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Practical Issues >
Pets Index >
Pet Care
Photo Gallery from "Compassion for Camden".
Depictions of the misery created when dogs don't have homes.
The Mean Streets
No longer
wanted, abandoned to fend for themselves, 'thrown away.' Over
the last ten years in the City of Camden the practice of
throwing away dogs or cats was the reality for 150,000 of
them. That's 41 each day -- and still counting.
At least
these are the official numbers, and the highest in the state,
taken from the New Jersey Department of Health's Animal Intake
and Disposition Report. The real numbers are even gloomier.
It's a
practice so common that it's accepted and sometimes even
expected. Hardly anyone raises an eyebrow or calls the
authorities, possibly for fear of retribution, and no one is
surprised when yet another puppy or kitten is taken into the
household. The newcomer may fare no better because there will
be another day of moving, no money for vet care, grown too
large for one's liking, or too much of this and not enough of
that.
The
abandoned one often stays near her former home. She usually
doesn't travel more than a few blocks in either direction in
search of food scraps. Often she will continue to sleep on the
porch or sit of the front stoop. Now ailing and weak, the
abandoned will still wag her tail to greet her former
caretakers who literally have to step over her to get to the
door. But, the door will shut, she's not allowed in, no one in
the house cares anymore. So she takes her daily chances on the
mean streets to become a statistic.
Then there
those who remain at the house, but are equally unwanted. Many
are chained for life, others are bred continuously and without
mercy to make money, some get daily beatings for spite, are
left to freeze to death, get set on fire, are fought to death,
are used as bait for fighting dogs, are thrown off rooftops,
are left in back yards, basements and attics to die of
starvation. A few of them are counted too because somebody may
have called the city to come and pick up the dead.
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Starved to death in a cage in an
apartment. |
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Undoubtedly, this poor puppy had
suffered from mange his entire life. The incredibly
advanced stage of the disease had produced such brittle
skin conditions that bones had begun to protrude through
the skin. He was euthanized at the hospital.
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This
dog died as a result of yet another terrible neglect
case. Based on a vet's statement, the extreme swelling
of the leg may have been due to bone cancer and would
have had to exist for an extended period of time.
Another dog with a broken leg was on the property. The
"caretaker" was charged and given the maximum
fine. |
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A
still trusting young dog suffering from an embedded
collar and a broken
leg. |
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This
dog was liberated from his chains. But for how
long? |
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The
people who once "lived" here had moved and left these
three behind. |
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This
little terrier was found in an alley, frozen to the
ground. |
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A
Rottweiler found dead near Camden's Ferry Avenue train
station. He was covered with what may have been the
dog's remaining food.
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Above left: This poor
dog died due to 100+ degree heat, no food, water,
or shelter.
Above right: The
malnourished state of these two dogs didn't seem
to bother the
"caretaker."
Above left: Three dogs
were on this property; one was dead, another was
severely starved, and a third was feeding on the
dead one.
Above right: On this
property, one dog hung herself; the other would
surely have been
next.
Above: A dog who
succumbed to starvation was found among dozens of
discarded beer and wine
bottles.
continued on
next
page
Please
help Compassion for Camden stop animal
cruelty!
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