January 27, 2004
Thomasville - "Any animal lover that has pets, knows that you get so attached to them. I've been heartbroken. My whole family is heartbroken," says Jeanie Crittenden. Her four year old Boxer, Jill, is gone. She was stolen, along with at least 20 other dogs in Thomas County.
"Something is going on that is illegal and it is wrong. I want my dog back and I'm speaking for everybody else whose dogs have been stolen."
Pat Smith, Director of the Thomas County Humane Society, says dogs like these are probably being used for fighting, or for breeding more fighting dogs. She says, "They don't have any feelings for the animals themselves. It's what the animal can do for them as far as showing them that they are somebody. They're got the meanest, baddest dog. It's just a macho thing."
A macho thing that includes starving the dogs to make them mean. I they live after a fight and are brought to the humane society, they have to be euthanized.
Smith says, "It's got to be stopped. These dogs didn't deserve to be treated this way. They weren't asked to be born, to be fought. It's not the dogs fault. It's the people's fault, the handler's fault, for doing this to them."
For now, Jeanie is waiting and hoping to see Jill again. She says, "I got her when she was a puppy, she's part of the family and this is devastating." A devastation she hopes to prevent for others.
A white male in a white, mid-size 4-door car has been spotted where the dogs went missing. If you know anyone who is illegally fighting dogs, contact your local police department or humane society.
posted at 5:26 PM by karen.collier@walb.com
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