The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : William Leonard Dodson The Pet Tree House - Where Pets Are Family Too : William Leonard Dodson
Showing posts with label William Leonard Dodson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label William Leonard Dodson. Show all posts

Friday, July 3, 2015

Caitlyn, The Pit Bull Who Was Found with Her Muzzle Taped Shut Will Be in Shirtless Firefighters Calendar


Is it getting hot in here, or is it just some shirtless firefighters cavorting on the beach, alongside a formerly abused pit bull?

Caitlyn the pit bull was discovered with her muzzle taped shut in late May, in North Charleston, South Carolina.

She was so badly injured at the time that staff from the Charleston Animal Society, which assumed Caitlyn's care, worried she might not make it.

But after a lot of medical treatment, and a whole lot of love, Caitlyn is doing great. (Her alleged abuser was arrested and charged with animal cruelty in early June.)

She's now recovering in a foster home, where she has a new best doggie friend.

And in her spare time, Caitlyn is starring with area firefighters in a really, really ridiculously good-looking calendar -- the proceeds of which will help other abused, abandoned and neglected animals also get medical care.

"I do have a fun job, don't I?" says Charleston Animal Society's Caroline Eller, who organized the calendar and took some of its especially memorable behind-the-scenes shots.

Eller says that on top of raising much-needed funds -- medical care costs the Charleston Animal Society some $500,000 per year -- she hopes that this calendar encourages folks to adopt their next pet.

"I'm a firm believer that an animal knows they have been rescued," she says. "I hope these images show the true bond between a rescue and their rescuer."

And hey, you don't need to commit arson to get these guys coming to your home.

The Charleston Animal Society has lots and lots of adoptable animals who'd love to be loved by you.

And if you're burning up for the 2016 Charleston Animal Society Firefighters, you can pre-order HERE.









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Monday, June 15, 2015

Caitlyn the Dog Who Suffered Grotesque Injuries After Her Snout Was Taped Shut with Electrical Tape is on the Mend


A 15-month-old dog named Caitlyn that was found with her snout taped shut so tightly she needed surgery is doing well and does not require additional procedures, animal society officials said.

Charleston Animal Society officials announced Friday that Caitlyn, a stray dog found in North Charleston, South Carolina in May, does not require additional surgery to her mutilated snout.

In a Facebook post on the society's page, an administrator wrote that a veterinarian concluded that the dog's original incisions are healed.

The dog, a Chocolate Staffie Mix, was found on a doorstep with the electrical tape wrapped tightly around her muzzle, Fox Carolina reports.

The person took the dog to the society and Caitlyn, listed in critical condition, underwent surgery to repair her cheek and lips.

Court documents state that when Caitlyn was taken in, her snout was swollen and her tongue was swollen, bruised, discolored and oozing blood, Fox reports.

Officials said Caitlyn's tongue had no blood flow since it became stuck between her teeth due to the tight tape wrapping.

A vet earlier in the week said that the pooch would need additional surgery to treat a wound underneath her chin, but declared on Friday that it would not be necessary.

William Leonard Dodson, 41, was arrested and charged with animal cruelty on June 4 in the case of the abused dog.
  
His bail was set at $50,000 and he was ordered to surrender a second dog he owned at his residence, police told Fox.

Court documents stated that Dodson bought the dog at the end of May for $20 and told the woman he bought it from that he had taped the dog's snout because she wouldn't stop barking.

Dodson, who laughed about the claim, reportedly also told the woman that he chained the dog in his front yard but the pooch broke free and escaped, Fox reports, citing an affidavit. 

According to society officials, the tape may have been wrapped for between 36 and 48 hours.

For more information on the Charleston Animal Society, you can check out their website, and if you are interested in donating to Toby's Fund, click HERE. 


You can read the timeline stories about Caitlyn here:









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Friday, June 5, 2015

Caitlyn, The Dog Found with Her Muzzle Taped Shut is Making a Remarkable Recovery


A pit bull named Caitlyn nearly lost her life because of the cruelty of one man, who has since been arrested for tightly taping her snout shut.  Now she is getting tons of love and care, and is healing very well.

A 15-month-old chocolate pit bull mix was found on the porch of a South Carolina resident who called 911 after seeing what horrible shape she was in.

“I have a dog that’s here at my house that I found and the dog’s mouth is taped shut with electrical tape, tongue hanging out its mouth, bleeding, and his tongue is completely black,” a 911 caller said, according to ABC affiliate WCIV. “I just don’t know what to do.”

She was taken to Charleston Animal Society, who got her immediate medical attention.  The blood flow had been completely cut off from her tongue, making the situation quite delicate.

“To leave this dog in pain, unable to eat or drink, and to now leave her in the position where her life is at stake because she may lose her tongue is heartbreaking,” said Aldwin Roman of the CAS.

Her story was posted on their Facebook page, and people began sharing it with the hashtag #Justice4Caitlyn in an effort to find her abuser.  On Monday, North Charleston police arrested William Leonard Dodson on the felony charge of animal torture.  Bail was set at $50,000.


“I don’t think $50,000 really matched the pain and suffering Caitlyn has had to go through,” Roman said after the hearing, according to the Post and Courier. “She is healing, but the damage has been done.”

Another dog was removed from his home, and court records state that Dodson “can not have [possession] of any animals.”

Caitlyn’s previous owner told WCIV that he sold her to a stranger for $10 on Memorial Day because she was tearing up his house and he worried that he might be evicted.

“Don’t let me find you, that’s all I can say,” the man said about his former dog’s abuse. “Because that’s part of my family that you just did some foul things to.”

However, an affidavit released during Dodson’s bond hearing, “paints a slightly different picture of what happened to Caitlyn, who had previously been named Diamond.”

Dodson is reported to have bought the dog for $20, but returned the next night to tell her former owner that he had taped her mouth shut because she wouldn’t stop barking.  The anonymous prior owner said the man laughed when he told him that.

The affidavit stated that the owner “had known Dodson for a least a year and said he is ‘like a brother.’”

Dodson faces up to five years in prison and a fine of $5,000 because he caused “excessive and unnecessary pain and suffering.”

Caitlyn, meanwhile, is recovering better than caregivers might have expected.  She is being treated at Veterinary Specialty Care in Mount Pleasant.

“This was intentional, someone was trying to hurt her,” said Dr. Kelli Kline. “They did it — they did what they went out to do. I am very, very surprised that she’s healing at this rate.”

She will be receiving cold laser therapy to encourage healing in her tongue, and just today she underwent surgery to have her lips and cheek fixed.  She is reportedly doing well, and will be eating and drinking on her own soon.

If you would like to donate toward Caitlyn’s care, please click HERE.  To follow her progress, click HERE.





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Wednesday, June 3, 2015

William Leonard Dodson Has Been Arrested in the Animal Cruelty Case of Caitlyn the Dog That Was Found with Electrical Tape Tightly Wound Around Her Muzzle


Charleston, South Carolina - North Charleston Police have made an arrest in the animal cruelty case that has been spread worldwide.

William Leonard Dodson, 41, is being charged with ill treatment of animals and torture. He was found in the area of Quitman Street and Calvert Street. A judge ordered a $50,000 bond against Dodson on Tuesday morning. At the hearing, the judge asked Dodson if he had any other dogs at home and he said that he did. The judge ordered police to head to his home and take the dog away.

News 2 spoke with Animal Cruelty Investigator Aldwin Roman who said $50,000 doesn't do justice to Caitlyn and what she's been through.

News 2 obtained a copy of Dodson's arrest record. In 2013, Dodson was arrested for driving without a license and was put on probation for six years for possession of a firearm by a convicted violent felon. In 2014, Dodson was arrested for driving under suspension, driving without a license and for failure to appear in traffic court. In 2015, the suspect was arrested for possession of marijuana, possession of cocaine and the unlawful carrying of a weapon.

Caitlyn the dog was found in critical condition last week on a Good Samaritan's doorstep with electrical tape tightly wound around her muzzle.

The tape was so tight around Caitlyn's muzzle that her tongue was caught between her teeth, stopping blood flow to her tongue. Officials think that the tape was on Caitlyn for up to 36-48 hours.

The Charleston Animal Society Senior Director of Veterinary Care, Dr. Lucy Fuller, DVM, said "Caitlyn is in a lot of pain, her condition is critical, and her prognosis is guarded." She also said that "A large part of her tongue may need to be removed surgically if the tissue dies from the lack of blood flow. She may be severely disfigured, or the large amount of dead tissue may cause life-threatening complications."

The story of Caitlyn, the North Charleston dog who had her muzzle taped shut, is now worldwide.

We talked with one man at the Chinese Deli in the Chicora-Cherokee community. That is where the dog was discovered earlier this week. "You gotta think, what kind of cruel person is gonna take their time to that to a dog?"

"It's many things that's not good that comes through my mind when I hear it...it's cruel. It's degrading. Wrong. Life threatening. Sick. It's like, the mere thought of it is, I mean, why?? That's one question that comes through my mind when I look at it, is why?"

Kelli Klein, the director of emergency care at Veterinary Specialty Care in Mount Pleasant says Caitlyn is doing better. "She's been doing really, really well since transferring to us last night."

Caitlyn was placed in a hyperbaric chamber Friday to give her more oxygen, to help her wounds heal faster. "She's had three full meals. She's been able to (take in food) and swallow it."

She is scheduled for her first surgery either Monday or Tuesday of next week.
Treatment for Caitlyn will be paid for by Toby's Fund, Charleston Animal Society's medical fund that is only made possible by donations from the community.

"This is the most malicious case of animal abuse I have ever seen in my entire career," said Charleston Animal Society Director of Anti-Cruelty & Outreach Aldwin Roman. He continued, "to leave this dog in pain, unable to eat or drink and to now leave her in the position where her life is at stake because she may lose her tongue is heartbreaking."

North Charleston Animal Control is investigating the case and looking for whoever is responsible. Charleston Animal Society is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible, and Friday the Humane Society of the United States added another $5,000.  If convicted of ill treatment of an animal, the guilty could face up to 5 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.











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