Tails in the News

By Rose Strong

Man’s shooting of dog sanctioned
by PA court

An event that sparked tremendous controversy in March 2006 is now causing another stir across the Lehigh Valley and state of Pennsylvania.

Weissport resident Randy Miller was accused of beating the dog of his girlfriend, Wendy Colleen Kneller, over the head several times with a shovel. Miller then shot the dog, a 6-year-old Chow/Pit Bull mix named Bouta, with a .40-caliber pistol.

In defense of his actions, Miller testified in court that he shot Bouta in the head after the dog had bitten Kneller’s 4-year-old son.

In subsequent court actions, an appellate court ruled that Kneller was wrongly convicted in October 2006 by a county court jury of criminal conspiracy to commit cruelty to animals. She was originally sentenced to six to 12 months in jail, and Miller was given a jail term of two years.

‘’We find that it is permissible for a dog owner to dispose of his or her dog [who] is not injured or unfit for use by means of a firearm,’’ the state’s Superior Court decision reads.

A panel of Superior Court judges has also overturned the conviction of Randy Miller, declaring that, although convoluted, the Pennsylvania Dangerous Dog Law states that an owner may euthanize his own animals with a gun.
Carbon County District Attorney Gary Dobias is going to review the opinions of the court and will then make a decision whether to retry the case before the Superior Court or take the case to the state’s Supreme Court. Dobias has asked the court to hear re-arguments of Kneller’s case.

Dobias’ interpretation of the Pennsylvania law is that it pertains to ill or injured dogs and not healthy ones.

Dobias argues, “If what the panel is saying is true, someone can go to a pet store, buy 10 puppies, and take them home and shoot them. I don’t think that’s what the law says.’’

Miller was also tried on terroristic threats he made to a teenage witness to Bouta’s shooting. While they upheld the terroristic-threat conviction, the Superior Court judges threw out Miller’s sentence of seven months to two years in county prison because of the animal-cruelty charges. Sentencing will be based upon the threats made if the court ruling stands.

Kitten season starts early, SPCA seeks
homes for felines

The Pennsylvania SPCA (PSPCA) in Philadelphia is putting out a call for foster homes for kittens and needs all the help it can get. Kitten season typically starts in mid to late April, but this year it began in March.

“The season lasts until late fall, and hits its highpoint from July through September. Since we are seeing an early start, we are anticipating seeing more kittens than usual this year,” says PSPCA director of adoptions, rescue, and foster care, Ray Little.

The PSPCA depends on foster homes to provide pregnant cats with a place to have their kittens and nurse them until they’re weaned and old enough for adoption to a forever home. The organization also needs foster homes for kittens who need bottle feedings because their mothers cannot care for them, have died, or are missing.

“Our foster volunteers provide a very important service to the PSPCA,” says Little. “Newborn animals and nursing moms require much more attention than they can receive from the shelter staff. The animals are also quite fragile and should not be exposed to sick animals [who] might currently be at the shelter. Foster volunteers can give the animals the extra TLC they need before finding their new forever families.”

For more information on becoming a PSPCA foster volunteer, call
(215) 426-6300 or visit PSPCA.org.

Robo-canine companions deter loneliness

A recent study found that a living dog and a robotic dog are equally effective at relieving loneliness and providing companionship for nursing home residents. Dr. William Banks, a professor of geriatric medicine at St. Louis University, performed the study using his own trained therapy dog, Sparky, as the control. The robotic dog, Aibo, was manufactured by Sony and discontinued in 2006.

Thirty-eight residents from three nursing homes participated in the study. All were asked a series of questions to determine their level of loneliness and then separated into three groups. The first group was a control group that did not interact with either dog. The second group spent 30 minutes a week with Aibo, the robotic dog, and the third group spent the same amount of time each week with Sparky, the real dog. After seven weeks, no statistical difference was found in levels of loneliness between those seniors who spent time with the robot and with the real dog (although both groups were found to be less lonely than the control group).

Banks says he was very surprised by the outcome of his research. After evaluating the results, the professor predicts a future in which the elderly could remain independent longer. —Jaime A. Hubbell

Spotlight on: Dog Training Club
of Chester County

One of the longest operating canine training clubs in Pennsylvania is right here in the greater Philadelphia area. The Dog Training Club of Chester County (DTCCC), located in Exton, has been in existence since 1974 and is run entirely by volunteers.

“We teach something called manner classes, which is basic obedience, but also have other things like advanced training and competition classes, flyball, agility, and freestyle classes on a regular basis. The club also offers seminars on behavior, training, agility, and all other things related to enjoying your canine,” says volunteer Barbara Donahue. “We teach several thousand dogs a year with the help of our 180 volunteers.”

Besides basic training, DTCCC is doing some very innovative work, helping rescue groups keep their charges re-homed once they find a loving family.

One of the club’s newest endeavors is the Rescue Liaison Program (RLP), which helps new dog parents become permanent parents.

Jen Pavillard, a club member who is a former Chester County SPCA worker and veterinary technician, introduced the club to RLP, which has been in the works for about two years. The program initially gave coupons for obedience training to local rescue groups to offer to new dog parents at the time of adoption. The club realized this was a way to promote long-term homes for rescued dogs.

“There is a strong connection between behavior problems and people giving up their dogs. People need to be trained as much as the dog,” says Donahue.

Another part of RLP is the Giving Wishes program. DTCCC is now collecting local shelters’ wish lists for the second year in a row. The group has reached out to the community for donations of blankets, towels, dog food, treats, toys, crates, and other dog-related items. Those wishing to make a donation may visit the club’s website for details.

Another program, Audit Training, allows the rescue group’s foster-home parents to sit in and observe any of its Family Pet Program classes, such as basic manners or canine community college.

“You know, sometimes when you’re actually in a class with your dog, it can be a bit stressful. Watching a trainer, listening to commands, trying to make your dog do everything [she has] to do, and you trying to do it all right is extremely trying on some people,” says Donahue. “Taking a few classes where foster dog parents can sit back and simply observe what takes place is a great way to learn, take that information back home, and work with their rescue dogs in a relaxed setting.”

For more information, visit DTCCC.org.