Animal Adoption League, County partner to rescue puppy mill dogs

Volunteers caring for 24 dogs taken from Indian Trail home

by Deborah Parkhill Mullis

Union County Animal Services recently asked rescue organization, Animal Adoption League of York County, S.C., for assistance after 29 dogs taken from an alleged puppy mill ended up at the county shelter.

Having received multiple calls in the past about animal abuse in Indian Trail, Sheriff’s Deputy Todd Cunningham investigated the South Fork Road property of Ricky Dean Mullis on Dec. 31, where he found more than two dozen small dogs shivering in raised wire cages caked with excrement – with nothing more than their matted fur to keep them warm. Mullis, 47, said he couldn’t afford the dogs after inheriting them from his mother and agreed to turn them over to animal control officers.

“Some were fairly healthy, some were borderline, but most of them were older and in bad shape with missing teeth, tumors, abdominal hernias (from being bred too frequently), heartworms and other health issues,” said Lt. Michelle Starnes, director of Union County Animal Services, which held the Chihuahuas, Maltese dogs and Shih Tzus as evidence until Jan. 20.

Lack of socialization was another reason Animal Services couldn’t put the majority of the dogs up for adoption at the county shelter. “We had to throw towels over some of them to catch them,” said Starnes, who helped groom the dogs before their release.

Enter Animal Adoption League

“We want to take the dogs that are never going to make it to the adoption floor at the shelter – the ones with health issues, the ones that are too shy or have fear aggression,” said Cindy Starkey, Animal Adoption League dog coordinator.

The dogs need time to recover, Starkey said. “The number of dogs coming into the (county) shelter is overwhelming and there is only so much space available. We want to help the ones that would otherwise be euthanized.”

Undaunted by the snow storm, Starkey and other AAL volunteers picked up 24 of the dogs from the shelter on Jan. 20. AAL had medical assessments done that same afternoon and coordinated with the Iredell County Humane Society to get the dogs to breed-specific rescue organizations or into foster homes pending permanent adoptions.

“Animal Adoption League agreed to pay their medical (expenses) and save as many of them as they could. We certainly would rather them take them than us put them to sleep or the county taxpayers have to pay for their medical (expenses) when they’re not adoptable. We’ve worked out a good compromise,” said Sheriff Eddie Cathey.

As for the other five dogs, one Chihuahua is up for adoption at the animal shelter, one is being fostered by an animal control officer and another has been adopted by an animal control officer. Two of the puppies died of parvo. Puppies are particularly susceptible to canine parvovirus which can be prevented by vaccinations. None of the dogs were up-to-date on their vaccinations so Animal Services vaccinated every dog.

“These are not dogs that are going to last many more years. They’ve gone through enough. Even if it’s nothing but nine or 10 months sitting on somebody’s lap in a cozy house that will make it worth it for me,” Starnes said.

“I only have praise for the way this was handled, starting with Sheriff Cathey to Lt. Starnes to Pat Raynor,” said Pat Shannon, AAL board member. “Such a large group of dogs quickly become a project. The shelter staff went above and beyond in their care for these dogs.

“We hope to continue working with the Union County animal shelter,” Shannon added.

Mullis has been charged with animal cruelty and failure to vaccinate dogs over four months of age. Both charges are misdemeanors. His court date is February 4.

For information about adopting an animal through Animal Adoption League or to make a donation visit www.mynextpet.com

This article was published in Union County Weekly, Jan. 23-29, 2009 issue. 

Four-legged listeners

photograph by Deborah Parkhill Mullis/MMHW, UCW

Matthews and Mint Hill libraries are now home to a program that lets students read to therapy dogs. (Above) Tucker, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel, takes his turn in the spotlight.

Union West program that pairs struggling readers with pups
expands to Matthews, Mint Hill

by Deborah Parkhill Mullis

Since its trial run at Union West Regional Library, Paws Awhile to Read – a free program that allows children embarrassed or hesitant about their reading skills to build confidence by reading aloud to dogs – has become so popular that its founder, Teresa Faucett of Mint Hill has had to both increase her pack of therapy dogs and expand its territory.

“Nearby libraries saw that it could work – Matthews was the first Charlotte-Mecklenburg program that we did. Mint Hill followed soon afterward,” said Faucette, a Therapy Dogs International evaluator who was seeking community-service opportunities for her 4-year-old sheltie, Max, when she approached the Indian Trail library last year.

Faucette and Max, along with two other TDI dogs and their handlers, started Paws Awhile to Read at Union West in October 2007. Demand for the twice monthly program was so high that Faucette immediately added a fourth dog.

Pack increases in size and variety

As the program expanded over the next 14 months, the pack doubled to eight dogs: Dusty, a dachshund handled by Sandy Pugyao of Waxhaw; Reiner, a German shepherd handled by Dale Stegall of Mint Hill; Maggie, a goldendoodle handled by Pat Pohar of Marshville; Piglet, a terrier-mix handled by Amy Harris of Goose Creek; Tucker, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel handled by Beth-Ellen Coates of Stallings; Zoey, a golden retriever handled by Tim Lauder of Matthews; and, of course Max, handled by Faucette of Mint Hill. A Newfoundland will join the program in January, as JJ the husky (one of the original three dogs) relocated to California.

“We could do (reading therapy) every, single Saturday and still have people waiting,” said Betsy Cullen, branch manager at Union West, where staffers, children and parents held a surprise party last month to thank the dogs and handlers.

“I had to lie to get them (to the party),” said Faucette, who told the handlers to bring the dogs to Union West for “mandatory” training.

Among those in attendance were Judy Silberquit and her son, Travis, 8, who regularly reads with the dogs at Union West. Silberquit had many compliments for the canines and their handlers, who have helped her son improve his reading comprehension and overcome his shyness. “He doesn’t just talk to the dogs. He talks to the handlers,” she said. “We don’t have pets at home, so the dogs are an added incentive (to read).”

More territory, more benefit

Now, the handlers are taking their pack of community-conscious canines to the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County’s Matthews and Mint Hill branches, too.

In Matthews, the program is called Tail Wagging Tutors and is held monthly on a Saturday morning. “I love to see the library so busy with children reading to dogs,” said Tricia Twarogowski, children services manager. “I like to try new things to encourage beginning, struggling or shy readers.”

“My daughter doesn’t like to read very much, but she loves dogs, so it was nice to see her excited to read,” said the mother of 7-year-old Lindsey, who was reading “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!” to Tucker. Tucker’s handler, Coates, is an assistant teacher at Antioch Elementary School. Coates has two more Cavalier King Charles spaniels at home, but 3-year-old Tucker is the only one with the right temperament to be a reading-therapy dog.

On her first day volunteering at the Matthews branch, golden retriever Zoey proved she was up to the task. She remained attentive and calm as children flopped on the floor in front of her, flipping pages and sounding out the words in their books. Waving her fluffy tail whenever the children stroked her fur, Zoey was the perfect tail-wagging tutor.

“She’s our first therapy dog,” said owner Lauder of Matthews, who has another golden retriever at home. Lauder’s three children, ages 6, 10 and 12, came up with the idea of making Zoey a therapy dog. While Lauder took the dog through formal training, the children helped the pup practice at home. “We know some folks who have kids in the hospital, and they talked about the therapy dogs (there),” he said.

Lauder also was encouraged by Zoey’s trainer, who kept bumping the clever pup into more advanced classes. After meeting Faucette at a local pet store, Lauder scheduled Zoey for an evaluation and the pooch was approved to become a certified therapy dog.

Children who participate in the program receive collector cards of their canine reading companions. The cards have a photograph of the dog on the front and fun facts about the animal on the back.

Reading therapy programs resume at all three libraries in January.

For more information, about each library’s specific program, call the Union West Regional Library at 704-821-7475, the Matthews branch library at 704-416-5000, or the Mint Hill branch library at 704-416-5200.

This article was published by Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly, Volune 2, Number 1 * Jan. 2-8, 2009 and by Union County Weekly, Volume 4, Number 1 * Jan. 2-8, 2009.

Dogs in Myth and Legend: The Faithful Hound

Dogs have been the faithful companions of mankind for well over 12,000-years and in that time have amassed their own unique body of legend and lore. Myths about dogs often revolve around one or more of the animal’s well known traits such as their skills as guardians or hunters. However above all it is a dog’s unwavering loyalty which has earned them a place in the annals of myth and folklore.

The “Faithful Hound” motif, one of the major folkloric archetypes, can be found around the world beginning in ancient Greece with Homer’s epic the Odyssey in which it is Odysseus’ faithful dog, Argos, who is the only one who recognizes the hero upon his return home; Odysseus had aged twenty-years and was disguised as a beggar when he reappeared.

One of the best known folktales to involve a “Faithful Hound” is the 18th-Century Welsh legend of the deerhound Gelert whose master, Prince Llewellyn, left his hound in charge of his infant son while he went out hunting. When the prince returned he found the room destroyed and his son’s cradle overturned, the baby nowhere in sight. It was then that Gelert appeared, his muzzle coated in blood. Horrified the prince assumed the worst, that his once beloved dog had slain his only heir. Drawing his sword the prince slew Gelert. It was only after the fact that the prince began to hear the baby’s muffled cries and proceeded to search the room where he discovered not only his son – alive and well beneath the overturned cradle – but the body of a dead wolf. It was then that the prince realized his horrible mistake.

Today Gelert’s grave, which is located in the village of Beddgelert, serves as a major tourist attraction. According to local folklore even the village’s name, Beddgelert, is believed to mean “Gelert’s Grave,” though this theory is largely dismissed by historians.

Gelert’s story may be based on that of another famous dog; the 13th-Century French greyhound Guinefort. Guinefort’s tale is almost identical to that of Gelert’s. Guinefort’s master, a knight from a castle near the city of Lyon, leaves the hound in charge of his infant child while he goes out. When he returns the room is in shambles and the child is missing, but there’s Guinefort mouth wet with blood. The knight slays the dog only to discover moments after that his child is alive, having been saved by the faithful dog from a deadly viper whose dead body lay nearby.

What makes Guinefort’s story unique from Gelert’s however, is what happens next. Distraught over the slaying of his faithful hound the knight buries the dog and erects a small shrine over the grave. As word spread concerning the events which lead to Guinefort’s death, local villagers began to regard the greyhound as something of a martyr. A local cult quickly began to form around the dog, now called Saint Guinefort, and mothers with ill or sickly children would bring them to Guinefort’s grave in hope of a miracle. The Catholic Church was none too happy about this however and quickly labeled the cult of St. Guinefort as a heresy inspired by the devil. The Inquisition was sent to deal with the cult but despite their best efforts was unable to stamp out the veneration of the dog which (according to some reports) lasted well into the 1940s!

Other examples of the “Faithful Hound” motif can be found in several contemporary near-legendary tales. One of these is the story of Greyfriars Bobby, a Skye terrier whose owner, John Grey, died in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1858 when Bobby was two-years-old. Grey was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard and Bobby attended the funeral. After the funeral Bobby refused to leave his master’s grave except for meals which he received at a local restaurant.

Tales of Bobby’s fidelity quickly spread across Scotland and then overseas transforming the steadfast pooch into a living legend. In order to make sure that Bobby was protected the children of Edinburgh donated their pocket money towards buying him a collar and the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Sir William Chambers, paid for the renewal of Bobby’s license making him the responsibility of the city council. Bobby was eventually awarded the Freedom of the City of Edinburgh; he is the only dog to ever receive this prestigious honor.

After fourteen years of faithfully waiting by his master’s graveside Bobby died on January 14th 1872. He was buried just inside the gate of Greyfriars Kirkyard, as close to his master’s grave as could be allowed. In 1981 The Dog Aid Society of Scotland erected a red granite tombstone over Bobby’s grave. In addition to this a statue of Greyfriars Bobby can be seen atop a fountain in Edinburgh’s Candlemaker Row in front of the Greyfriars Bobby pub.

A similar story to that of Greyfriars Bobby is that of Hachikō, an Akita from the city of Odate, Akita Prefecture, Japan. Hachikō’s owner was Dr. Ueno of Tokyo’s Imperial University. Everyday Dr. Ueno would board the train at Tokyo’s Shibuya Railway Station to go to work. When he returned in the evening Hachikō would be waiting. Then one evening in 1925 Dr. Ueno didn’t return home, he had died of a heart attack while at work earlier that day. Nevertheless Hachikō continued to show up every evening at the Shibuya Railway Station for the next ten years even after it became difficult for him to walk due to arthritis. When Hachikō died on March 8th 1935 at the age of twelve a National Day of Mourning was declared.

The year before, a bronze statue of Hachikō had been erected at Shibuya Railway Station. Unfortunately the statue was demolished during World War II so that the metal could be used for the war effort. After the war The Society for Recreating the Hachikō Statue had a second statue erected in August of 1948, it still stands at the Shibuya Railway Station today.

Sources: DK Eyewitness Books: Dogs (2004) by Juliet Clutton-Brock, The Hidden Powers of Animals: Uncovering the Secrets of Nature (2001) by Dr. Karl P.N. Shuker, and Curious Myths of the Middle Ages (2005) by Sabine Baring-Gould.

About the Author: Justin Mullis is a 21-year-old junior at UNC Charlotte pursuing a major in Religious Studies. He has been interested in mythology, folklore, legends and world religions since a very young age, specifically in how these very ancient forms of storytelling influence and shape the world around us. For more on these topics please visit Justin’s own blog Of Epic Proportions: A Blog on Myth and Mankind.