The San Bernardino Sun reports that county officials said that the dogs seized from the dog rescue were primarily large and aggressive Pit Bulls with severe health issues.

They also report that the dogs lived in “inadequate conditions” at the over-capacity kennel that Woofy Acres was running in Pinon Hills.

Unfortunately, because of the dogs’ aggressive nature and declining health, 93 out of the 114 dogs were put down.

County animal care spokesperson Francis Delapaz reveals to the San Bernardino Sun that 19 dogs have been placed. Meanwhile, two dogs, a female Pit Bull Terrier and a Shepherd mix, are still up for adoption at 19777 Shelter Way in San Bernardino.

Animal advocates and people who work and volunteer in animal shelters reacted strongly upon hearing the news about the ongoing investigation on Woofy Acres and its founder, Dianne Bedford.

Heather McDermott-Perez, a volunteer with Orange County Animal Care said, “(Bedford) needs to never pull dogs again.”

The San Bernardino Sun reveals that the Orange County Animal Care released a total of 149 dogs to Woofy Acres, with the last placement in January of this year.

Additional insight to the dog rescue and the neglect that the dogs experienced were revealed by Lauren Cardona, co-founder of Saving Devore Dogs.

Talking to the San Bernardino Sun, Cardona reveals that one dog seized by San Bernardino County from the dog rescue, named “Checkers” was emaciated.

Cardona described Checkers as “literally like looking at a skeleton with skin over it”. She also noted that the Woofy Acres site in Pinon Hills “was in the middle of the desert. I don’t know how these dogs didn’t die.”

Earlier this year, Bedford and Woofy Acres made headlines after they were accused of abandoning 32 dogs at Shanderin Kennels, a Rowland Heights dog grooming and boarding business.

“We don’t understand how anyone would think this is OK,” Shanderin Kennels Vet Tech Samantha Redline tells KTLA in February. “We heard that she did this to two other facilities.”

KTLA also reveals that Bedford owed the dog grooming and boarding business nearly $40,000 for the amount spent on the dogs she abandoned there.

After Bedford abandoned the dogs, local shelters were forced to take the responsibility and find a solution that did not involve returning them to Woofy Acres.

A Reddit thread further exposes Bedford and how Woofy Acres “specialized in pulling drama dogs – biters, big aggression, big fear, non-adoptable dogs.”

Furthermore, the San Bernardino Sun reveals that Woofy Acres has a “delinquent status” with the state Attorney’s General Office, meaning they cannot solicit nor disburse donation.

According to Davenport Police Department’s news release, officer Ethan Bock responded to a report of four dogs, who appears to be aggressive, at large.

“While the officer was following-up to the call in the alley of 2100 Telegraph Road, a dog ran out of a yard in the officer’s direction,” the Police Department wrote.

“The officer is seen on the public video slowly backing up while the dog advances. The dog’s behavior became aggressive, resulting in the officer discharging his firearm at the dog. The dog died as a result of its injuries.”

However, the family released a footage of the fatal encounter with the police officer. X (Formerly Twitter) user Don Hesseltine, owner of the dog, posted the surveillance video of the cop shooting his pooch, two-year-old Myst, in front of his kid and nephew.

Hesseltine explains that the police officer drives by and tells the kids to put their dog on a leash. As the two young kids comply, officer Bock decides to get out of the car and come up to their house.

“The dog runs up to him and he decides his best option is to draw his gun and murder our dog in front of my child, his cousin, and his mother all while they are standing there and could have easily been shot as well,” he wrote.

In the disturbing footage, the two kids can be heard screaming and sobbing after hearing the gunshots. And then the wailing dog tried to run inside the house, before going limp, and then dying in front of the family’s house porch.

The mother can be heard repeatedly screaming “oh my god!” while the two kids continue to cry.

Hesseltine provides additional footage and context of what Myst was doing prior to the incident.

In the additional footage, Myst can be seen playing with Hesseltine’s kid and nephew.

He wrote, “The cop was dispatched to a call that was a few blocks away from here and was looking for 4 dogs trying to get into some ladies yard and trying to attack her dog. Not a dog playing with peacefully with kids.”

After the incident, Hesseltine organized a GoFundMe for the family’s counseling and to raise funds for legal fees as they seek justice for what happened to their dog.

Hesseltine wrote “This fight is not just about our dog, but about standing up against such cruelty and ensuring that no one else has to endure what we have experienced.”

The incident sparked outrage on social media, with locals calling for the officer to be fired.

However, the outrage didn’t end there. Because the Davenport Police Department released another statement on August 28, defending the police officer’s action. They said, “Based on a review of the facts, the officer’s actions were deemed lawful.”

A few days after, the Police Department also released the police officer’s body cam footage of the incident.

A Facebook user wrote, “No one was in danger. No situation was present that warranted the officer exiting his vehicle. He created a situation. Then he chose the WORST option.”

“Should the dog had been leashed yes, would it had killed your man to stay in the cruiser for one more minute? No instead he made a poor decision that cost a family dog it’s life and scarred a woman and her child and nephew,” another user wrote.

And to add fuel to the fire, the same cop involved in the fatal shooting was found to have ran over another dog back in July.

The incident happened on July 13, according to the Quad-City Times, through the New York Post.

 A man named C’edward Spears said he was taking out the trash with his dog at about 10:00 PM when he encountered officer Ethan Bock.

Spears told the news outlet that he warned the officer about his unleashed dog. “I’m like, ‘Stop — the dog.’ So he stops. He acknowledges me. Then he speeds up and he goes.”

Bock’s bodycam footage, which was obtained by the outlet, showed the officer getting out of the police vehicle to approach the lifeless pooch.

“That’s why you gotta’ have your dog on a leash, bro,” Bock tells to a distressed Spears.

The family’s refusal to put down Loubo, Delon’s healthy 10-year-old Belgian Malinois, came after a massive outcry from animal rights activists, The Daily Mail UK reports.

The Guardian reveals that Delon told Paris Match magazine in 2018 that Loubo was his “end of life dog”.

He further expressed his love for the Belgian Malinois saying, “I’ve had 50 dogs in my life, but I have a special relationship with this one. He misses me when I’m not there.”

In the same interview, Delon told the magazine, “If I die before him, I’ll ask the vet to take us away together. He’ll put him to sleep in my arms. I’d rather do that than know that he’ll let himself die on my grave with so much suffering.”

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The interview and Delon’s dying wish comes under the spotlight with his recent passing, once again drawing criticism from animal rights groups.

La SPA, a French animal rights organization, condemned his decision saying, “Before his death, he has expressed the wish to euthanize his dog, Luobo. However, the life of an animal should not be conditioned by that of a human.”

La SPA also volunteered to take in the dog and find him a forever family. However, after the outpouring criticisms, the French animal charity Brigitte Bardot Foundation reveals on Instagram, “Loubo, of course, will not be euthanized!”

They wrote, “”He has his own home and family,” the actor’s relatives who will take care of him confirmed to us.”

The actor passed away on Sunday, August 18, at the age of 88. And according to reports, Delon was buried at his Douchy home “in the strictest privacy” and no further details have been given by his family.

The dog groomer has since been fired after the video, recorded on on August 12, went viral. The man, identified as 33-year-old Richel Yumar Gonzales, can be seen kicking the small Maltese/Shih Tzu mix dog in the back of the neck in the video.

The dog can then be seen running away from the man, who was seen wearing a Deluxe Mobile Pet Grooming t-shirt, before being kicked again, this time in the head.

The clip was originally uploaded by ONLY in DADE on Instagram. And they revealed that the clip was sent by several of their followers and was recorded on a home security camera.

ONLY in Dade wrote, “Deluxe Mobile Pet Grooming, the grooming company involved, condemned the behavior and stated their zero tolerance for animal abuse, confirming that the dog is unharmed.”

A representative for the dog grooming business told 7News, “This horrible thing this is unacceptable. We have been open since 2016. We are zero tolerance for animal abuse. He was fired immediately [and] Animal Control has an open investigation.”

On August 21, Miami-Dade police reveals that Gonzales has been arrested for the criminal charge of animal cruelty.

“With the help of the business owner, the subject turned himself in to detectives.” The police department reveals in a comment.

The police department wrote, “Through investigative means detectives located the owner of the mobile pet grooming company who advised that he immediately terminated the employee depicted in the video, and that he would fully cooperate with the investigation.”

After the video went viral, neighbors that live in the complex where the incident happened were said to be in disbelief.

One anonymous resident told 7News, “All of us were outraged. It’s heartbreaking to see something like that. My understanding is that perhaps he was grooming the dog and trying to return the dog to the owner.”

Another resident who also wanted to remain anonymous said, “Nobody should be treating animals this way, especially not somebody that we trust to groom our pets.”

Thankfully, the dog was checked out by a vet and did not sustain any injuries and is doing okay.

The backlash came from social media users and has even reached People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) after the recent revelation on the “Miss Me?” podcast.

“She ate all three of our passports and they had our visas in and I cannot tell you how much money it cost me to get everything replaced because it was in COVID,” Allen said.

Allen reveals it was an ‘absolute logistical nightmare’ because she couldn’t take her kids to see their dad in England for about four or five months.

“I just couldn’t look at her — I was like, ‘You’ve ruined my life.’” she said on the podcast.

The singer-songwriter and actress also said that the dog was ‘very badly behaved’ and that passports weren’t the only thing she ate.

“I really tried very hard with her but it just didn’t work out and the passports were the straw that broke the camel’s back, so to speak.”

Social media users were quick to criticize Allen for her decision. One user from X (formerly Twitter) wrote, “why would you keep your passport near your dog and then blame the dog for doing dog stuff”.

Another user wrote, “do people not realize when they adopt animals that they are adopting an animal”

Furthermore, after PETA heard of the story, they sent Allen a letter calling out the singer on August 23.

In the letter, they wrote, “While you could get new passports and rebook your flights, Mary may spend many months in the shelter waiting for a new family – if she’s lucky enough to find one at all.”

They also wrote how it’s natural for dogs to explore the world by putting things in their mouths.

The animal rights organization wrote, “Couldn’t you have put your important documents in a drawer?”

In addition to the letter, PETA UK also sent Allen a mechanical dog toy, writing “Dogs should never be treated as accessories to be discarded when they become inconvenient. They are loyal companions who deserve the same unwavering love and commitment they offer us.”

PETA UK ‘begs’ Allen to not get another dog. They said, “Instead, we’re sending you a mechanical toy puppy, which requires none of the care, patience, or commitment that a real one does. It really is the only animal you should bring into your home.”

After the backlash she received, Allen wrote a lengthy clarification on X. She explained that the puppy, named Mary, developed separation anxiety and would act out in all manner of ways.

Allen wrote, “we worked with the shelter that we rescued her from and they referred us to a behavioral specialist and a professional trainer, it was a volunteer from the shelter who would come and dog sit her when we were away“.

“And after many months and much deliberation everyone was in agreement that our home wasn’t the best fit for Mary,” she continued.

She also reveals that Mary was rehomed within 24 hours of being returned and that the person who adopted Mary was someone they know.

“We couldn’t meet Mary’s needs and her happiness and welfare were central to us making that decision, as difficult as it was.”

Allen also expresses her frustration saying that the week has been ‘very distressing’. She wrote, “I’ve had rescue dogs pretty consistently throughout my life since I was 4 years old, I’m pretty good at ascertaining a dogs needs, I have never been accused of mistreating an animal”.

She ended her clarification by mentioning PETA saying, “Also thank you to @peta for adding fuel to the fire. Very responsible of you.”

However, PETA fired back on Allen saying, “YOU laughed when speaking about abandoning Mary and ruined this poor dog’s life. She thought she had a loving forever home before you tossed her out, calling her “that f******* dog” who “ruined my life.””

PETA ended their statement with, “Shame on you. You don’t deserve even the toy dog we sent you.”

After the revelation that Mary was quickly rehomed, social media users had divided opinions about the whole situation.

Some were saying that it was responsible of Allen to prioritize the dog’s needs. One X user wrote, “She responsibly rehomed a dog when she realised she would not be able to meet her dog’s very specific needs. No-one should be shamed for doing that. The needs of the dog come first, and Lily recognised that.”

However, some were still not happy about Allen’s actions about the whole ordeal. “You don’t give up on your animals. As soon as you take them in they are family. You don’t look any better for this,” one user wrote.

On July 27, the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office (TPSO) revealed on a Facebook post that they were made aware of a video that was circulating online showing a boy abusing a dog during a hunting trip.

“It was evident a second individual was recording the crime and a third individual was present as well, neither intervening on the dog’s behalf,” they explain.

Upon investigation, detectives found that the abuse occurred in Manchac, Louisiana early 2023 and the teenagers were from the Ponchatoula area.

TPSO revealed that the perpetrators were three 15-year-old teenagers. They also revealed, “One 15-year-old boy was arrested on one count of Animal Cruelty. The other two 15-year-old boys were each arrested on one count of Principal to Animal Cruelty.”

TPSO said, “The dog in the video was also located and assessed. The dog, at this time, was found to be in healthy condition and of a happy disposition.”

In the video, the teen can be seen punching the dog repeatedly while trying to train it to retrieve ducks in water.

After the video went viral, a petition to remove the dog, found to be a Labrador Retriever, from the suspect’s home was created. The petition was considered a success with a total of 114,517 signatures.

In a follow-up statement, TPSO revealed that since the arrest of the teenagers, they have been coordinating with numerous animal welfare and legal experts “regarding potential additional actions pertaining to the welfare of the dog.”

However, with the suspect’s family cooperation, they’ve led to an agreement to surrender the dog so it can be rehomed.

“The dog is scheduled to receive a full medical evaluation prior to that rehoming,” TPSO wrote in the update. “The Tangipahoa Parish Animal Services office is coordinating the rehoming and no assistance from the public is needed for that process at this time.”

The suspect’s family also said thru TSPO that they are beyond devastated about the whole situation involving their son and their dog.

They explained, “Because we love our son, we are committed to ensuring that he learns appropriately from this experience through accountability measures in the court system and at home.”

“And because we love our dog, we are committed to ensuring it has a home where it is safe,” the family added.

Director of Animal Control, Chip Fitz, said, “At Animal Services, our goal is to make sure that all necessary actions are taken in order to prevent any abuse.”

“At the same time, we must make sure the outcomes of any of those actions are good for all animals involved.”

Animal rights activists and opposition lawmakers alike have dubbed it the “Massacre Law” as they fear this will lead to millions of stray dogs being killed or being neglected in overcrowded shelters.

Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, says the law is necessary to deal with the country’s stray dog problem.

The Turkish government estimates that there are around 4 million stray dogs roaming the streets and rural areas of Turkey. And Reuters reports that supporters of the law have cited concerns about attacks, road accidents, and rabies.

The law was approved with 275 votes in favor, and 224 against. And under the new rules, municipalities are required to round up stray dogs and house them in shelters to be vaccinated, neutered/spayed before making them available for adoption.

Dogs that are in pain, terminally ill, aggressive, or those that pose a health risk to humans will be put down.

The new law also states that local mayors who do not enforce the new law could be put in prison for two years, according to EuroNews.

According to Reuters, the law states that Turkey has a total of 322 animal shelters with a capacity of 105,000 dogs – obviously not enough to house all the stray dogs they have to remove off the streets.

Now, the problem lies on where each municipality will find the money and resources to build new shelters and ensure the new requirements are met.

Veterinarian Turkan Ceylan said that there are not enough places in the very limited shelters in Turkey, so this will only mean that local officers will be forced to euthanize stray dogs, regardless if they’re healthy or not, due to the lack of resources.

“We animal rights activists know very well that this spells death,” Ceylan explains.

Humane Society International reveals that it had written to the President to raise the concerns that the law will cause “unnecessary suffering and death to countless animals in a short-term fix that won’t deliver a long-term solution.”

Animal rights activists are instead suggesting alternatives such as neutering campaigns to be stepped up and supported.

They’ve also taken to the streets over the past few weeks to protest against the law.

EuroNews reports that in Istanbul’s Sishane Square, hundreds have gathered and issued a powerful message to the government: “Your massacre law is just a piece of paper for us. We will write the law on the streets. Life and solidarity, not hatred and hostility, will win.”

Furthermore, Reuters reveals that the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) will appeal against the legislation in the Constitutional Court.

“The bill is clearly unconstitutional and does not defend the right to life,” CHP leader Ozgur Ozel said. “We will do more than what is required of us in terms of building more shelters, vaccination, neutering and adoption, but it is not possible to completely fulfil this burden with the power that municipalities have.”

The man, identified as 22-year-old Cameron Brunning, was caught by CCTV cameras in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, England abusing his pet dog while in the elevator.

In the shocking footage, Brunning was seen aggressively dragging the dog, named Biscuit, by her lead.

Once inside the elevator, the man proceeds to stamp on and kick the poor pooch before screaming at her.

Another footage showed the man picking Biscuit up by her throat and dangling her in front of the mirror for a few seconds before dropping her.

RSPCA Inspector Keogh-Laws reveals in a statement read out to court that the abuse didn’t happen once. As a matter of fact, video footage captured multiple attacks that stretched for over a month, between September and October 2023.

The RSPCA Inspector said, “His body language is aggressive and he is right in the dog’s face pointing. In another clip he pins the dog in the corner of the lift. The dog looks terrified and she cowers and tries to move away to the furthest corner of the lift.”

“The dog didn’t appear to be doing anything leading up to or during the beatings which were completely unprovoked,” he continued.

The RSPCA Inspector, along with two police officers, visited Brunning’s apartment on October 2023. And Brunning told the officers that “he needed to teach the dog how to behave”.

During the visit, the dog was seized and taken into RSPCA’s care. She was later examined by a vet who said that Biscuit had suffered for at least four weeks.

“Given the dog’s demeanor of shying away from touch, along with the CCTV footage of her being beaten and the blood results suggesting muscle damage it is evident that she has suffered from physical abuse that has taken a mental toll on her as well,” said the vet.

The vet also explains that while the impact of the abuse wasn’t evident on the clinical exam they conducted, it was obvious that the emotional and mental strain on the dog was serious.

Now, Brunning has pleaded guilty to two offences under UK’s Animal Welfare Act of 2006. He confessed to causing and inflicting physical and mental abuse as well as failing to meet the needs of the dog.

Brunning is now banned from owning any animal for five years.

Furthermore, Chronicle Live also reports that Brunning is sentenced to a 12-month community order under at Gateshead Magistrates’ Court on July 17, which he is required to complete 20 Rehabilitation Activity (RAR) days.

Now, Biscuit is thriving in the care of the RSPCA. And the charity is starting to look for a new, loving forever home for her.

Inspector Keogh-Laws said, “Now Biscuit can look forward to a new life with a new owner. She is a really nice dog who settled well in our kennels and she will make someone a lovely pet.”

Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) reveals that the woman pleaded guilty for failing to meet the dog’s needs that led to the dog’s death.

Along with two months’ jail, sshe was ordered to pay reparations of NZ$1,222.15 ($718 USD) and was not allowed to own a dog for a year.

The dog, named Nuggi, weighed 53.7kg (118lbs) when he was rescued by SPCA in October 2021.

Nuggi’s former owner told SPCA that she fed Nuggi 8 to 10 pieces of chicken daily, on top of dog treats. She also said that she exercised Nuggi by walking him or making him spend time on her property outside.

SPCA Chief Executive Todd Westwood called Nuggi’s predicament “unacceptable”.

“Part of being a responsible dog owner is providing your pet with an appropriate diet and daily exercise, which was clearly not the case here,” Westwood explained. “Nuggi was being drastically overfed, and instead of seeking help or amending the behaviour, his owner continued to overfeed him until he could barely walk.”

SPCA said that when Nuggi was removed from his home, animal control officers noted that “in the 10 metres that Nuggi had to walk from the property to the car, he had to stop three times to catch his breath.”

They also said that Nuggi was so obese that they couldn’t hear his heart beat with a stethoscope, because the sound couldn’t penetrate all the fat in his body.

Along with obesity, Nuggi was also suffering from other health problems. His legs were visibly collapsing under his huge weight, his nails were overgrown, he had a lot of skin tags, and he also had conjunctivitis.

SPCA Chief Executive Todd Westwood described Nuggi as “easily one of the most obese animals we’ve ever encountered”.

He said that SPCA inspectors and staff who were used to dealing with overweight and obese animals were shocked to see Nuggi’s condition.

“Sadly, we see animals on a daily basis that are underweight, starved or malnourished, but it’s equally heartbreaking to see a helpless animal that’s been severely overfed,” Westwood says.

SPCA said that Nuggi spent a total of two months in their care. He lost a total of 8.9kg (19lbs) before suddenly dying due to an acute hemorrhage from a ruptured mass on his liver.

“A necropsy revealed further health complications, including liver disease and Cushing’s disease,” SPCA reveals.

Animal protection organizations, In Defense of Animals and Peace 4 Animals, previously offered a joint $5,100 reward. And then an additional $2,500 was offered by Hollywood Producer Marc Gurvitz of Brillstein Entertainment Partners on Tuesday, July 09.

In a press release by In Defense Of Animals, they revealed that the incident happened on the evening of July 03.

“At approximately 7:45 p.m., two compassionate hikers discovered the distressed dog. His mouth was cruelly zip tied shut, and another zip tie constricted his neck,” the animal protection organization wrote.

The hikers jumped into action to save the poor German Shepherd. They called 911 and managed to remove the zip tie from the dog’s mouth before the police and animal control arrived.

Upon rescuing the dog, a Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control official reveals that the dog also had inflammation, warts, and skin tags all over his body.

“The officer suspected the dog had been exposed to poison oak.”

One of the hikers told KTLA, ““Someone did this intentionally. They left him stranded, down a hill in the middle of nowhere off the side of the road. They left him suffering. They left him for dead.“

Currently, the dog, now named Argon, is at the Agoura Animal Care Center where he is receiving necessary care and attention.

Argon is a seven-year-old German Shepherd and he is undergoing tests for suspected for lymphoma, a type of blood cancer.

Fleur Dawes, Communications Director of In Defense of Animals, said “We are grateful for the quick actions of these hikers and law enforcement, but our efforts must continue.”

“We urge anyone with information about this cruel act to come forward. We are determined to find the person responsible for this horrific abuse and hold them accountable since they are a danger to others.”

Meanwhile, Katie Cleary, Founder of Peace 4 Animals and World Animal News, calls the incident “reprehensible” saying, “This cruel and heartless act of abandoning an innocent German Shepherd in scorching temperatures with his mouth zip-tied over the 4th of July weekend is reprehensible.”

The animal protection organizations are now appealing to the public for any information that may lead to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person responsible.

If you have any information, please call: 415-879-6879.

The new importation rules, according to the CDC, are meant to protect the health and safety of people and animals by keeping rabies out of the country.

However, the blanket ban is posing a serious danger to the indigenous dogs of the Caribbean Islands – also known as “potcake dogs”.

Now, the Caribbean Dog Rescue Coalition, made up of a total 14 dog rescue organizations, is working hard to implore the CDC to amend the new rules to help thousands of healthy, rabies-free potcake dogs from being euthanized.

The New CDC Dog Importation Rules

Before we dig into the issue at hand, let us first take a look at what the new CDC dog importation rules look like.

On May 08, the CDC issued their new dog importation rules that will take effect on August 01 of this year.

Per the new rules, all dogs entering the United States must adhere to the following:

• Appear healthy upon arrival
• Be at least six months of age
• Be microchipped
• Be accompanied by a CDC Dog Import Form online submission receipt.

Additional rules also apply based on where the dog has been in the last six months and whether or not the dog is vaccinated in the United States. For example, if a dog is arriving from a country with a high risk of dog rabies, then the dog must be vaccinated against rabies.

And no dog is exempted from these rules – even service dogs and dogs born in the country must adhere to these importation rules.

This also means that the current temporary suspension for the importation of dogs from countries with a high risk of rabies during the COVID-19 pandemic will expire when the new rules go into effect.

The Caribbean Dog Rescue Coalition On The New CDC Ban

As per the Caribbean Dog Rescue Coalition, when the new importation rules were announced, there was one rule that was not previously mentioned nor made clear:

“Effective August 1st, the CDC is banning all dogs from entering the United States from ALL foreign countries under the age of 6 months old/180 days old.”

This means that rabies-free countries are not excluded from this ban, which the members of the Caribbean Dog Rescue Coalition are all from, and therefore do not pose a risk.

This has sent concern among Caribbean dog rescue organizations. And because of this, the Caribbean Dog Rescue Coalition, made up of 14 dog rescue organizations and committed to the rescue and welfare of the indigenous Caribbean dogs, was formed.

The Coalition is imploring the CDC to amend their new ban to at least allow rabies-free countries to be exempt or to reduce the age of the imported dogs from 6 months to 16 weeks.

The latter request is due to the fact that members of the Coalition can only rescue potcake dogs by airlifting them off the islands. And a 6-month-old Caribbean puppy will exceed an airline’s in-cabin weight limit of 20 lbs.

The Coalition also highlights that the existing Caribbean Island rescue health protocols fall in line with the guidelines for required and recommended health care as outlined by the American Veterinarian Medical Association.

Linda Gunville, Director, Bruno Project Rescue, Inc. explains, “With the dog receiving a rabies vaccination at 12-weeks-old and adhering to strict health protocols, we oppose this blanket ban.” 

The Coalition also explains that the potcake dogs they rescue do not take up shelter space in the United States, where shelters are already at maximum capacity.

The President of the Bruno Project Rescue, Inc., Blake Ulrich, also says, “With respect to the intent of keeping canine-rabies out of the United States, this blanket ban will end up doing more harm than good for rescues within the Coalition. The dogs we rescue do not take up shelter space in the States as they travel directly into permanent homes.”

Janelle Nadeau, Foster Coordinator, Adoption Coordinator, and Flight coordinator for New Life for Paws also tackled the ongoing crisis across US animal shelters reaching maximum capacity and how it is not the responsibility that the potcake dogs must be burdened with.

Nadeau said, “Astronomically high veterinary costs and lack of low cost spay/neuter clinics throughout the US are a driving factor to why people cannot afford their pet and shelters overflowing.”

Potcake dogs are also called cunucus and coconut retrievers. And they have a long and somewhat mysterious history.

They are believed to be derived from a mix of Labrador, German Shepherd, and Fox Terrier breeds that the Spanish and English people exploring the islands bought with them throughout the years.

And as a result of their heritage, potcake dogs vary in coat color, size, and appearance. But they typically have long noses, large, pointed ears, and a smooth coat.

Volunteer dog rescuer and Potcake Place K9 Rescue founder Jane Parker-Rauw describes a potcake dog as “intelligent, loyal, calm and resilient” – characteristics that make a wonderful family companion.

Furthermore, the dogs are also described as resourceful, strong, and brave dogs due to the fact that most of them have to live their lives in the streets, fending for food.

Protecting And Saving The Potcakes

Did you know that a potcake dog’s life expectancy on the island, with human intervention, is only three years?

This is because potcakes are mostly born in the wild and do not have a home of their own. As a matter of fact, locals consider these dogs as pests and do not treat them very kindly.

These dogs die from being run over by cars, tied up, drowning during hurricanes, being kept in boxes that are too small as they grow, being poisoned, slashed by machetes, stabbed by locals, etc.  So, staying in the island will do more harm than good for them.

There is also the problem of overpopulation on every island that potcake dogs are found. Unfortunately, most of the Caribbean Islands do not have enough resources or space to control this.

This is why numerous dog rescue organizations do their best to rescue and care for potcake dogs, so they can get a second chance at a safe, suitable, and loving forever home off the Caribbean Islands.

Furthermore, these dog rescue organization do not just take care of these dogs, they’re also doing everything they can to educate locals about proper animal care and the importance of spaying/neutering to change the locals’ perspective on the dogs.

While it is true that much more work is needed to protect and save potcakes, there is no doubt that these dog rescue organizations are slowly making a positive impact on the lives of these dogs.

How Does The New CDC Ban Affect The Potcake Dogs?

Most tourists fall in love with potcake dogs and want to adopt and bring them back home in the US.

As a matter of fact, back in 2011, one of our authors and the Co-Founder of Clear Conscience Pet, Amanda Malone Bennie, flew to the Turks and Caicos Islands with her family, fell in love with potcake dogs, and decided to adopt one.

The way these dogs get to go home to their forever home is by flying in-cabin with their adopters or with a flight volunteer as puppies.

And members of the Coalition fly between 100 to 150 dogs to safety and into their forever homes in the US each year.

However, since the upcoming CDC ban states that all dogs entering the country MUST be at least 6 months old, saving and adopting the dogs will be impossible and will, therefore, cause unnecessary deaths to thousands of puppies throughout the Caribbean.

Ulrich says, “The ban will cause thousands of innocent puppies on the island to die or live short lives where all they will know is starvation, dehydration, poor health and suffering.”

This is because at 6 months old, potcake dogs usually exceed the in-cabin weight limit of 20 lbs. At this point, the dogs will have to fly cargo instead of flying in-cabin.

But this poses another problem – as many Caribbean Islands do not allow dogs to fly in cargo due to the temperatures and the size of small island planes that don’t have enough space for kennels.

And those that do have cargo-capable planes charge thousands of dollars instead of the in-cabin fee of $125.

Alison Driscoll, President & Co-Founder of the Caribbean Canine Connection calls the CDC ban “cruel” and “inhumane” explaining, “This incredibly cruel and unnecessary ban on puppies under 6 months of age from being allowed to enter the US will lead to the suffering, torment, and death of thousands and thousands of puppies and dogs all over the world, who would have otherwise been able to receive a second chance at a happy, healthy, and wonderful life with a loving family here in the states.”

Furthermore, this will result in shelters (that are already at full capacity) to house puppies for months to a year until they can get a flight.

These puppies would’ve otherwise been given a new hope at life and would have been flown to their forever homes.

“The shelters simply do not have the physical space to take in and keep all of the dogs for 6 months let alone a few years,” Gunville reveals.

Furthermore, the Coalition works tirelessly to control overpopulation and each rescue group from the Coalition spays and neuters between 500 to 1000 strays a year.

With this ban, the issue of overpopulation will also cause problems for the tourist attractions, such as beaches, in the Caribbean Islands – as they will become breeding grounds for the dogs while overpopulation grows at a rapid pace.

Gunville explains, “The money received from the adoption donations is how the shelters are able to afford spaying and neutering the strays.“

The Effects Of The New CDC Ban Before It Even Gets Enacted

Even before the new CDC ban takes into effect on August 01, members of the Caribbean Dog Rescue Coalition are already seeing and experiencing its devastating effects.

“After June 1st any newborn puppy born is left the fend for itself, most likely dying a horrifying and painful death and we will run out of time to save them. They wouldn’t be old enough to fly by the August 1st deadline,” Nadeau explains.

Nadeau also reveals that they have been receiving hundreds of messages from tourists begging them to help and rescue puppies they’ve found dumped throughout the island of Aruba, and they had to painstakingly refuse.

“Their time to be saved has run out,” Nadeau said. “Daily, there are pleas for NLFP to assist with a happy, healthy puppy who could easily be on their way to a much better life.”

What You Can Do To Help Protect Potcake Dogs

The Coalition is doing their best to help save potcake dogs so they can live a better life in the US. However, they cannot fight the good fight alone. So, they are calling for public support to pressure the CDC to reconsider its stance and amend the ban.

Animal lovers and advocates alike are urged to join their campaign to protect these vulnerable animals by doing any of the following:

1. Learn more about the potcake dogs and the situation here.
2. Support and sign the Humane Society of the United States’s petition opposing the ban here.
3. Sign and share the following change.org petitions:
   • Petition by No Dogs Left Behind, Inc.
   • Petition by Save the Satos
4. Use this sample letter to contact the CDC and lend your voice to the cause.
5. Follow the Coalition on Facebook to read helpful information and stay up to date on the latest details of the situation.
6. Buy any of the Coalition’s merchandise. Proceeds go towards the Coalition for any legal fees incurred.
7. Donate to the members of the Coalition in any way, shape, or form. See all the members here.

The animal shelter, White Oak Animal Safe Haven, said the dog was abandoned in front of their shelter around midnight. They added that the poor girl was found by one of their staff in the morning, when coming in to care for their pets.

“Why does anyone think this is acceptable? It’s hot. It’s humid. This is incredibly dangerous and cowardice,” the animal shelter wrote.

As the number of animal shelters reaching maximum capacity in the country rises, White Oak Animal Safe Haven rightfully aired their grievances regarding the situation.

The animal shelter revealed that all eight of their kennels are filled and the shelter is at max capacity for dogs.

They wrote, “Where are we supposed to put her? How is she supposed to fit in this building? When are shelter employees going to stop being responsible for pets whose owners who abandon her in the middle of the night?”

“It’s not acceptable to say “well at least they tried to do the right thing…” when now the rescue workers and the other dogs in the shelter’s care are negatively impacted by overcrowding. There’s no excuse.”

The animal shelter also condemns the dog’s previous owner and anyone trying to abandon their dog in front of animal shelters.

“You are not entitled to the time of rescue workers or the space that belongs to other dogs in need of rescue. Your dog deserved better. The other dogs who will feel the stress of another dog crammed into an overcrowded area deserve better,” they wrote.

They also added, “When you take on an animal, you are responsible for the animal. No one else. When you need to seek an avenue of rehoming or sheltering, you need to be patient, respectful, and supportive of the process.”

The animal shelter asked the public for help in identifying the dog’s previous owners. And not a day after, the shelter provided an update saying, “The owners have been identified and this is now in the hands of proper officials.”

White Oak Animal Safe Haven thanked everyone who helped them identify the dog’s owners saying, “Speaking up saves lives.”

Currently, the dog is not up for adoption. The animal shelter shares that they have to get her checked and spayed first.

“We do not know anything about her to determine a best home for her.”

While the dog isn’t up for adoption, White Oak Animal Safe Haven has a lot of dogs and other pets in need and are ready to go to a forever home.

If you wish to adopt a dog from White Oak Animal Safe Haven or would like to provide them with some financial assistance, you can do check out these important links here.