Today, AnimalHelp.Com was contacted regarding four dogs who were abandoned in a house in Lehigh Acres, just outside Ft Meyers. The strange thing is that neighbors say the house and dogs were abandoned about a week before Charley made landfall. So, now two weeks after being abandoned, these dogs are still in the house, fending for themselves. No one has cared for them, no one has come for them. Neighborhood children had broken windows in the house and were tormenting the dogs. There were 2 larger mix breeds being kept in the fenced in backyard, and two Chihuahuas inside. The female from the back yard, had escaped from the fence and was picked up by a caring lady named Crystal as she wandered the streets. Crystal had completely lost her home in Punta Gorda when Charley made landfall there, and is now staying in Lehigh Acres with friends. She took this sweet little dog to the vet where the dog was vaccinated, heartworm and stool tested, and checked over. The dog had whipworms and a mild case of heartworm. Medications were given and a prescription was sent home - although this little girl really has no home to go to. Crystal called AnimalHelp.Com and we matched her with a foster home from St Pete.
While she was waiting for Jeff, the foster home from St Pete, Animal Control of Lee County was called and she was informed it would be about ten days before they could come out to get the rest of the dogs. Ten days. There are definitely three dogs still at the house, already abandoned 14 days, and they would not receive help for ten more days.
Crystal and a friend went back to the house taking water and food for the remaining dogs. They placed food and water in through the broken window, and are almost certain they caught a glimpse of possibly up to four puppies. When Jeff arrived from St Pete, he too went to the house. They tried to lure the dogs to the window, but none of the dogs could trust enough to come close. They are so very frightened. Jeff also checked on the other dog in the backyard. He is a large male lab mix of some sort. He barked a lot but once Jeff opened the gate, he came out and immediately made friends with the people there to help him. Jeff gave him a bath and started home with two foster dogs instead of one.
Jeff arrived safely home tonight with the two dogs. He told us that these are really great dogs. The little female is very sweet and loving, and the male is fun with a lot of personality. He "talked" all the way home, entertaining Jeff for the long ride. Even though the large male is well behaved, very good around Jeff's son, and house trained, Jeff's male dog at home is not real wild about another male in the house. So, to avoid problems AnimalHelp will be contacting some of our other foster homes in the St Pete/Tampa area to try to place the dog in a different foster home. Jeff will continue to foster the female until a permanent home is found.
Crystal and her friend will continue to visit the abandoned house in Lehigh Acres to bring food to the remaining dogs until animal control finally makes it out there.
I am telling you this particular story, one of many that we have helped with here at AnimalHelp, because these dogs are not direct victims of Hurricane Charley. But because of Charley, animal control is so busy these dogs may very well be left to die. Why wasn't something done about these dogs long ago? I do not know. Neighbors had called animal control before.
