THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, January 30, 1995 TAG: 9501260017
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A8 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 36 lines
Anyone who believes there are no bad people has never been to a pet shelter.
Over the past two months, the Norfolk SPCA has had several dogs and cats brought in that had been shot, and one cat had been hanged by a wire. Melissa Gregory, the Norfolk SPCA development director, said the shelter lately has seen more cases of abuse and neglect than usual.
Anyone who believes there are no good people has never seen what humans do for animals in need.
The Norfolk SPCA has a male beagle, age 1 to 2, that was shot in the left rear leg and flung against a wall, and also a male cocker spaniel, age 1 to 3, that was hit by a car and will lose an eye.
After the dogs were picked up last week by Norfolk Animal Control, they were first taken to Dog and Cat Hospital for treatment, and later to the SPCA.
Workers at the animal hospital have volunteered to pay to have the beagle's ruined leg amputated and the cocker spaniel's eye removed, if the dogs are adopted.
``They were such nice dogs when they were brought here by Animal Control,'' said one of the workers, who asked not to be named. ``I didn't want them to be put to sleep.'' Without the operations, they probably would not be adopted, the worker said. ``This way,'' she said, ``they have a chance.''
KEYWORDS: CRUELTY TO ANIMALS by CNB