A 4-month-old Boston terrier was bred at the farm where it was discovered Monday. The puppy was healthy and vaccinated before it was sold so the owner says.
Two weeks after purchase, however, Martin (SPCA) said the buyer returned the puppy when their veterinarian determined it had demodectic mange, a skin disease caused by mites. She said the breeder immediately contacted a veterinarian, but the puppy wasn’t responding to medical care. The Lancaster County SPCA confirmed the puppy was under veterinarian care when it was obtained by the rescue group. Martin said the breeder indicated the dog had gone downhill significantly in the 24 hours before the rescue group obtained him.
SPCA director Susan Martin said it cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the breeder intended to harm the puppy or willingly neglected to care for him.
The breeder also willingly surrendered the sick puppy’s mother. Martin said the SPCA began treatment of the beginning stages of mange of the mother on Friday.
While Libre is under wonderful care now, putting up a fight for its life, the breeder has a problem at his farm and its apparent he's selling puppies who also have medical issues but aren't being treated. Mange doesn't happen overnight! In addition to mange, the puppy has a severe bacterial infection and was very dehydrated. The puppy and the mother should have been under vet care at the vet, just as Libre is now. Insufficient care, if any, was given. We must be Libre's voice!
To Whom It May Concern:
Like so many others on social network, our newsfeeds are inundated with posts of abused and neglected animals. It's heartbreaking to see just how many cases there are. While, social media doesn't account for the hundreds of thousands of cases per year that there are, some catch our attention.
Libre, of course, caught mine. As I read the posts of how he was "left for dead" my heart sunk. But what was more heartbreaking, what was more unnerving, was the fact that Lancaster SPCA declared that there would not be ANY charges filed towards the Owner/Breeder. What in the world are you thinking?! It is clear that there was not any or insufficient care provided for Libre. The puppy should have been under the constant care and supervision of a licensed veterinarian. Your findings do not justify your claim.
With that said, I've started a petition, and seek justice for Libre. There must be charges filed, the farm should be shut down, and any dogs left should be given immediate veterinarian care.
The owner/breeder is responsible for the condition of Libre. It is unacceptable that you think otherwise.
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