LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The case of 174 feral Chihuahuas on death row in a
Los Angeles animal shelter has pitted animal rescue groups against each
other in a debate over whether the purse-sized dogs are too vicious to
adopt.

The plight of the tiny dogs has prompted a war of words between rival
Chihuahua rescue groups, a candlelight vigil, and an outpouring of offers of
new homes and money.

Some experts have also warned that the adorable lap dogs, made wild by years
of inbreeding and roaming in packs in the home of their elderly owner, were
closer to miniature wolves than the cute breed made famous as the Taco Bell
mascot.

The dogs were seized from the home of 72-year-old Emma Harter in November.
Harter was charged in April with felony animal cruelty.

Animal experts employed by Los Angeles initially determined that the dogs
were too dangerous to be sent to new homes, Animal Care & Control
spokeswoman Kaye Michelson said.

"They are very unsocialized," Michelson said. "They do have severe behavior
problems."

Their fate will be sealed on Thursday, when a judge is expected to decide
whether the dogs should be euthanized or rehabilitated, a question also
being debated by Chihuahua rescue groups.

Lynnie Bunten, president of Chihuahua Rescue & Transport, a Texas-based
organization, said the dogs were too threatening to be adopted by "regular
Joe families."

"They are pack animals and as pack animals are dangerous," Bunten said.

But Kimi Peck, former daughter-in-law of the late actor Gregory Peck, said
all the dogs could be rescued and planned to hold a candlelight vigil on
Wednesday at her Burbank kennel, Chihuahua Rescue.

Peck also criticized Bunten's group for its stance: "They are despicable.
They are Hitlers. They won't take dogs unless they are perfect."

No one questions that these are troubled dogs. The pack's dominant members
have attacked and killed more than a dozen kennel mates after arriving at
the shelter, Michelson said.

Pet expert Warren Eckstein, who evaluated the dogs for Peck, said he
believed all of the dogs can be saved.

"Of course they are going to have that kind of behavior -- look at how
incarcerated humans act," Eckstein, who hosts a national pet radio show and
consults with NBC's Today Show, said. "I'm not saying they are all Rin Tin
Tin, but they're not Cujo either."

"culprit" wrote in message
...

"CaptRon" wrote in message
rthlink.net...
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The case of 174 feral Chihuahuas on death row in
a
Los Angeles animal shelter has pitted animal rescue groups against each
other in a debate over whether the purse-sized dogs are too vicious to
adopt.

how could she live with 174 feral Chihuahuas? wouldn't they eat her in
her
sleep? i'd be terrified to shut my eyes at night...

-kelly



maybe she had a very tall bed? when i first read the title of the
article, i pictured them roaming free through the forests. kind of like
those killer ants from South America, leaving a broad path of devistation in
their wake.

dainerra

"CaptRon" wrote in news:zlyRa.105963$Io.9076488
@newsread2.prod.itd.earthlink.net:

maybe she had a very tall bed?

Just as long as she didn't let them watch cheerleading competitions where
they do the pyramid.

--
*******************************************
Marcel Beaudoin & Moogli

*******************************************
'This is a lot of tripe; you know
that.'--The Brain
*******************************************

CaptRon wrote:
"culprit" wrote in message
...

"CaptRon" wrote in message
. earthlink.net...

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The case of 174 feral Chihuahuas on death row in

a

Los Angeles animal shelter has pitted animal rescue groups against each
other in a debate over whether the purse-sized dogs are too vicious to
adopt.

how could she live with 174 feral Chihuahuas? wouldn't they eat her in

her

sleep? i'd be terrified to shut my eyes at night...

-kelly




maybe she had a very tall bed? when i first read the title of the
article, i pictured them roaming free through the forests. kind of like
those killer ants from South America, leaving a broad path of devistation in
their wake.

The image I got was of a pack of chihuahuas taking down a caribou out on
the frozen tundra.

Kathleen

Lynnie Bunten, president of Chihuahua Rescue & Transport, a Texas-based
organization, said the dogs were too threatening to be adopted by "regular
Joe families."

"They are pack animals and as pack animals are dangerous," Bunten said.

But Kimi Peck, former daughter-in-law of the late actor Gregory Peck, said
all the dogs could be rescued and planned to hold a candlelight vigil on
Wednesday at her Burbank kennel, Chihuahua Rescue.

Peck also criticized Bunten's group for its stance: "They are despicable.
They are Hitlers. They won't take dogs unless they are perfect."


Since Kimi apparently has unlimited funds, courtesy of her late father-in-law,
SHE can take them all and fund their lengthy rehabilitation with professional
trainers and behaviorists and so on.

No one questions that these are troubled dogs. The pack's dominant members
have attacked and killed more than a dozen kennel mates after arriving at
the shelter, Michelson said.

That's "not perfect," all right.
Janet

//Dear Artemesia! Poetry's a sna
//Bedlam has many Mansions: have a ca
//Your Muse diverts you, makes the Reader sad:
//You think your self inspir'd; He thinks you mad.

This made me think of a recent episode of Animal Cops. (yes, I know its a very
poor depiction of things...) but the Detroit ASPCA had been called out to get
ride of some feral cats that had overrun a house that belonged to an elderly
lady. I'm not sure what happened to the owner, but she didn't live there.

This house was you average size house. 2 stories with an unfinished basement.
When all was said an done, over 300 cats were seized in a 2 day period. 300!!!
The cats were everywhere, in the rafters, between the walls, in the roof, in the
stove, in the fridge, everywhere. Everything was covered in brown crap and the
floor was several inches thick with feces. I've NEVER seen anything like it. I
couldn't believe that Animal Planet didn't put a notice up that what they were
about to show was graphic. This was wild. The workers dressed in full body
suites with air filter masks but the stench was still over powering. IIRC even
after 2 full days of cat trapping, I think they said something like they had to
go back for the rest.

All were scheduled to be euthanized. In this case, I agreed with he decision.
These were not animals that could be rehabilitated. But then again, I've also
watched the same show and seen how it *appeard* that pitt mixes or other
abandoned/abused dogs that were rescued and cleaned up ect, were rehabilitated
and sent to loving owners.

D

CaptRon wrote:

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The case of 174 feral Chihuahuas on death row in a
Los Angeles animal shelter has pitted animal rescue groups against each
other in a debate over whether the purse-sized dogs are too vicious to
adopt.

The plight of the tiny dogs has prompted a war of words between rival
Chihuahua rescue groups, a candlelight vigil, and an outpouring of offers of
new homes and money.

Some experts have also warned that the adorable lap dogs, made wild by years
of inbreeding and roaming in packs in the home of their elderly owner, were
closer to miniature wolves than the cute breed made famous as the Taco Bell
mascot.

The dogs were seized from the home of 72-year-old Emma Harter in November.
Harter was charged in April with felony animal cruelty.

Animal experts employed by Los Angeles initially determined that the dogs
were too dangerous to be sent to new homes, Animal Care & Control
spokeswoman Kaye Michelson said.

"They are very unsocialized," Michelson said. "They do have severe behavior
problems."

Their fate will be sealed on Thursday, when a judge is expected to decide
whether the dogs should be euthanized or rehabilitated, a question also
being debated by Chihuahua rescue groups.

Lynnie Bunten, president of Chihuahua Rescue & Transport, a Texas-based
organization, said the dogs were too threatening to be adopted by "regular
Joe families."

"They are pack animals and as pack animals are dangerous," Bunten said.

But Kimi Peck, former daughter-in-law of the late actor Gregory Peck, said
all the dogs could be rescued and planned to hold a candlelight vigil on
Wednesday at her Burbank kennel, Chihuahua Rescue.

Peck also criticized Bunten's group for its stance: "They are despicable.
They are Hitlers. They won't take dogs unless they are perfect."

No one questions that these are troubled dogs. The pack's dominant members
have attacked and killed more than a dozen kennel mates after arriving at
the shelter, Michelson said.

Pet expert Warren Eckstein, who evaluated the dogs for Peck, said he
believed all of the dogs can be saved.

"Of course they are going to have that kind of behavior -- look at how
incarcerated humans act," Eckstein, who hosts a national pet radio show and
consults with NBC's Today Show, said. "I'm not saying they are all Rin Tin
Tin, but they're not Cujo either."

"Darby Wiggins" wrote in message
...
But then again, I've also
watched the same show and seen how it *appeard* that pitt mixes or other
abandoned/abused dogs that were rescued and cleaned up ect, were
rehabilitated
and sent to loving owners.

not pit bulls or pit mixes, those are all euthanized. apparently it's too
hard to find good homes for them in Detroit, so they just don't even try.
apparently it's more "humane" to just kill the dogs before trying to find a
home for them.

not that this bugs me or anything...

-kelly

ohhh. either I got the breed mix wrong, or the show is not telling the
truth....either way, a blanket policy to kill is not good
Darby

culprit wrote:

"Darby Wiggins" wrote in message
...
But then again, I've also
watched the same show and seen how it *appeard* that pitt mixes or other
abandoned/abused dogs that were rescued and cleaned up ect, were
rehabilitated
and sent to loving owners.

not pit bulls or pit mixes, those are all euthanized. apparently it's too
hard to find good homes for them in Detroit, so they just don't even try.
apparently it's more "humane" to just kill the dogs before trying to find a
home for them.

not that this bugs me or anything...

-kelly

"Kathleen" wrote in message
...
CaptRon wrote:
maybe she had a very tall bed? when i first read the title of the
article, i pictured them roaming free through the forests. kind of
like
those killer ants from South America, leaving a broad path of
devistation in
their wake.

The image I got was of a pack of chihuahuas taking down a caribou out on
the frozen tundra.

Kathleen


LOL i can picture the National Geographic Special now!! "The mighty
caribou......."

culprit wrote:

not pit bulls or pit mixes, those are all euthanized. apparently it's too
hard to find good homes for them in Detroit, so they just don't even try.
apparently it's more "humane" to just kill the dogs before trying to find a
home for them.

not that this bugs me or anything...

Well, it bugs me no end. At the very least, they should present it as
such - something along the lines of 'We don't have adequate screening
capabilities, so rather than taking the risk that this dog will end back
in a fighting ring, we choose to euthanize them summarily, regardless of
their temperament". As it is, I think they are helping to perpetuate
some of the bad press about the breed.

Suja