URGENTLY NEED SUGGESTIONS!

[Stazz]

Yes I actually applaud "this woman" Purpod - I would have done the exact same thing. I would not have left the beardie there for one minute longer, TOUGH if they want to press charges, the poor animal is so sickly, I think it would be a crime to leave it there !!

 

[Isa]

Yes, I do Applaud PURPOD (that is her name!), She is a hero to have tried to save this poor little animal. I would have done the same thing if I was her, the poor animal is abused and sick.

 

[terryo]

This IMHO this was one time when action was required. Sorry....but if you can save a life due to someone else's neglect...weather it be animal or human you just can't sit and watch it suffer. I myself have driven many miles to a relative's pond to bring a "conviscated" water turtle that was sitting in the hot sun in a 10 tank with an inch of water on someone's porch.... Dog's chained in someone's back yard with no water or shelter in 90 degree weather for months when I pleaded with a lunitic who just threw rocks at me......conviscated and brought to a friend's farm in Conn. So I for one understand perfectly .... it was the right thing to do.

 

[Laura]

A few questions: How long DO Dragons live? What Vet did they take it to? THEY are the responsible ones if they didnt educate and do right by this critter... she had it for 12 years.. always there in the classroom? It lived 12 years.. was it ok still recently?
I had a stray dog the other day.. tags and microchip. the finder refused to call the number or try to get it home. They thought the dog was in awful shape and the owner didnt deserve to get it back. It was thin. Old. Had some trouble walking but did ok. When I talked to the owner, I was told the dog was 14 on meds and sees the vet regulary. I had no reason not to beleive her. I have had old dogs too. they dont always look so great. But they can start to suffer.. Im wondering if Saved needs to be seen by a different vet and if doing so bad and life span is over.. maybe put him down?
Hard to tell without being there.. but would be nice to know both sides....
I think Purpod has a heart of gold, and at least she tried her best.. lots of people would have just walked away.

 

[chadk]

I agree that the something needed to be done. But steeling was going too far. I would have come back and confronted the teacher in a friendly way at first. Asked her about the lizard and maybe offered to help. It does seem she was ignorant of beardie care. But 12yrs old is pretty good for a beardie.

I would have taken pics of the beardie, the enclosure, substrate, food, water, lighting, etc. Compared that to a proper caresheet as evidence. After confronting her with this information, i'd hope she would be open to your suggestions. If not, printing flyers of the poor critter and sitting in front of the school or local grocery store with a petition could have had a pretty strong impact.

When you chose to steel, especially while in a leadership role in your church, you put the church in a bad position. Call it PC or whatever, you made a rash decision and put your pastor in a tough spot and made the whole church look bad. Standing up for animals, the unborn, and others who do not have a voice of their own is very commendable. But when emotions are at full hilt, it is a good time to take a deep breath and move cautiously. What might have had a happy ending with a teacher actually learning something, and maybe her class as well and future classes - may end up just turning you into a criminal, the church into accomplices, the relationship with the school in jeopardy, the teacher just angry at you and your church, the students just angry at you and your church, the community just angry at you and your church, and the poor lizard no better off than when you started - in fact, all the stress of moving around from place to place could be worse on it than anything else!

Again, your compassion is commendable. Action needed to take place. I just disgree with the execution of the action you chose.

I would 'man up' and go applogize to the church and preacher, the school, the teacher, and explain why you did what you did. This could build a bridge and open a dialogue about how to treat animals better. Education is the best route here I think. When that approach is rejected, then another route could be considered.

My 2 cents

 

[dmmj]

This IMHO this was one time when action was required. Sorry....but if you can save a life due to someone else's neglect...weather it be animal or human you just can't sit and watch it suffer. I myself have driven many miles to a relative's pond to bring a "conviscated" water turtle that was sitting in the hot sun in a 10 tank with an inch of water on someone's porch.... Dog's chained in someone's back yard with no water or shelter in 90 degree weather for months when I pleaded with a lunitic who just threw rocks at me......conviscated and brought to a friend's farm in Conn. So I for one understand perfectly .... it was the right thing to do.

No water for months, and the dog lived? anyoe with basic biology knows that is impossible, either way after the first or second time all it would have took was a call to the ASPCA or humane society, they could have come out and seen the conditon of the dog, and legally, I stress legally taken the dog on the spot, and if this "loon" had thrown rocks at them he would have been in jail, but since people try to handle it on their own crimes are committed. the ends do not justify the means, sorry.

 

[terryo]

I'm sorry I didn't go into all the specifics, as it would be much too long to post. The dog did have water or he would have been dead. He WAS chained to a tree for months in the summer with no shelter,and when he finished his water for the day...that was it, and also in the winter in the snow with a burlap bag thrown on the grown. The police where called many times as well as the ASPCA and every time he brought the dog into his cellar. After a while he was brought out again....This was repeated for two years or more....It wasn't just me....I had lots of help...but eventually the dog was "confiscated". This is just one incident that I mentioned. I was much younger, and yes I was a bit of a renegade...but the only reason I mentioned this was because I wanted everyone to know I knew exactly how this "much loved and respected women" felt and understood that she did what she thought was best for the animal involved. I did not expect to have to defend myself or go into much detail when posting.

 

[dmmj]

does "confiscated" = stolen?

 

[Meg90]

Frankly I, I could care less if she stole him. I would have done the same thing. The world is run by callous people.

Charlotte, the tort I rescued is a prime example. I told the manager she needed a vet. He said she was supposed to look like that. I told him she was sick, and NOT worth the asking price. He knew it, but only took 20$ dollars off. 60$ for a blatanty unhealthy animal. And then there is the fact that he took money off, because he aknowledged that she WAS sick, but still refused her VET care.

Most times, the humane society will do nothing. People lie, just like Terryo said, that man brought his dog in. They say, OH i just fed him, he ate it, or he's sickly etc.

That beardie WAS NOT 12. That woman blatantly lied you can be sure. To feed that poor animal POPCORN is cruel. Yet, because it is "only" a bearded dragon, nothing will be done.

If it was me, I would have done the same thing.

The only reason those people make a stink is because the could. If Purpod had offered 20$ for the animal, more than likely they would have sold it, just ot be rid of all the hassel.

That is always how it works. They either get something for it in cash, or in figuritively making some one "pay" by returning the animal.

until you see such unspeakable cruelty in person, its hard to understand.

Charlotte's care infuriated me, yet that man stood there and waited until he got his money, without a care in the world for that animal. The care she recieved in the 1 yr she was there is what killed her.

 

[Yvonne G]

While I truly understand Purpod's passion, its never a good idea to take the law into your own hands. You should always try the legal means first...SPCA, etc. Making a real pest out of yourself until something gets done is better than taking the law into your hands and getting yourself in trouble. How can you help then?

Having said that, ... Way to go Colleen!!

Yvonne

 

[purpod]

Such an approach {that of education} had already been attempted during spring break MONTHS AGO! and there is no way they can tell me that BB, only 6, could be bigger than Saved {s'posedly 12} if Saved had been cared for properly. And surely, if Saved was 12, how is it that her keeper was not educated in the basics of reptile care? Sorry Chad, but you are wrong. Preacher and the church can build all of the bridges they wish among themselves. Apologize? Scoffing at the notion!; I think not.

And Laura, let's play the devils advocate here and say Saved was only dying 'cuz it was old: then why not give it just a bit of comfort... say... a little food, perhaps some heat or a drop or two of water? No, no, Saved did not die from old age; he died from malnutrition, improper heat/sunlight and dehydration.

If it wasn't so sad, it would be amusing, how some peeps here talk about my criminal actions, and yet the criminal actions of animal cruelty on behalf of my preacher, the instructor and the school are not even mentioned! Surely, they are above reproach, right? NOT!

And when Preacher took Saved to the vet, did he tell him that there was only popped popcorn for food? No. Did he tell them there was no heat whatsoever? No. Did he explain that there was no water, not a drop in the cage? No. Did he ask what causes metabolic bone disease? No. Did he take Saved to the vet yesterday, as he told me he would? No. Did he call me after he had come from the vet as he said he would? No.

Stace, Isa, Yvonne, Robbie, Larry, etc.. , while I appreciate what you've written, {and I really really do} I do not need applause and surely I am no hero. I could care a less if others here condemn me:

I sleep very well at night, and God has no issue with what I did. My kids were helping me and have no issue with what I did, and neither did my Mom when I told her of the situation. Those are the peeps who know me; and they know I was in no way culpable in the cruelty that others allowed to persist, even after it was brought to their attentions previously.

One thing to note, when preacher did finally take him to the vet, s'posedly the vet said he was dead and had been for 24 hours. Well, Saved wasn't dead when Preacher took him from me on Tuesday night.

And I, for one, am HAPPY that I could make his last days here on this earth a little more comfortable for him! The only thing I would've done differently is that when Preacher came to my home to take Saved, I should've called the Humane Society right then and there, and relinquished the animal only to them.

Would I take him again, given the same circumstances? Your damned right I would, in a heartbeat. At least our poor lil' Saved is now cruising around, chowing down on crickets and greens up in heaven, no longer freezing, but basking in the sunlight of God's light! I praise God that he did not allow Saved to suffer any further!

Others can praise the 'School of Genocide'; be my guest. No worries about allowing your kids to be taught in the topic of 'Reptile Concentration Camp 101'.. consider this woman a thief for 'stealing' someones 'property', should it please you.

As for "This woman"? She has had enough. No need to write anything more here, Saved is gone & I won't be replying to anything else here. I see no reason to continue to defend myself against those who have no issues with how Saved lived, suffered and died.

Thanx for the huggs and prayers, those of you who understood the real criminal actions in this instance.
Signed,
"This Woman" {who's name is Purpod, thank you very much}

 

[Laura]

I'd print out care sheets and highlight everything they did wrong that led to this animals death. make a few copies. Vet, Preacher, teacher, aides, whomever and make sure they know they did wrong.. and hopefully save a future animal from the same fate.
Stick it in thier face. Heck .. go to the media...make sure animals in classrooms everywhere are getting proper treatment. be their Advocate...dont let his death be in vain.

 

[dmmj]

A lot of anger here,no one here condones animal cruelty I for oneam against it, but 2 wrongs dont't make a right.if they abused an animal they should also be charged. I said before taking the law into your own hands is wrong, no matter how well intentioned the act is.The exscuses are laughable IMO and if you have no issue with your criminal actions so be it, I must run on a different level than you.

 

[chadk]

This is exactly what i was talking about... You made a rash decision and now the lizard is dead and the situation is now much worse. They could accuse you of stressing the lizard and causing it's death.

Noboday said the school did anything right, did they? But you did make a bad situation worse. Just look at the anger, hatred, dead animal, etc. Does that look like a good ending? Instead, you could have built relationships, educated, got public support, and perhaps saved the lizard. Yes, then you would have been a hero. Again, your compassion is commendable - no doubt.

And Meg, I assure you when you grow up and experience life a little more, you'll realize how silly your statement was (assuming that those of us suggesting another approach were some how less informed and experienced regarding the cruelties of the world...).