Dumping dogs a tragic tradition

While most of us were doing last-minute shopping or baking, local law enforcement and McCook Humane Society officials and volunteers were dealing with a tragic Southwest Nebraska event that's unfortunately turning into a tradition.

In a repeat of an incident that occurred a year ago, someone has abandoned more than a dozen small dogs in rural Southwest Nebraska.

An illegal breeder, or "puppy mill" is probably to blame, said Lorie Prestes of the Humane Society. The dogs, mostly males, were terrier mixes, Shih Tzu, Yorkies and bichon mixes, all estimated to be unde 6 years old.

"They hang on to the females; they're the money makers," Prestes said.

Many of the dogs show signs of neglect, so matted that flaps of knotted fur hang in strips from their bodies.

Anyone with some spare time -- wanting to burn off some calories or take a break from visiting relatives (or even bring them along) -- should be able to help out with cleaning, bathing and other in-take procedures. Or, donations of cash or needed supplies are always welcome.

Visit the McCook Humane Society on Facebook or call 308-345-2372 for more information.

Better yet, perhaps you can help keep it from happening again.

The Red Willow County Sheriff's office is conducting an investigation into who is responsible. Call the sheriff's office at (308) 345-1850, McCook Area Crime Stoppers at 1-866-345-5440 or visit http://rwcso.org/contact-us or leave a tip at http://crimestoppers.swnebr.com/NewCyberTipPage.htm

In case you were worried about it, the annual Possum Drop will go on as scheduled in Brasstown, North Carolina, on New Years Eve.

The folks at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals had tried to stop the event, saying it's cruel to lower a possum in a plastic box at midnight.

PETA won a similar lawsuit last year when an administrative law judge ruled that the state Wildlife Resources Commission lacked the authority to issue a permit for the event, so the state passed a law in March allowing licensed sportsmen to hold animals for display as long as they are returned to the wild after the event.

The organizer was issued a permit to capture an animal for the event, but PETA protested, saying the health of the nocturnal marsupial would be endangered by the lights and noisy crowd attending the event.

The point might be moot, since the permit requires that the possum be provided a den where it can hide, out of sight, if it gets scared.

PETA is not especially welcome in Nebraska, where it is seen as a radical group opposed to hunting and commercial production food derived from animal sources, and where an opossum is seen more as a giant rat than an animal to be protected.

When it comes to neglected pets like those now being cared for at the McCook Humane Society, however, most of us can find common ground with the animal rights group.