I realized that Socks didn’t matter, my voice didn’t matter, at least not to the HSWC.  I found out that Socks was not the first victim, not even the first victim of that week, he was the second victim of the week, soon to be one of many, the only survivor. 

Socks did survive and he’s healing.  Socks will never be the same and there is some permanent damage, but he still sleeps on my pillow and wakens me in the middle of the night howling.  Socks was lucky, unlike all of the others.  As of today there have been at least three cats, a large black labrador retriever, and several rabbits killed and mutilated.  In addition to the violence against our pets, we have been cornered and threatened ourselves by these dogs.  These attacks began in December and continue to occur.  The owner has been fined and one of the dogs has been deemed vicious, but yet they still roam free as we bury our furbabies.  The victims have received no justice, the parents no answers, and now we live in fear that our human children will be next.

As a community we have joined voices and are seeking justice for those that cannot speak for themselves.  We will hold the Humane Society of Washington County accountable for their failure to protect our pets and provide them with the justice that they so richly deserve.  The Humane Society of Washington County has defined their mission on their website http://hswcmd.org/about.shtml as:

Our Mission:
The Humane Society of Washington County exists to improve the quality of life for all animals. Through education, legislation, action and leadership, we strive to eliminate overpopulation and to foster an environment of respect, responsibility and compassion.

Our Vision:
The Humane Society of Washington County's vision is to be the area's leading resource for animal related issues. Through strong community partnerships, we enhance and protect the lives of all animals by advocating responsible, compassionate relationships between people and animals while providing shelter, humane education, spay/neuter
programs and adoptions.

I am sorry to say that you have failed miserably Humane Society of Washington County because you have done neither, but you will remember your mission.  It is our goal and determination that the Humane Society of Washington County be reminded that they are responsible for the welfare of all animals in their jurisdiction and that yes, you do have to answer to us.