(Updated) Deputy rescues frozen dog; owners could face neglect charges
Update: Two residents at 8495 E St Rd. 56, Dubois, could be facing charges of Class A misdemeanor animal neglect.
The sheriff’s department will forward the investigation into Peanut’s plight to the Dubois County Prosecutor’s Office. The investigation charges George Kimmel, 50, and Dorothy Kimmel, 55, of the address listed above for the mistreatment of the small dog found frozen to the ground Monday night.
The Dubois County Humane Society is attempting to persuade the owners of another dog found outside to relinquish ownership of other dogs at the property that were not being actively neglected.
Crystal — It took a Dubois County deputy about half an hour to remove Peanut, a neglected Shetland-Jack Russel terrier mix, from the hard, frozen dirt late Monday night.
She had to use warm water to loosen Peanut’s frozen belly, tail, and feet from the ground in his 5-by-5 kennel. A metal plastic barrel serving as his home was a few feet away from where he was stuck.
Peanut and another dog were left outside in the -3 degree temperature until an anonymous caller reported the poor animals’ conditions to the sheriff’s department at about 11 p.m.
When the deputy arrived, Peanut’s partner in the ordeal was taken in by its owner. It had been chained to a pole, out of reach of its shelter — a plastic barrel acting as little more than a wind break — with frozen water and no food.
But Peanut was frozen to the ground and none of the two or three families living on the property claimed ownership over him.
When Mary Saalman, executive director of the Dubois County Humane Society, saw Peanut for the first time, he was emaciated and covered in feces. “He weighed about 15 lbs and he should probably weigh between 25 and 30 lbs,” she said. “He would have been dead in a few hours if he hadn’t been rescued.”
Besides the exposure, Peanut was hungry and dehydrated — animals can’t hydrate from frozen water bowls. “He is recovering and has drank and drank since being in our care,” Saalman explained, “And he has eaten some food.”
She expects he will fully recover and, if the owners relinquish ownership, Peanut will be available for adoption.
The sheriff’s department is waiting to release any more information about the case as they attempt to determine which family of the two or three living in several mobile homes on the property Peanut did belong to. Once that is determined, the investigation will be forwarded to the Dubois County Prosecuting Attorney for possible filing of animal neglect charges — a Class A misdemeanor.
“This is definitely a very troubling case,” Deputy Stuart Wilson said today, “As a dog lover myself, I hate to see it. I have never heard of a dog freezing to the ground. That’s bad.”
[quote]It is actually state law, they need about 18 inches of straw in their shelters for insulation when temperatures get cold.” Mary Saalman, Executive Director Dubois County Humane Society[/quote]
Besides Peanut, the humane society has also taken in a cat that was found frozen to the steps in front of a local church. The cat is older and has recovered. “We gave the cat back to its owner under the understanding it had gotten out and ran off,” Saalman explained.
In addition to taking in neglected animals, the humane society has also been busy assisting pet owners during the cold weather. “We have delivered about 80 bales of straw to pet owners in the county,” Saalman explained. “It is actually state law, they need about 18 inches of straw in their shelters for insulation when temperatures get cold.”
Please call us if you think a dog or animal is in danger or neglected,” Deputy Wilson said. “You can remain anonymous, but please call us or the humane society.”
The Dubois County Sheriff’s Department can be contacted at 482-3522. The Dubois County Humane Society can be reached at 482-7387.
I wish the Pike County Sheriffs office was as diligent about enforcing the pet safety laws where animals were concerned. I put fresh straw and food in some doghouses for two dogs that were tied up behind a trailer Sunday night and reported it. You could see their ribs and hip bones sticking out. They advised me they were taken care of. No one lives there. After the fourth phone call, we were told they weren’t coming back out, they had food and straw. We told them yes because we took it to them. They again advised us they weren’t coming back out and that we needed to calm down. My hat is off to the Dubois County Sheriff’s Dept! AWESOME JOB!
Angela. Why don’t you get the dogs? If no one is living there you can get them and take them to a shelter or shelter them yourself. I live in Indianapolis. Need me to come get them?
Pam I took them to the Dubois County Humane society. Somehow they got them back and put them back at the trailer. I have been keeping an eye on them. One got loose the other day and was on a choke chain. I checked the other day and they had no water no food and one couldn’t get n his plastic doghouse. Took care of them. I am the neighbor and they come about once a week. I’ve had words with him. I have two boxers one abandoned long haired chiuawawa and 3 cats.and a rescued sun conjure. I have a three year old grandson that is in remission from leukemia and another with a rare genetic disease. I just can’t afford to take care of anymore animals. I would love someone to help with them. I just don’t know what to do other than give them food and water.
I hope the owners rot!
These people should be charged and convicted of intentional animal cruelty. Their other dog should never be returned to them and they should be on a DNA list and never allowed to have another dog.
What happens to him once he recovers fully? Will he be up for adoption? I would love to help him find a good home! Will do anything to help!!
It’s a pleasure to read about deputies taking the time and effort to assist an animal in danger. Kudos to the deputies, kudos to what appears to be a very attentive human society, and a pox upon the people who were cruel enough to leave the little guy out to die.