Puppy, whose ears cropped by "sick individual," will fully recover
Jane Stevenson
More from Jane Stevenson
Published:
February 7, 2018
Updated:
February 7, 2018 9:34 PM EST
Justice is pictured before (left) and after surgery. (FACEBOOK)
Justice may have been down, but she’s not out.
The OSPCA is investigating after a 12-week-old puppy named Justice had her ears mutilated by “some sick individual,” according to Toronto vet worker Michelle Kozak.
Justice was rescued by Kozak in Hamilton after she got a call early Sunday morning from an individual she didn’t want to identify because of the ongoing investigation.
“I went and picked up the dog at 2 a.m and took it to an emergency hospital,” said Kozak.
“It looked as though someone tried to crop the ears themselves. I don’t know who. I don’t know when,” she added. “But they were done. So very early Sunday she was given a pain (relief) injection, pain meds to go home, and antibiotics, and she came for surgery Monday to have her ears surgically repaired. It was quite damaged skin and it just looked horrible, so now it’s a lot more presentable.”
Justice was treated at Roncesvalles Animal Hospital in Toronto during an hour-long procedure by Dr. Henry Skutelsky on his day off.
Kozak posted before-and-after pictures of the poor doggie, an Azores cattle dog, on Facebook and gave Skutelsky “a huge thank you.”
“She’s doing well,” said Kozak of Justice’s current condition.
“Ten to 15 weeks is such a crucial period for puppies, it has such an imprint on how they will be. So she will fully recover but it’s going to take patience and kindness.”
Kozak, who breeds cane corsos herself, said the pup is now in foster care until the OSCPA investigation is completed.
She said ear cropping “is normally done under general anesthetic by a licensed veterinarian.”
Puppy, whose ears cropped by “sick individual,” will fully recover | Toronto Sun
WARMINGTON — 'Good Samaritan' hit while trying to help dog
Joe Warmington
More from Joe Warmington
Published:
February 7, 2018
Updated:
February 7, 2018 10:05 PM EST
Woman alleges she was punched in the head after... 2:00
Kelly Nemeth went out to the grocery store for “fruit loops and raisin toast” for her grandkids Monday.
Instead, she came home with a goose egg — right above her left eye.
Seems she got a little side tracked when she witnessed a woman on Lake Shore Rd. in Oakville’s Bronte Harbour “kicking a dog and yanking his leash” and decided to be a Good Samaritan.
“I love dogs and all animals,” explained the 59-year-old Nemeth Wednesday. “I couldn’t just drive by and not help that dog.”
She got out of her husband’s truck, along with three other witnesses who did much the same, and intervened. What started as a bargain shopping trip ended up becoming more than Nemeth had bargained for.
“I told her to stop hurting her dog,” said the grandmother of five. “It got a little heated and I ended up with a broken finger after being sucker punched in my eye.”
What started as a red bump to her temple Monday was looking purple and swollen Wednesday. “The doctor told me my whole eye will go black but it hasn’t happened so far,” said Nemeth.
But the damage is visible in what Halton Regional Police alleged was a criminal assault.
Stephanie Moore was charged with assault and “causing unnecessary suffering to an animal” as well as “being intoxicated in a public place.” Moore, 50, told me people were misinterpreting what they saw when she was just trying to restrain her 70-pound, five-year-old, white Boxer Romeo.
“I would never hurt him,” she said.
Stephanie Lee Moore and her dog, Romeo. Moore was charged after allegedly kicking her dog and punching a passerby, but says the incident has been blown out of proportion. (JOE WARMINGTON/TORONTO SUN)
But she did allegedly hurt a woman. “I should never have hit her and I apologize. I feel terrible about that,” said the former hairdresser. “I thought she was going to take my dog.”
Nemeth, meanwhile, insisted she was just trying to “protect” the dog.
Recordings of the incident — obtained by the Toronto Sun — reveal a heated, profane exchange between Moore and several other people. The audio also presents the voice of the accused’s son, Justin, trying to calm down his mother.
Man oh man did this story garner reaction when I first reported it in Wednesday’s Toronto Sun. Sorry, to be more politically correct, that should be “dog oh dog” did this create commentary.
Most e-mails were angry responses from people who felt I was tipping the story in favour of Moore. I tried to go down the middle but if that was the appearance, the other side is presented here.
It’s an unfortunate situation and an example of how things can deteriorate to violence when tempers are lost. Halton Police Chief Steve Tanner said this is a matter for the courts and that’s where his officers have sent the case.
This case belongs in front of a judge. Nemeth said she was pleased with the police response and Moore said she was also treated well by the officers.
Photographer Ernest Doroszuk and I saw Romeo out with Moore for a walk Wednesday — appearing to be happy and full of his usual energy.
Saying she’s glad to hear the dog is fine, Nemeth said she’s pretty sure if she saw a “helpless” dog being harmed she would do exactly the same thing again.
But Nemeth admits she would ready herself for a possible “over-the -shoulder” human paw heading toward her eye.
WARMINGTON
