COURT HOUSE – As the result of a Cape May County “outdoor dog” dying from a severe heart worm disease, Shore Animal Control (SAC) will be setting a precedent to increase enforcement of NJ State Statute 4:22-17 A, Failure to Provide Necessary Care. SAC will now be vigorously enforcing this state statute for animal care in municipalities they serve for residents known to harbor outdoor dogs for extended periods of time.
These new requirements resulted from a recent animal cruelty case held in Middle Township Municipal Court involving a Woodbine resident who pled guilty to charges which led to the death of his Pit Bull. The charge, which was NJ State Statute, 4:22-26 A (3) : A person who shall cause the death of, or serious bodily injury to, a living animal or creature from a commission of any acts described in Paragraph 2, 4, 5 or 6 of the statute section.
The dog known as Duke died as a result of severe heartworm infestation because he had not received any preventative care, and once he had gotten the parasite, it was left untreated. Heartworm disease, or dirofilariasis, is a serious and potentially fatal disease. It is caused by a blood-borne parasite known as Dirofilaria immitis. Adult heartworms are found in the heart and adjacent large blood vessels of infected dogs. … One dog may have as many as 300 worms present when diagnosed.
Animal Cruelty Investigator for the company, Holly Gavrilow states, “The majority of dogs kept outdoors for extensive periods of time are subject to not only suffering from extreme weather, but also from various forms of parasites which, if left untreated, can be fatal. Without routine care, such as preventative medication and checkups at the vet, many of these dogs obtain these parasites and their owners do not even know sometimes until it is too late; such as the case with Duke.”
The recent new Animal Cruelty revisions in state law recently enacted is also going to help improve lives for many dogs known as “outdoor dogs.”
Manager of SAC Linda Gentille adds, “We are very grateful for the new revisions to help further protect outdoor dogs. 90% of all the dogs we seized during extreme temperatures in the past year all tested positive for either heartworm or other parasites which either did or could have resulted in death. Outdoor dogs are extremely vulnerable to death as a result of parasite infestation and rarely receive routine medical care like household pets. All that is going to change in municipalities we serve as a result of the tragic death of Duke.”
The American Animal Hospital Association places the average cost of preventative for dogs at $5-15 per month, and the cost of treating a dog with heartworm at $400-1,000. Based on findings from the 485,000 pets covered by their insurance in 2012, Veterinary Pet Insurance states that the average cost of preventing an external parasite—such as heartworms from mosquitos or Lyme disease from ticks—is $84.89 annually, compared with an annual financial burden of $180.67 for treatment. With both prevention and treatment, costs typically increase with the weight of the dog.
“Treatment is expensive because it requires multiple visits to the veterinarian, bloodwork, x-rays, hospitalization and a series of injections,” according to the FDA. Recovery can take up to six months and there are often lasting effects on the animal’s heart.
The founder of Shore Animal Control, Dr. Nick Holland, adopted a pit bull named Rocky who was rescued from Middle Township found in deplorable conditions and suffering from parasites which could have been fatal if not treated. The previous owner relinquished Rocky to Shore Veterinarians after he tested positive for internal parasites.
Starting next week, all residents with known outdoor dogs that are at risk of parasite infestation will be required to have medical tests performed and preventative measures taken if tested positive. SAC is currently working with residents who have pets that tested positive in both Cape May and Atlantic County.
Gentille continues, “We will be working with residents to help improve conditions for dogs spending extensive time outdoors. With the new state laws in place, having dogs outdoors now becomes much more difficult and expensive to comply with proper shelter. Many residents are choosing to bring their pets inside rather than the extensive requirements to keep a dog outside now. Bringing a pet inside versus the expense of proper fencing, housing, heating/cooling units and other requirements is now a consideration. Because of the new state regulations enacted, having an “outdoor” dog is now a much more expensive and complicated issue. Having the SPCA, local police and animal control constantly monitor a property during weather events becomes a hassle for both resident and enforcement agencies. Bringing a dog inside is a much more logical option.”
If you see any pets outside during extreme temperatures or animals in distress, please contact your local police department immediately who will contact the local animal cruelty investigator in your municipality.
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