BELLA VISTA — Years ago, long before I became a newspaper man, I worked as a veterinary technician both in a daytime clinic and two after-hours emergency facilities.
During my time at those emergency clinics I saw many things - dogs and cats hit by cars, dogs shot and wounded, all sorts of animals poisoned by some form of harmful chemical, animals bitten by snakes, dogs that swallowed just about everything imaginable - and so much more.
I really thought I had seen it all. I thought that until last week.
Last Wednesday I was at the Bella Vista Animal Shelter interviewing some of the staff there about the gifts they will offer for sale this Christmas to help raise money for operating expenses.
During my time there the shelter manager received a call from the Bella Vista animal warden. He was bringing in a dog that he termed "pretty bad off." The dog had been discovered in the backyard of a home on Eastleigh Circle that was being prepared to be put on the market. Members of the cleaning crew made the discovery and called the police.
We weren't sure what to expect, but those of us there at the time knew it wasn't going to be good.
Not long after that call came in the warden showed up. In the back of his pickup was an Irish setter.
A first look at this dog caused me to cringe.
The young male was nearly starved to death , his ribs sticking out where body mass should have been.
His joints were swollen and he found it difficult to stand.
His toe nails were several inches long, indicating he had not been walking much of late.
And, as we quickly learned, nearly his entire body was one giant cesspool of infection.
The dog was near death.
He was removed from the pickup and placed on the ground so a more thorough inspection of his condition could be performed, and photos could be taken.
When a worker opened the sliding door of the shelter's van so they could retrieve a carrier for the dog's further transportation to the doctor's office, despite the pain and agony from which the poor animal was suffering, and much to the surprise of all there that day, he leaped into the vehicle. It wasobvious that at one time somebody had taken this dog for a ride, and he liked it.
Shelter Manager Donna Miles got into the van and prepared to drive away. She said as soon as she sat down the dog laid its head on her leg and remained that way until their arrival at the hospital.
I asked that they let me know how that visit went.
The next day I received a call from Miles, who said the dog had survived the night and was being treated for a host of maladies, not the least of which was near starvation and the severe infections.
The long nails were an indication to the doctor that the dog perhaps had been tied up at one time and unable to escape.
Along with the infections the doctor was treating the dog for several types of internal parasites.
The infection the dog had was affecting his eyes and he was losing his sight.
The dog was still in pretty bad shape, said Miles, but he was in better condition than the day before.
He was eating - ravenously. He was on a host of antibiotics that the doctor said would eventually help, but it was going to take a long time.
With a daily dose of eye drops for the rest of the dog's natural life, the doctor told Miles they could likely slow the progression of blindness.
When Miles saw the setter that second day she said he was standing and wagging his tail.
And the best news of all, as soon as he was strong enough to travel he was going to Little Rock to be fostered back to health. And after that he would go to Memphis, Tenn., to be taken into an Irish setter rescue program. And it is there that I hope he will find a good home.
But that isn't the end of this story. According to the animal warden, none of the neighbors around the house where the dog was found ever remember seeing it, particularly at that house.
So how did he get there? Speculation is whoever had the dog pretty much sat around and watched it slowly starving to death until they either could not watch any longer or they left Bella Vista. Either way it is thought that they placed the dog in the yard of the foreclosed home where he was found.
Nobody is sure how long the dog was at that house before the cleaning crew found him last week.
There are just too many questions without answers right now.
But come on. Somebody out there knowssomething. Somebody has seen a neighbor with an Irish setter, and now that neighbor is gone - or they are still there and the dog is no longer around.
Who were they? Where did they live? The authorities want to know.
Because of the recent law in Arkansas, what has been done to this poor dog is a felony. And somebody must pay for what they have done.
Won't you please help?
If you think you know something about this case please call the authorities. Call the Bella Vista police on their non-emergency number - 855-3771. Tell them what you know. Give them as much detail as you can. And you don't have to give your name if you don't care to.
If you don't want to call the police, call me at 855-3724. I won't ask who you are. I just want to know what you know so I can pass it along to the authorities.
Many times in cases like these people don't realize that they know a lot more than they think. Any little tidbit of information might be what the police need to make an arrest. And an arrest and conviction in this case is what we need.
I want somebody to pay for what they have done to this poor defenseless animal.
In the meantime I have been promised updates on the dog's progress as he enters his new life with people who will love him and care for him. I’ll let you know what I hear.
At least this animal abuse story has a happy ending.City man chaged with burglary
A man charged with burglary turned himself into the Police Department on Friday, Nov. 6.
Adam Wayne Phillips, 21, of 16 Eaton Circle was charged with felony residential burglary and theft of property valued at more than $2,500 from a neighbor’s home on Eaton Circle, according to the police.
The theft occurred about two weeks ago, and the house was unlocked, Detective Ed Williams said.
Bond was set at $15,000.
Opinion, Pages 6 on 11/11/2009