[JeanninePC99]

There's a sad pic below...just a heads up.




I just got this from one of the rescue groups I work with. Plenty of stories get passed along on the listserves for these groups, but this one floored me. According to friends down there, this hasn't even made the news down there yet.

This is what the dog looked like when the rescue group got her. She barely looks like a German Shepherd, she's so tiny.

Hannah, a four year old German Shepherd was formerly owned by a Tattnall County, GA, K-9 Handler and from a very young age was used as a breeding machine, confined until her muscles atrophied, starved and neglected.

When she was deemed no longer useful, she was surrendered to Animal Control facility in Reidsville, Georgia (about 75 miles southwest of Savannah - in Tattnall County) with orders to euthanize her. At the time of her surrender, Hannah, known at the time as Haunna, was in horrific condition. She had been starved, was severely emaciated and weighted only 41 lbs. Her pads were so wounded that she walked on her haunches and her fur was rubbed off in many places due to confinement. She was also pregnant and gave birth to three stillborn puppies while at the animal control facility.

On February 7, 2007, she was rescued by the Southern Cross German Shepherd Rescue. Hannah was taken to a vet and on the way she began to bleed, mostly from giving birth combined with her extremely poor physical condition. Following is a statement from the vet:

Today, I examined Haunna (now Hannah), an approximately four year old GSD.
During the examination, it was noted Haunna is severely underweight. On a
typical scoring scale, with 3/5 being a normal, healthy weight, Haunna is a
low 1/5. This type of body condition is typically only noted in dogs
suffering from long-term cancers or long term starvation. No signs of
neoplasia (cancer) were noted in Haunna. Haunna had hair loss on her caudal
thighs consistent with long term kenneling, skin disease, or both. If you
have any questions, or other information I can provide, please don’t
hesitate to call.

Sincerely,
Will Baldwin, DVM
Cornelia Veterinay Hospital
Cornelia, Ga. 706 778-6605

When Hannah gained enough strength she was spayed. Her uterus was removed it was full of cystic nodules. She also had 2 very small tumors removed from her mammary glands. She also tested a very strong heartworm positive and must undergo treatment as soon as she is strong enough.

Hannah’s case had to be turned over to the GBI - Georgia Bureau of Investigation, because the person that owned her was associated with the law enforcement in Tattnall county as a K-9 Handler. Southern Cross and Hannah’s new owner are trying desperately to get justice for Hannah but it’s beginning to look like they are trying to either sweep it under the carpet and hope it will go away or cover it up. They’ve also heard that her previous owner has acquired another dog to replace Hannah as his new ‘breeding machine.’

This case is being investigated by the GBI Region 5 Office in Statesboro, Georgia, Atlantic Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office in Tattnall County. The District Attorney is Tom Durden. They will not release the name of the abuser, the K-9 handler with Tattnall County. No charges have been brought. The DA will now not take or return calls regarding this case. Hannah’s new owner has tried to take this case to the media since law enforcement seems unwilling to do anything. She contacted WOTC and initially they were interested in the story, until DA Tom Durden told them that the only reason that Hannah was so emaciated was because she has cancer. Hannah does not have cancer.

Why is the law enforcement authorities so unwilling to bring charges against the abuser? It is because he’s also a member of law enforcement? Are they trying to cover this up? Hannah was neglected, abused then tossed away like worthless trash when her owner no longer deemed her useful, o.e.. able to breed so as to continue to fill his pockets. She still has a long road to recovery and is undergoing treatment for heartworm, a serious and life threatening condition.

What can you do?
Contact
District Attorney Tom Durden
Email - daajc@yahoo.com
945 E.G. Miles Pkwy
Hinesville GA 31313
(912) 876-4151
(912) 876-7991


Read more on Hannah's Dogster.com page: http://www.dogster.com/dogs/757736

Please help to get Hannah’s story out! Use the email link below and send this out to everyone you know, sent it to the media, to law enforcement, post it on your websites, blogs and anywhere people will see it and help to fight against this injustice!! Don’t let this happen to another ‘Hannah’!

UPDATE - 4/23
An attempt was made to post this story to the Tattnall Journal to get some additional coverage and bring it to the public’s attention. This is the response:

From: Allison Cobb
Date: Wed, Apr 23, 2008 at 4:13 PM
To: The Juninator
Well, I can’t post it online since the incident is still under investigation and hasn’t been finalized yet. We know the K-9 handler personally and as usual, the information out there isn’t the whole story. We’ll run it in the paper when the investigation is complete.

The good news is that the dog is now getting treated for heartworms and is looking a little better.



EDIT: the new owner made a blog about the dog: http://hannahsnewlife.blogspot.com/

[gizmobaby]

wow, that's so sad. blah! i was never too keen with popos anyway! they're all shady in my eyes!! i hope that person gets prosecuted IMMEDIATELY! some people just take things "lightly" and let others get away with what they're doing. i'm hoping this person hasn't done anything else to any other dog...

[JeanninePC99]

My grandfather was NYPD and my brother is a state trooper. I can say, from interacting with their friends from work, that the vast majority of police officers do their jobs honorably and have a genuine interest in justice and fighting crime.

There are pockets of bad seeds who are get into law enforcement for the power trip; the high they get from being feared. Those are the types that are probably able to hurt dogs in the way described above.


He is not getting prosecuted, as you can see from the parts about the DA's office. This is clearly being swept under the rug by corrupt government employees.

[Pax]

Poor baby . Such a pretty girl, too. I hope she finds a terrific home.

[Royker]

These types of stories just break my heart. If there's one thing I'm certain of is that there's no limit to man's cruelty.

[5 s corral]

that is so sad i am glad she is with someone that loves her now
jamie

[Patt]

I am so glad Hannah has a happy ending to her story. She looks beautiful.

Some of the K9 troppers in the south suck! I hope this particular K9 handler pays big time!