UPDATE 1/23/03 on the Montana Collies

Statement by AWCA President Jean Levitt, from Shelby, MT

*Permission to crosspost*

Trial

The trial continued today with Deputy Mike Lamey still on the stand.  “I felt the situation as a lay person was horrendous, but I wanted a medical opinion.”  Defense attorney Albers attempted to assign blame for the condition of the dogs to the fact that Customs officials at the Port of Sweet Grass had detained the truck for so many hours.  The prosecutor called Dr. Hardee Clark.  Referring to the 15-20 dogs Ms. Harman was watering in a pen outside the truck at the Port, Clark stated, “I saw in the pens thin, wet, matted dogs, diuretic feces, and one dog straining to defecate.”  Inspecting the inside of the truck, Dr. Clark testified, “These dogs looked thin, neglected...filthy conditions, wet floor of kennels, dogs laying in their own urine and feces, small pens, their backs were rubbing on the top of the cages.”  He described reaching in some pens to palpate dogs.  “...Found them to be very thin.”  Describing a scale of 1 to 9, 9 begin fattest, 1 being emaciated, and 5 being ideal, Dr. Clark assigned 2 to the dogs he palpated.  Dr. Clark testified Ms. Harman apologized for the condition of the animals.  She said she had 130 dogs to take care of, and hadn’t been able to do that.  He noticed a kennel with two dogs in it.  He said, “Oh, must have put two dogs in that one.”  Dr. Clark explained his major concern was their health and well being.  “The length of time the truck had been detained by authorities didn’t change much.”  Dr. Clark testified matted hair coats decrease insulating ability and show the amount of care these dogs have had.  “Damp-to-wet in matting is less insulating than even with matting.”  He testified, “The dogs were thin, calculus on teeth, shows care of the dogs, and may relate to nutrition and immune status, also drinking or not drinking.”  Dr. Clark reviewed dogs he examined by number.  He began his examinations with #101.  Describing #102:  “male, intact, matted, dirty hair coat, draining eyes, swollen nose, calculus on teeth, broken upper canine, tattoo.”  [You saw his photo in the Great Falls Tribune, “Tattered Collie,” by Carol Bradley.]  “#106:  very thin, a 2 on the scale of 1 to 9; emaciated, loss of all-over body fat, atrophy of muscle, using protein from muscle to stay alive...end stage of thinness.” [On and on; #25 “emaciated, and on to #170.]  Dr. Clark testified, “What was notable about #170...dead in cage.  I did a necropsy, I’ve done thousands, cause of death, dog died from pneumonia, very dehydrated and emaciated...sent samples to lab...pneumonia...lab reported aspirated E. coli, infection...dog weak, got down in bottom of cage, and aspirated his own urine and feces.”  When the prosecutor asked Dr. Clark for his opinion, he stated:  “I believe that to load and transport these animals considering their shape and condition caused them pain and suffering.”

                The defense attempted to find another way for the dog to aspirate E. coli.  Dr. Clark testified, “It comes from feces.  It takes wet fecal material to cause this.”  On redirect Dr. Clark testified, “I’ve seen animals in accidental entrapment up to two weeks in better shape than these dogs.”  Next the prosecutor called Dr. Kelly Manzer.  She described unloading the truck and the examination of dogs #1-100.  She testified, “The dogs were not accessible.”  They had to take out chainlink panels and other items, including two 55-gal barrels, garbage cans, etc., which took over an hour for several people to unload before they could get to the dogs.  Again, the hair coat matting was discussed, weight loss, Dr. Manzer testified, “I ran my hands over every dog...emaciated, and a step beyond emaciation.”

                Defense attorney Albers objected to her testimony.  He stated she was not qualified to make those determinations.  She was allowed to continue after it was established she had 11 years of education to become a veterinarian, the average veterinarian has 8+ years.  She continued her testimony with an explanation of the tenting test on upper eyelid as a sign of dehydration and starvation.  “In the majority I saw evidence of both.”  She stated further she saw a significant amount of matting and dreadlocks.  “In matting can be found foreign bodies, it’s not hygienic, it painfully pulls on the skin, pulls hair out, and pieces of skin.”  In answer to the prosecutor’s question, “How long were the mats there?” she testified, “Years of matting.”  When asked if she took the dogs’ temperatures during triage as they came off the truck, Dr. Manzer testified, “No, they were so matted it would take too long to find their rectum.”

                As for overall additional observations, Dr. Manzer stated, “I saw depression, scars, missing toes, broken off ears, bloody gums, bloody faces from struggling against cages, bad teeth.”

Folks, this is all very difficult for me to report.  Dr. Manzer’s testimony is to be continued.  This trial is expected to go into next week.  I hope we, the animal loving community, will continue to remain dignified and calm for the sake of these animals.  Thanks to the donors and volunteers, this colony of animals is greatly improved; however, we continue to fight internal parasites at Camp Collie.  Will you say a prayer for the animals, please?

Calmly,

Jean Levitt, President AWCA

Lisa King, AWCA Director AWCA Rescue

Officers and Members of AWCA

If you would like to assist AWCA with this rescue effort, you may send a check to:

                                                Bethany Burke

                                                AWCA Treasurer

                                                2807 Lee Trevino Court

                                                Shalimar, FL 32579

Make the check out to AWCA and in the memo area note:  collie rescue-medical, collie rescue-stainless steel, or collie rescue-general.