ARL provided essential testimony in support of “overwhelming evidence” that dogs were kept in filthy and dirty conditions

A Cape Cod woman’s convictions for violating Massachusetts State law by confining her two dogs in a condemned home and a fenced-in yard, has been upheld by the Massachusetts Appeals Court.

Leanne Trefry, of Brewster, MA, challenged her convictions and claimed that she did not violate the law because her dogs were not confined outside. The Court disagreed, finding that keeping dogs in filthy and dirty confinement both inside and outside was, in fact, a violation of law.

Trefry’s Shetland sheepdogs, Kenji and Zach, peer through a fence on her property in Brewster on July 2013, just a few days before they were removed. Photo credit: Cape Cod Times

The Court found also that the dogs were effectively left alone on the property which was clogged with trash, inside and outside; emitted odors of trash (inside); dog feces (outside); and that there were many items which posed a threat to the dogs’ health and safety.

ARL’s Director of Law Enforcement, Lt. Alan Borgal, was one of the witnesses to the deplorable conditions in which the dogs were kept. He became aware of the situation when Brewster Animal Control Officer (ACO) Lynda Brogdan-Burns told him about the dogs and requested investigative assistance from the ARL.

Lt. Borgal went to see Trefry with the Brewster ACO and she agreed to allow the dogs to be taken to the ARL’s Brewster shelter for veterinary care and grooming because of the tick infestation.

At the time of the rescue, the dogs had effectively been left alone virtually all day every day for over a year with only intermittent contact with friends, a caretaker, and Trefry who provided food and water. One dog had Lyme disease and was limping badly from an injury. Both dogs were both tick-infested and described as “matted”, “ravaged” and “traumatized.”

During the trial, Lt. Borgal told the court that he had visited the home and found that the yard was overgrown, dog feces had not been picked up and removed and that, consequently, the yard itself smelled.

Both dogs were transferred to ARL’s Brewster shelter and were later boarded and fostered by Brewster Animal Control. After the conclusion of the case, the dogs were adopted.

Why is this case important? This is one of the first cases interpreting the Massachusetts law which prohibits cruel and dangerous conditions and inhumane tethering or chaining.

The Animal Rescue League of Boston’s Field Services team brings an injured raccoon to safety in Berlin, MA

ARL’s rescue services team brought a raccoon in Berlin, MA to safety after being trapped on top of a high-voltage utility pole for 3 days!

Earlier this week, the ARL’s Field Services was called in by the National Grid to help rescue a raccoon from the top of a utility pole in Berlin, Massachusetts.

Residents first noticed the injured raccoon perched on top of the high-voltage pole on Pleasant Street last Thursday and became increasingly worried with each day that he remained stuck up there .

Concerned neighbors began calling the National Grid, the Berlin police department, and posting pleas for help on social media. They even scattered bails of hay around the base of the utility pole to soften the fall, just in case the raccoon accidentally slipped.

After 3 days of being trapped with no end in sight, the ARL’s Field Services team was called in to help bring the injured raccoon to safety.

As soon as the National Grid shut down the high-voltage power, the ARL crew quickly began their recovery effort. Using a boom lift to raise them to the top of the pole, ARL’s Field Services carefully scooped the raccoon into a large net and brought him down to safety.

The Berlin raccoon, now safe, was transported to a local wildlife rehabilitation center for medical attention and recovery.

There was one additional scare, however! Once on the ground, the raccoon slipped out of the net and scampered away from the crowd and busy street. Fortunately, Danielle Genter on ARL’s Field Services team was able to outrun the injured raccoon and re-capture him in the net before safely placing him in a transport cage.

“The rescue went about as smooth as we’d hoped for, in a high-traffic street,” said Danielle Genter.

Upon initial evaluation, the raccoon appeared to be injured and dehydrated. He was taken to a local wildlife rehabilitation center for immediate medical attention and recovery.

Berlin resident Karen Blakeney reached out to the ARL afterward with this note of gratitude:

“I wanted to thank everyone involved from your wonderful organization for rescuing the raccoon by my house in Berlin today. You did a truly outstanding job and the world is such a better place with people like you in it… Thank you again for the important work you do every day!”

A big THANK YOU to all of the concerned Berlin residents, the Berlin police department, and the National Grid for helping to bring an injured raccoon to safety!

Pet bird finally brought in after months on the fly

After several months of living out in the wilds of Brookline, Massachusetts, pet cockatoo Dino is finally back in his cage.

The ARL’s Rescue Services team stepped in to assist the owners of the bird and Brookline police and animal control last week.

Dino, an escaped pet cockatoo, evaded capture all summer long. The ARL rescue services team stepped in to offer assistance in his capture late last week in the hopes of bringing him before winter.

Though residents of the Brookline neighborhood had grown a bit weary of his penchant for eating siding and early morning screeching, they also felt concern for Dino’s well-being with winter on the way.

As temperatures began to plummet late last week, the urgency to bring him in grew.

Working alongside other concerned rescuers, the ARL relied on a bit of bird psychology to bring in this feathered friend.  Cockatoos can become jealous of other birds, so the team set a special trap and with a lure bird to draw Dino’s attention.

Apparently green with envy, Dino entered the cage and his rogue wanderer days were over.

This evening, Dino is headed for a visit with his veterinarian to make sure all is well.

THANK YOU to the Brookline Police, Brookline Animal Control, the other rescue and caged bird groups, and the very patient neighbors and owner of the home that had become Dino’s favorite roosting spot.  Your kindness and compassion for this wayward bird is very much appreciated!

Photos courtesy of The Boston Globe.

Learn what you can do to protect animals like Wilson!

At the end of May, the Westport animal control and police department contacted the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) asking for assistance with a cat caught in an illegal trap.

A close-up of Wilson’s paw caught in the illegal leg hold trap and after it had been treated by emergency and ARL veterinarians.

A concerned citizen had spotted the approximately 6-year-old stray orange and white cat, now named Wilson, struggling with a heavy metal object attached to his right leg. Officials identified the metal object as an illegal leg hold trap.

Leg hold traps are a hunting tool widely considered inhumane due to the severe injury they can inflict on an animal, such as bone fractures, amputations, or even death. Once a trap is set, any animal can trigger it, putting domesticated animals such as dogs and cats like Wilson at risk.

Once captured, Westport animal control and police rushed Wilson to Mass-RI Veterinary ER animal hospital in Swansea.  After his right leg was freed from the leg hold trap, veterinarians observed incredible swelling in Wilson’s front paw and he couldn’t move his right leg properly. Thankfully, they did believe Wilson’s leg would heal.

Two days later, Wilson came to the ARL’s Boston shelter, where he was examined by lead shelter veterinarian Dr. Erin Doyle. “On initial exam, Wilson’s right paw was significantly less swollen than it had been at the hospital and he was able to bear weight on it approximately 50% of the time.”

The superficial wounds related to the trap itself were healing very well.  Just days after his ordeal, Wilson only had a faint limp when we walked and the swelling in his right paw was almost completely gone.

“Fortunately, Wilson’s injuries were much less severe than they could have been,” Dr. Doyle was relieved to report. “His right front leg and paw will return to normal function.”

According to Dr. Doyle, Wilson is ready to find a new home.  He has clearly become one of her favorite patients: “Wilson is a super sweet cat! Through all of the time I’ve spent with him handling his injured paw, he hasn’t grumbled a bit.”

Unfortunately, difficult stories like Wilson’s are sometimes what bring cats into our shelters. During Adopt-a-Cat Month this June, consider adopting cats like Wilson and give them a chance at a better life!  For more information on Wilson or other available adoptable cats, call or visit our Boston Shelter at or visit arlboston.org/adopt.

Law enforcement’s photo of Wilson’s fur still caught in the illegal leg hold trap, even after it had been safely removed from his paw.

The ARL and other animal welfare organizations in Massachusetts successfully pushed for legislation in 1996 to prohibit the use of leg hold traps. By current State law setting a leg hold traps is against the law, except in a handful of specific instances.

Registered voters should contact their legislators to oppose any change to the current law. Find your legislator.

MORE WAYS YOU CAN HELP WILSON AND PROTECT ANIMALS:

If you see something, say something. If you have any information about Wilson or the leg hold trap, please contact the Westport Police Department at (508) 636-1122.

Watch out for and report animal traps. Keep an eye on outdoor pets during the summer and report any illegal animal traps that you come across to your local police department.

Donate to help animals like Wilson recover from injury and abuse…and protect them from harm in the future.