Maximum sentence for Ohio dogfighting suspect (Petition)

Cleveland OH: On December 22nd, a raid was conducted on a residence where 28 Pit Bulls were found living in horrible conditions along with what appeared to be a fighting ring. (Source.)

Of the dogs seized, 18 were just puppies. The dogs were skinny, trembling in fear and covered in both old and new scars. There were 10 adult dogs in the back yard and many of them were nursing mothers. Also found were dead puppies in the back yard. No food or water was seen anywhere.

In the basement police found a blood-spattered ring, apparently used for dog fighting. This is where the puppies were housed. It's believed these dogs were used as bait dogs in the dog fighting operation.

Police issued an arrest warrant for 33-year-old Collin Rand, Jr., who turned himself in 3 days later, where he is being held on charges of felony dog fighting.

One of the dogs found at the scene

Credits:

Fox 8 Cleveland Video screen capture

A petition has begun directed at the Cuyahoga County Judge who will hear this case, asking that Rand receive the maximum possible sentence for this crime.

The dogs are currently being evaluated with the adult dogs being held at the Cleveland City Kennel, and the puppies at the no-kill facility for the Northeast Ohio SPCA.

The future for these dogs remains unclear, but so far none of them has shown an ounce of aggression towards humans or other dogs. The plan for the puppies is to allow them to gain weight and then be adopted into loving homes.

Please consider adding your signature to this petition. This is a Change.org, where anyone can sign it. According to the chart linked below, dog fighting in Ohio is considered a 4th degree felony, with a maximum sentence of 6 to 18 months in jail and/or up to a $5000 fine.

Dog fighting is horrendous, with innocent dogs being made to fight for their very lives. Bait dogs are used to "teach" the fighters a taste for blood and how to kill another dog. Dogs involved in this horror either die in the ring, or end up being killed or merely dumped like trash to fend for themselves.

The monsters involved in dog fighting need to be sent a clear message that this illegal nightmare for dogs will be punished to the maximum extent allowed by law.

These dogs are at the mercy of the humans who hold them captive and force them to fight, and they have no voice except those of the advocates.

Thankfully the puppies will never have to know that life, and hopefully the adult dogs will also be adopted into loving forever homes, where they will never be forced to fight or be harmed again.

Click here for the petition: "Say NO to Dog Fighting – Maximum Sentence for OH Man Accused of Fighting Dogs".

Click here for more information about this case, and a video of the dogs when they were seized.

Click here for a chart of some state dog fighting laws.

My Christmas Eve

I woke up around 7am so I could get my day started and all my chores done in time to go to Grandpa's house. Nina the little black lab girl who we believe was thrown from a car and is missing most of her hair on one side slept in the house peacefully all night. Went down stairs let the house dogs out...Scout, Nina, Petey and Hobbes. Everyone came in, ate breakfast and then it was out to the garage where the foster dogs are kept in crates in a heated room all set up for them (the room is also known as my husbands workshop... lol).

Yeager, Mia and Rosie all went out side and I fluffed their beds, gave them fresh food and water and then put them back in the room, not in cages....well except for Rosie so she would eat her food. Rosie I am baby sitting. She was from the Parvo Litter from 2009. She comes over and stays whenever her family is out of town. She has a sensitive stomach so can only eat her food or she will get the runs.

I went back in the house to get all bundled up to go to the barn to take care of the 9 horses, 2 goats, 2 donkeys, 6 plus cats (I say plus because there are a few ferrals but I am not sure how many) and the chickens (24 total).

It was such a sunny morning and the ground was still frozen so I went for a walk with all the dogs. Yeager was leaving at 9:30am and I wanted to make sure he got to play and say good bye to everyone.

We then went to the barn and started on our chores. Yeager's new mom showed up right on time and Yeager was off to his new home for Christmas. Truthfully he was a little muddy / wet from our walk but I did try to clean him up the best I could.

Once all the chores were done off to take a shower and get ready to go to Grandpa's.

On my way to Grandpa's we had to stop to pick up some bread and I received a phone call from Freckles foster to adopt home. Freckles needed to come back NOW! She is high energy and knocked over the wife's 82 year old father. I made arrangements for Freckles to be returned as soon as I was home.

THEN pooped up an email on my phone. Email clearly has been slow all day b/c of it being Christmas Eve. It was a message from someone that adopted about 3 years ago... they were taking the dog they adopted to the Humane Society and wanted me to know. UGH! What the hell!!

I immediately called the adopters and asked what was going on, I got a bunch of stories none of which made much sense. I explained the dog needed to come back to me and they weren't able to b/c they didn't have car and it was an emergency and his wife and children are in danger and he doesn't live in Ohio any more but his wife and kids do.... nothing made much sense.

I called the Humane Society which were EXTREMELY nice and professional and helpful. I made arrangements for the dog to be surrendered to them, the adopters had to pay $20....wish it was more. And I will go pick the dog up on Tuesday, the next day they are open.

The Humane Society said the people weren't have cooperative... not that either of us were surprised. They are claiming the dog is not aggressive, has never bitten anyone but killed the neighbor's cat and that is why they were turning him in. The supervisor of the shelter said the dog was super friendly wagging his tail and was very well behaved. THANK GOD they told me what they were doing.... he would have been euthanized b/c he killed a cat. They are unable to adopt out a dog that has killed another domesticated animal. Poor dog.

All of this rigamarole took about 45 minutes away from family b/c I was sitting in a car, looking up the humane society's phone number and had to make arrangements... Can you believe the adopters expected me to drive 1 hour to their house right then and there to get the dog. Are they out of their minds?? Seriously, you are the ones that decided the dog needed to go RIGHT NOW! when after 3 years and I just spoke to you a few months ago and everything was just great!

Sorry but people are rude!

Anyway once I got that all figured out, I get home check Facebook and see where an adopter who adopted a JRT in March was posting how the dog had cataracts and has gone blind. They seemed a little upset like it was my fault at first, I was a bit taken aback. I messaged back right away and told her I would help the best I could and told her that if she would have contacted me sooner I would have done more to help since her vet said this would be the outcome from the cataracts. I just feel horrible. I don't ever want anyone to have to go through a hardship with a dog but at the same time, I didn't create them. I just take them from one bad situation and try to place them in a loving better situation.

I realize that I am not going to know everything about every dog but I do my best to help in every situation even after adoption and that is 1 week, 1 month, 1 year or 10 years... especially within the first year, if something medical or behavioral is going on, I will work with the adopters on vet care or training. I just wish people wouldn't wait until the last minute to tell me about issues. I am here to help, I am here to do what I can but I can't help if you don't tell me.

My father in law asked me the other day "Is it all worth it?" My answer was I don't know. but then I come home to see Nina who would surly be dead, she would have died alone, scared and never knowing safety or kindness or love and I think maybe it is and I also think what can I do differently? what can I do to help people understand I am here for them and the dog for the life of the dog... hell in some case even after the dog passes. I still talk regularly to two adopters whose dog they adopted from me passed and one family who adopted from me and then 2 months later the dog was hit by a car and died.. they got another dog from me and are just an amazing family, I just think they are great and have given an amazing life to Dexter.

What can I do to help people understand I am here to help? What can I do to make people happy?

I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure--which is: Try to please everybody. - Herbert Bayard Swope

They don't get it...

I don't think people understand the sacrifice and work that goes into rescuing an animal. I mean truly rescuing an animal. Regardless of the animal...horse, cat, dog, ect. When an animal has been so badly abused that it is skin and bones, missing hair, broken bones, sick, ect. The work that goes into the animal, the money that the rescue person spends and the amount of time it takes for the animal to heal not only physically but mentally. I don't think people understand. All they see is the finished product.... the animal healed physically maybe with a few physical scares and mentally way better then when they were rescued but I don't think they understand that it doesn't happen over night. It takes MONTHS! It takes every day coming home from work and running to vet appointments, give the animal medicine, working with the animals for hours. Not eating or sleeping because you don't have time because the animal needs you. When you do finally get a chance to lay down in bed all you think about is that animal and wonder if you are making progress, wonder if whatever illness they have will you be able to figure it out, wonder if they are happy, wonder if in the end after all this work will they be adopted... wonder and worry.

Then comes the day weeks, months maybe even years later where the animal is adopted and you watch them leave out of your driveway looking confused why are these strangers taking me away. You tell them it is going to be ok and you tell them that they will be happy but they don't really understand. You are only saying these words out loud to make yourself feel better.

Technically unless the adopter reaches out to you and tells you they are doing ok you will never really know. And if you reach out to the adopter and see how the animal is doing sometimes they respond, sometimes they don't and as I have found out the hard way sometimes they lie. I have caught 2 people in lies but how many haven't I caught? Then you have the people that although you ask them to stay in touch and they signed a contract they don't. You reach out to them and they are no longer at the address, phone is disconnected, they no longer work at the job they had when they adopted from you. And you wonder.... did something bad happen? Are the people ok? Is the animal ok? You will never know.

3 times now, just this year I have found out that someone gave a dog away and never told me or asked me to take it back. 1 I got back, 1 is missing and 1 I found out where it is but the people are not nice and are suing me.

The one I got back is safe and MICROCHIPPED! So hopefully I didn't fail her this time. The one that is missing.... the story is a bit strange and they won't tell me where they took her. They said the APL but I checked with the APL and they don't have a record. That was a complicated, hard rescue... I rescued Blanche, Rosie and Dorothy... my golden girls from a small shelter where they were left crammed in cat carries covered in fleas and waste. When I got them they hated to be touched, would nip at you out of fear, had horrible teeth, had not a clue what dog food was, what a treat was or what a toy was. Oh and a collar. You would think I was torching them and a leash FORGET ABOUT IT!

Two are happy normal dogs whose owners brag about them all the time. The 3rd supposedly was very well loved but taken to the APL. I don't ever want to say anyone is lying but when I asked why did you just call me I would have taken her back the response was "I don't know you will have to talk to my husband" When I asked exactly what shelter because I checked with the APL the response was "I don't know you will have to talk to my husband" The women was cold and callus like... almost like I was calling to talk to her about the table she purchased from me off Craig's List.

I wonder where did I fail? The year of the adoption everything was great, the following year everything was wonderful, then no return emails or calls and after trying to get a hold of them I get 1/2 answers. Why? Are you lying? Do you think I am a bad person? Did you not want me to take her back like I said I would? Did I not express to you I would take her back? I mean it is in the contract but what am I doing wrong that you didn't return her to me?

I try not to be unreasonable. I have had on more then one occasion where life has gotten in the way of pet ownership. I get it, I really do. The owner of the animal says to me my (for this example) mother would like for Polly to go live with her. I said ok. I will send your mom the contract, no fee of course but have her sign it, send it back and we are all good. Ok, done. I know where the dog is and everyone is happy. I have done this more then once.. heck tried to do it for the people that are suing me but they refused and told me to come get the dog, then I called to make arrangements and they got a lawyer. Granted A LOT of lies have been uncovered since then but still.... not sure why people can't be nice about things.

Again where did I fail?

Some days I wish for just one day I could have these mean people live my life.... deal with my job, deal with my aging parents, deal with all the sick animals I am caring for, deal with all the emails about all the animals that are dieing, abused, neglected, mistreated, and all the emails from the people who want to give way their 9 year old dog because they are moving and don't want him any more. Deal with trying to have a healthy marriage.... marriage alone is a lot of work then add in all the other stuff. Try dealing with being harassed by your neighbor, try to stay connected with your friends so they don't think you have abounded them. Save every penny so you can have things you want but yet have a close family friend try to steal it from you.
All I ask is for those who adopt to just return the dog if they don't want it. Call me if you are having trouble and I will do what I can to help you, which has included buying a $400 specialty crate, paying for training sessions and helping to pay for surgery.

I really do try to help any way I can but starting to really believe the nice guy finishes last.

Top 10 Reasons Why You Can’t Trust Pit Bulls

By Jason Mann of pitbulllovers.com

(Photos by Sleeps with Dogs)

10. They will steal your spot on the couch while you are up getting a soda.

9. They will take the treat you give them and bury in the backyard like a paranoid crack head hiding their stash.

8. They will jump on your bed with muddy feet. Making you do laundry…again.

7. They will lick visitors with an uncontrolled passion only they understand.

6. They will cause children to smile.

5. They will make you feel horrible for not walking them by looking at you with deep sad eyes.

4. They will look at you like you committed a crime against them if you don’t let them lick your ice cream bowl.

3. They will cause wide spread happiness in large group settings.

2. They will crack you up by shaking their butts so hard you think they are going to snap in half.

And the number one reason why you can’t trust pit bulls…

1. They will steal your heart like a thief in the night, showing you complete and pure love that only a pit bull can show.

The dog food I like the best

The dog food I like the best can ONLY be purchased at Tractor Supply Company.

I have had MANY litters of puppies and I have tried a few different puppy / dog foods with the litters and with some of the rescue dogs that come in. Now I don't switch them around once they are on something.. I just try different food with different litters/dog/puppies.

What I have found after years of doing this is that the dogs LOVE the crap food. I mean come on why wouldn't they, it is like us living on a bag of Doritos.

I have tried the Nutru, which is good dog food not the Nutru Max but the regular Nutru. However, some dogs don't like it and it is pretty expensive. I do use their diet food for my "plump" 8 year old female JRT. She is a PIG! That is another issue not for this topic. LOL

I just recently tried Diamond dog food. Always heard good things about it and I put the mom and puppies that we currently have on it. Unfortunately, the foster home has mixed in some other food so I can't get a really good read on how they are doing on it but again another topic for another day. LOL

I did read the ingredients on Diamond dog food and found that not all the Diamond food is good. Some of it has a lot of corn, soy or wheat in it and other bags didn't. I found that interesting that one company would have such different ingratiates in their food. The crappy thing is, you can't recommend Diamond because you can say for sure which "flavors" are good or not good until you read the ingredients and the general public isn't going to go to that much trouble. I mean that is obvious with stuff like Alpo on the market still.

The food that I have found that is consistent is 4 - Health. It can only be bought at Tractor Supply and my dogs LOVE IT. My husbands dog will NOT eat the Diamond dog food at all. Gave him a full bowl of 4 - Health and he ate it like it was going out of style. Gave him Nutru... he wouldn't really eat it.

He is VERY picky! Tractor Supply might be a bit out of my way but if that is what makes my dogs happy, healthy with nice teeth, shinny coats, smooth hair then that is what I will buy. AND the nice thing is, it isn't expensive. It is a reasonable price!

Someone sent me this on 4 - Health if you want to check it out
http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/4health-dog-food-dry/

Top Worst Dog Foods

Bad Dog Food Brands and What Ingredients You Should Never Feed Your Dog.

Read your dog food labels – There are literally hundreds of brands and varieties of dog food.

Bad dog food = shortened life span for your companion.

Below is a listing of some of the inexpensive dog food brands, with the harmful, dangerous and unnecessary ingredients that you should not see on your dog food ingredient label, highlighted in red.

This is not a complete listing of all the brands with harmful ingredients, just the more popular names. Unfortunately there are still too many out there.

Use this list as a guide on what bad dog food ingredients to avoid when buying commercial dog food.

If a specific brand of food is not listed here it does not mean it is bad or good food. You can find the complete ingredient listing and nutritional analysis on any of the dog food manufacturers websites. An ingredient list like the dog food on this page should always be avoided.

CLICK HERE FOR THE BEST DOG FOOD INGREDIENTS.

I am just using these foods as examples of what I consider unhealthy and dangerous. Any dog who is fed a consistent and regular diet of corn will be more prone to illnesses, allergies and a shorter life.

DOGS ARE CARNIVOIRES – All these examples have corn as the main ingredient. Use these foods as a guide to see what you should not be feeding your dog.

BENEFUL BY PURINA INGREDIENTS: Ground yellow corn, chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, whole wheat flour, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), rice flour, beef, soy flour, sugar, propylene glycol, meat and bone meal, tricalcium phosphate, phosphoric acid, salt, water, animal digest, sorbic acid (a preservative), potassium chloride, dried carrots, dried peas, calcium propionate (a preservative), L-Lysine monohydrochloride, choline chloride, added color (Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 2), DL-Methionine, Vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, calcium carbonate, copper sulfate, Vitamin B-12 supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, Vitamin D-3 supplement, *menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), calcium iodate, folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite. Click Here for more info about these unacceptable ingredients

ALPO BY PURINA INGREDIENTS: Ground yellow corn, corn germ meal, meat and bone meal, soybean meal, beef tallow preserved with mixed tocopherols (form of vitamin E), animal digest (source of chicken flavor), salt, potassium chloride, beef & liver meal, dried cheese powder, dl-methionine, added color, choline chloride, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, vitamin E supplement, niacin, vitamin A supplement, calcium carbonate, copper sulfate, brewers dried yeast, calcium pantothenate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B-12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin d-3 supplement, riboflavin supplement, calcium iodate, *menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin k activity), folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite. Click Here for more info about these unacceptable ingredients

OL ROY From WALMART: INGREDIENTS: Ground yellow corn, soybean meal, ground whole wheat, corn syrup, poultry fat, Meat and bone meal, Animal Fat Preserved with BHA and Citric Acid, Chicken by-product meal, Rice, Animal Digest, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin D and E Supplement, Niacin, Copper Sulafate, Manganous Oxide, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, *Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex Source of Vitamin K, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Cobalt Carbonate, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite, Folic Acid Click Here for more info about these unacceptable ingredients

KIBBLES N BITS: INGREDIENTS: Corn, soybean meal, beef and bone meal, ground wheat flour, animal fat – bha used as preservative, corn syrup, wheat middlings, water sufficient for processing, animal digest (source of chicken flavor), propylene glycol, salt, hydrochloric acid, potassium chloride, caramel color, sorbic acid (used as a preservative), sodium carbonate, minerals (ferrous sulfate, zinc oxide, manganous oxide, copper sulfate, calcium iodate, sodium selenite), choline chloride, vitamins (vitamin E supplement, vitamin A supplement, niacin supplement, D-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), calcium sulfate, titanium dioxide, yellow 5, yellow 6, red 40, BHA (used as a preservative), dl methionine Click Here for more info about these unacceptable ingredients

PURINA DOG CHOW: INGREDIENTS : Whole grain corn, poultry by-product meal, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), corn gluten meal, meat and bone meal, brewers rice, soybean meal, barley, whole grain wheat, animal digest, calcium carbonate, salt, calcium phosphate, potassium chloride, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, choline chloride, zinc sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, added color (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 2, Yellow 6) , DL-Methionine, manganese sulfate, manganese proteinate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, copper sulfate, calcium pantothenate, copper proteinate, garlic oil, pyridoxine hydrochloride, Vitamin B-12 supplement, thiamine mononitrate, Vitamin D-3 supplement, riboflavin supplement, calcium iodate, *menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), folic acid, biotin, sodium selenite. Click Here for more info about these unacceptable ingredients

PEDIGREE: (Puppy Food) INGREDIENTS: Ground Whole Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Rice, Corn Gluten Meal (Source of Lutein*), Animal Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, Source of Vitamin E), Natural Poultry Flavor, Wheat, Potassium Chloride, Wheat Flour, DiCalcium Phosphate, Salt, Brewers Dried Yeast, Carmel Color, Vegetable Oil (Source of Linoleic Acid), Calcium Carbonate, Taurine, Vitamins (dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate [Source of Vitamin E], Choline Chloride, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate [Source of Vitamin C*], Vitamin A Acetate, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement [Vitamin B2], Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Marigold Meal, Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide), Added FD&C and Lake Colors (Yellow 6, Blue 2, Red 40, Yellow 5). Click Here for more info about these unacceptable ingredients

HILL’S SCIENCE DIET ORIGINAL INGREDIENTS: Ground Whole Grain Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Soybean Meal, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Soybean Oil, Chicken Liver Flavor, Flaxseed, Iodized Salt, vitamins (L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Dried Chicken Cartilage, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Taurine, Potassium Chloride, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), L-Carnitine, preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract. Click Here for more info about these unacceptable ingredients

Do what you have to for the dogs

I received a phone call today from West Park Animal Hospital. They had a women come into their office today looking for a place to board her dogs for a month. She has to go into a women's shelter TONIGHT and has no place for her dogs to go. She doesn't want anything to happen to her dogs and would like them back once she is out of the shelter but needs somewhere for them to go. She isn't broke, she can pay for boarding. HOWEVER, for a dog to be boarded it needs to have all it's vaccinations and she doesn't have that much money right now. For two dogs to have all their shots it would be around $200 PLUS then money up front for boarding. That is a lot of money right off the starting gate.

The women was running out of options and wasn't sure what to do. She called a few other rescues who will remain nameless for right now and was told "So sorry about your luck but we can't help."

UGH! That makes me so mad. RESCUE means HELP. Am I wrong in thinking this????

Anyway, I told her that I would be happy to pay for both dogs to have all their shots so they could be placed in boarding and I made arrangements at my vet office for her to have it all done there and have them boarded there. She said she would pay for the boarding and really really wanted her dogs back once she gets out of the shelter and everything figured out.

To me if someone wants to keep their dogs, a rescue should help them make it possible. For God sake this women is going into a women's shelter for abused and battered women and children, clearly this is NOT a normal situation and statistics show that people stay with their abuses BECAUSE they have no safe place for their pets. I sure the hell not going to let a person stay in a bad situation just because no one will help with the animals.