Here’s an Ohio tale that’s gone positively viral-
An Ohio dog was recently found emaciated and dehydrated, his skin covered with infection, and he had heart worms. Authorities report that Joseph the German Sheperd had been chained to a Middletown, OH tree by his owner for four straight years.
The pooch was rescued last week by Cincinnati’s Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). The dog is currently undergoing veterinary rehabilitation.
Meanwhile, Joseph’s former owner, Jeremy Shane Temple, faces animal cruelty charges. He allegedly left the poor dog chained to a tree in his backyard with no more than a few scraps of food and minimal access to water.
He also apparently told his neighbors, who questioned after the dog’s depleting state, that Joseph had a rare disease that made him look emaciated.
When an arresting officer asked Temple about Joseph, Temple allegedly said, “The dog is not human,” the Huffington Post reported.
Er, what?
Temple has since been fined and released, but is expected back in court later this month.
Joseph is expected to make a full recovery. He’s now enjoying some TLC from the fine folks at PAWS. You can check out his latest status on his Facebook page and can even consider adopting him.
This article appears in Oct 2-8, 2013.
How could his neighbors let this go on for four years? They are almost as guilty as this piece of shit. after a month at the most someone should have called. I don’t understand the reason to do this just give them to someone who cares or even the apl would take care of them 🙁
Anyone treating an animal like this should have the same treatment afforded to them. That aninal is way more human than the owner and should be treated as such.
Ohio laws are currently not severe enough to keep people like this from continuing to do these types of things to animals – and neighbors are not much better for not making the call for help years ago. If you cannot treat any animal with respect as a living being how about a equal punishment for the offender, we keep sweeping these things out of our minds instead of reacting.
Not to mention that this means the dog was chained there straight through Ohio’s frigid, snowy winters and during the hottest days of summer. If I were one of the neighbors, that dog would not have been left out there in the cold or heat for one single day. If animal rescue didn’t come immediately, I would have stolen the dog. This is absolutely disgusting. Tie the man to a tree for four years and starve him. He doesn’t deserve anything less.
Mr. Temple needs to be chained to a tree for four years. I guarantee you he would be a changed man and a bit more humble and understanding about what he did. Too bad our society can’t just do that.
The look on this poor baby’s face is heartbreaking, I don’t understand how none of the neighbors did not contact the authorities, I would have made it my business to rescue him. I was in tears reading about this beautiful baby, I wish I could have him, I would just cover him with love and affection and spoil him rotten which is what he deserves. I cannot believe that this pos man was only find $25… surely this is not the end of it, he should be in jail and never ever allowed to have animals for the rest of his life….. I am disgusted….. Joseph get well…..
I think that the owner needs to be chained to a tree for four years and only given the minimum amount of food and water and see if he likes it…If you don’t want to take care of an animal and bring them into your home then don’t get one…Dogs, Cats and other pets are like children…you wouldn’t chain your child to a tree would you? I love my pets like i love my kids. I have four dogs and every one of them is a house dog and they get to sit on my furniture with me…and they lay in bed with me….they also have their own beds on the floor too to lay in…I don’t get why people get any type of pet if they are not going to care for them like they would their own children…..I hope someone adopts him and gives him the life and attention he should’ve had all along…