Pit-bull horribly mutilated
Gastonia, NC (US)Incident Date: Monday, Apr 11, 2005
County: Gaston
Disposition: Open
Case Images: 31 files available
Suspect(s) Unknown - We need your help!
Case Updates: 3 update(s) available
A horribly mutilated pit-bull, named Gypsy, was found on Monday morning, April 11, 2005 in Gaston County, North Carolina.� She had been dumped on a main highway (Wilkinson Blvd) that connects Gaston County with Charlotte/Mecklenburg County.� Her wounds appear to be the result of dogfighting.
Her injuries were so severe, her right-front leg had to be amputated due�to the extent of mutilation and infection.� According to reports, the flesh on her face�was literally rotting off, and when she first arrived at Tri-County Animal Rescue, her mouth was "nothing but pus".� Tri-County Animal Rescue stated that the dog was "a bloody mess" when she was found on the roadside.
From the Tri-County website: "Gypsy had her leg amputated Monday the 18th 2005 and she is fighting for her life. Thanks to the skilled surgeons, Dr. McLean and Dr. Lowery at Eastridge Animal Hospital in Gastonia, and all the wonderful and loving vet techs at Eastridge who just go in and hold her paw or pat her or speak sweet kind words. It's amazing, but Cindy said she wagged her tail after surgery. Cindy and Dr. McLean say she hasn't given up and is fighting to stay with us.
"Her face is literally falling off, rotten skin, she has lost her lips and may lose her nose. Dr. McLean (if we have enough money and she makes it) will be able to do some cosmetic surgery. Her teeth showing is that her lips are rotten and gone. Imagine cutting off an ice pick to about two inches long and stabbing a dog in the head over and over and over. The skin is rotting beneath the wounds and it looks horrible."
No one has been charged and no arrests have been made.� A reward was offered on April 19 by a doctor in Kentucky for information leading to an arrest, however so far, the authorities do not appear to be actively pursuing this case.� A report was filed with Cramerton Police Department, but no further action has been taken.
Veterinary specialists in reconstructive surgery are being contacted in the hopes of rebuilding Gypsy's face.
If you have information about this case, call Animal Control at 704-922-8677. If you would like to make a donation for Gypsy's vet care, or to donate to the reward fund being established for the arrest of the person(s) responsible, please visit .� Please do not send donations for Gypsy to Pet-Abuse.Com, but instead use the mailing address or PayPal link above.
Please send a polite letter to the following contacts, asking them to vigorously pursue this case.� Dog-fighting is a serious crime, and almost always involves other dangerous activities including drugs and illegal weapons.� For the sake of public safety, this case MUST be investigated with diligence.
Animal Control:
704-922-8677
704-922-1205 fax
Gaston County Sheriff's Office:
425 North Marietta Street, Gastonia
Telephone 704-869-6880
Weapons Permits 704-869-6830
On Call 24 Hours per Day
District Attorney:
Hon. Michael K. Lands
District:� 27A County�
Phone:� (704) 852-3113
Fax #: (704) 852-3292
Address (Courier Box: )
325 N Marietta St
Gastonia NC 28052
According to North Carolina state law Chapter 14, Article 47 (� 14-362.2), this is a Class H�felony case:
(a) A person who instigates, promotes, conducts, is employed at, provides a dog for, allows property under his ownership or control to be used for, gambles on, or profits from an exhibition featuring the fighting or baiting of a dog is guilty of a Class H felony. A lease of property that is used or is intended to be used for an exhibition featuring the fighting or baiting of a dog is void, and a lessor who knows this use is made or is intended to be made of his property is under a duty to evict the lessee immediately.
(b) A person who owns, possesses, or trains a dog with the intent that the dog be used in an exhibition featuring the fighting or baiting of that dog is guilty of a Class H felony.
(c) A person who participates as a spectator at an exhibition featuring the fighting or baiting of a dog is guilty of a Class H felony. (1997-78, s. 1.) If you have information on this case, please contact:
Animal Control
704-922-8677
Case Updates| On April 26, Pet-Abuse.Com was contacted by Stephanie Hamlin, Assistant District Attorney for Gaston County in response to the hundreds of letters from the public they have received regarding the atrocities committed against Gypsy. In her letter, she stated that the members of the Gaston County District Attorney's office are very interested in prosecuting the Gypsy case. Tri-County Animal Rescue and Pet-Abuse.Com are currently working with the DA's office to assist them with recent leads, and we ask that anyone with additional leads or suspects please call Animal Control at 704-922-8677 or the DA's office 704.852-3113 . Letters to the prosecutor have poured in from all over the country, and some as far away as Canada, Japan and New Zealand. To read the action alert, or send a fax to the prosecutor right from our website, click here. | | Update posted on Apr 26, 2005 - 5:59PM |
| United Animal Nations has kindly contributed $1000 from the Zig Zag Fund to the reward to find Gypsy's abuser(s). This brings the reward total to $5,500. | | Update posted on Apr 22, 2005 - 5:57PM |
Pet-Abuse.Com has issued an Action Alert on this case which will be sent out in a newsletter to all of our members and supporters today. We are urging that the prosecuting attorney vigorously prosecutes this case - and other cases of dog-fighting that have been recently reported. To read the action alert, or send a fax to the prosecutor right from our website, click here.
The Tri-County website seems to be back online, so please consider sending a donation via Pet-Abuse.Com CaseWatch system so that you can mark this case as "watched", and you will be notified when new updates are posted. | Source: Pet-Abuse.Com Action Alert
Update posted on Apr 21, 2005 - 3:05PM |
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