Tammy Grimes Dogs deserve better faces jail

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Dogs Deserve Better Founder Needs Your Help! May be jailed for saving a dying dog!
September 11 2006 at 10:22 PM A.S. (Login CPRR)
from IP address 65.3.224.20


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If you know about Dogs Deserve Better, we really need your help NOW! We need everyone to alert the media! Make calls to Humane Society and whatever else you can do to help Tammy, Founder of DDB!

Be sure to watch and listen to the videos and see for yourself how her decision was justified!


Grimes Jailed for Rescuing Dying Chained Dog

Please crosspost coast to coast!

Here is the background info:

We got a call from Kim in East Freedom this morning, crying because Doogie hadn't gotten up since Saturday. She had been calling the Central Pennsylvania Humane Society since Saturday to no avail. We told her we aren't law officers, and she needed to call the humane officer.

Then we got another call about the same dog, from another person who passes him every day. At that point we called Kim back to see if she'd heard from the Humane Officer. She had not, so we promised her we'd go out and see what we could do. When we got there, we took photos and video of Doogie. We initially thought he was dead, as he was not moving and his back was to us. We found out that the people were not home to talk to about him, so I made the decision that he could not lay there on the cold wet ground for one moment longer, and I would accept all
consequences of my decision.

The neighbor Kim has agreed to testify on my behalf if necessary. She cried the whole time we were there, you can hear her on the video.

I think once you see the video and pictures, you'll understand why I made this decision.

The vet documented his general negligent condition, low weight, sores, missing fur, and took xrays of his back and hips. He determined that he has very bad back spurs that are causing him a lot of pain and are most likely responsible for his inability to walk. He also saw an
undetermined mass near his hip on the xray. He gave him a shot for pain plus some B vitamins for energy, so that perhaps he could have even one good day or a few good hours. He wrote a letter stating his condition in case we needed it.

Shortly after we got Doogie to my home, situated, bathed (had to, the stench was too bad), and fed and watered an Officer Flag called from the Freedom Township Police Department (I know, Freedom, isn't that ironic?). He wanted me to return Doogie, which I refused to do.

Here's what I need from you all. View the videos and photos, below. I think you'll agree with me that this is NOT acceptable in ANY kind of humane society, and we cannot allow this kind of animal abuse. We MUST
stand up and STOP accepting this to be ok for people to do to their dogs, and STOP jailing those who are trying to help them.

I could never look myself in the eye again, much less sleep tonight, had I left Doogie there dying, shivering in the dirt. I will spend the rest of my life in jail as opposed to handing him over to be abused further by these people.

Please, contact ALL media with these photos and videos. Get justice, for Doogie and for me. Do NOT allow this treatment of those who are here to help, and who actually care. Call the Pennsylvania Humane Society and tell them you expect them to stand with me against this kind of abuse.

Doogie laying on the ground, neighbor crying in background:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YN9t1rv4pj4

Doogie after vet at Grimes house:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8wxGP1N7QQ

Officer Flag: Cell 814.201.0149
Freedom Township Police Headquarters: 814.695.8545
Pennsylvania Humane Society: 814.942.5402
Humane Officer Paul Gotshall: 814.942.3780

Altoona Mirror: 800.287.4480; pbanko@...;
news@...
WTAJ-TV10: 814.944.1414
WJAC-TV 6: 814.255.7600

All national media! Make sure to send them links to the video, it's very compelling. My best friend, Tracy, has the video and hi-resolution copies of the images for print. She can be reached at tracy@... (I have to get this)

Don't stop until there is Justice for Doogie and ME! I'm just not tolerating this kind of treatment, for either of us. No one should.

Tammy S. Grimes, Founder, Dogs Deserve Better
Bringing Chained/Penned Dogs Into the Home and Family
through Education • Rescue and Rehab • Legislation
P.O. Box 23, Tipton, PA 16684 • 814.941.7447
Donate: http://www.dogsdeservebetter.com/donations.html
Educational Materials: http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/store.html
DDB Attire and Gift Items: http://www.cafepress.com/dogsdeserve
http://tammygrimes.blogspot.com/
http://myspace.com/tammygrimes

[ramanth]

I also posted about this in the Dog House since it could be a considered a controversial subject.

I belong to Dogs Deserve Better after Kia's issue with ProHeart 6.

I'm working on sending a letter. Perhaps the MI Humane Society should be notified. There is no way that would fly under their watch.

Shame on the PA Humane Society.

[lizbud]

That's a hell of a response from a Humane offical in any job. It's all about
the animals & it's everyone's job to care.

After viewing the videos, those people deserve a medal, not jail time.
I would take the dog somewhere were the owner would never find him or see
him again.

[dukedogsmom]

How my heart breaks for Doogie! I saw how loving he was, lying there on the ground and I burst into tears. I have so much respect for Dogs Deserve Better. I'll be making phone calls and emails tomorrow. I'm just too upset to do so right now. I wish I could help them more. Animals aren't property! I'm so tired of them being treated that way I hope the idiot that had him never gets him back and rots in hell.

[CatLuvrs]

That made me sick watching that poor dog just laying on the ground. Those people deserve a medal for doing what they did to help him!

[crow_noir]

http://www.dogsdeservebetter.com/prdoogiegrimes4.pdf

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Tammy S. Grimes • founder, Dogs Deserve Better
www.dogsdeservebetter.org • P.O. Box 23, Tipton, PA 16684 • 1.877.636.1408 • 814.941.7447

CONTROVERSIAL PENNSYLVANIA DOG RESCUE CASE
GOES TO MOTION HEARING APRIL 17

Dogs Deserve Better to Hold Pre-Hearing Rally
in Support of Grimes Actions to Save Dying Dog


April 6, 2007, Altoona, PA—Dogs Deserve Better founder Tammy Grimes will be back in court April 17th for a motion hearing to dismiss charges of theft and receiving stolen property. Grimes was arrested September 11, 2006 after taking a dog—unable to stand for three days—for veterinary care; then protecting him from being returned to the abusive situation.

Grimes and her attorneys maintain that there were clearly Pennsylvania cruelty laws being broken for at least three days by the time she arrived on the scene, and charges should instead be filed against the Arnolds for abuse and neglect.

On November 3, 2006 Grimes attorney requested a Bill of Particulars from the Blair County District Attorney's office. As of March 6, the District Attorney's office had either failed or refused to furnish a Bill of Particulars to Grimes' attorneys, thereby entitling Grimes to make a written motion to the court for dismissal.

Grimes states, "I believe we need to take a serious look at a justice system that favors animal abusers. What is this teaching our children? We have ample proof of abuse in this case: neighbor testimony, vet testimony, video and photo evidence. If you see an animal or human dying and in need of immediate help, it is a task given to us by God to help that being and protect him/her from further harm. A system that instead requires an abused child or animal to be returned to the situation in which they were abused is corrupt, and must be questioned and examined if we are to evolve as a society."

The dog, who Grimes dubbed Doogie, had been kept safe and lived inside as part of a family until March 1, 2007, when he passed away due to age and a lifetime of neglect. Doogie's body was returned to Altoona, Pennsylvania, where an autopsy was performed. The DA subsequently ordered the body to be held at the vet and to be returned to the Arnolds.

Grimes continues, "The mere fact that with medical care and a loving environment Doogie lived for another 5.5 months is further proof of abuse—the Arnolds failed to provide necessary veterinary care, clearly required under PA state law. The Arnolds have stated, on the witness stand, that they had planned to euthanize Doogie that very day...almost six months earlier than he went with proper care."

Dogs Deserve Better will hold a rally April 17th at 9:00 a.m. at the Hollidaysburg courthouse before the motion hearing, and asks all those who believe Doogie deserved better to come out in support. The case has made national headlines, and has been featured on Inside Edition, the National Enquirer, Animal People, animal magazines, and on blogs all over the internet.

Dogs Deserve Better is a 501c3 nonprofit organization headquartered in Tipton, Pennsylvania, is the 2003 First Place Winner of the ASPCA Pet Protector Award, and currently has 150 area reps in 38 states as well as in Canada and France. Grimes was a Top Ten Finalist for the 2006 Animal Planet Hero of the Year Contest.