A puppy stolen from the Lawrence Humane Society was recovered on Tuesday, a Humane Society official said.
The 5-month-old pit bull-terrier mix, named Oxford, was stolen about 1 p.m. Monday from his kennel at the animal shelter.
Midge Grinstead, executive director of the shelter, said the Humane Society received a tip on Tuesday, and two juveniles were subsequently located with the dog.
“We saw them with it and I called police,” Grinstead said.
She said the juveniles were not arrested, but will instead do community service work at the shelter.
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MeAndFannieLou (anonymous) says…
Horay! Always glad to read some GOOD news!
vega (anonymous) says…
OMG so the kids just wanted a puppy, not some evil dog fight handlers?
Raider (anonymous) says…
The parents of these kids should be forced to do community service at the shelter too. What kind of parent teaches their kids it's ok to take something when they can't afford it?
rodentgirl16 (anonymous) says…
It didn't say that the kids weren't going to use it to fight. In any case, having them do community service at the shelter is brilliant, and they will certainly learn more than if they sat in juvenile hall.
artichokeheart (anonymous) says…
I'm so glad Oxford was found. Community service at the shelter is the best way to help the kids understand the true value animals. I bet they did just want a dog. Oxford sure is a cutie pie.
myvotecounts (anonymous) says…
This is awesome news. To the tipster and the Humane Society--good job!
DRsmith (anonymous) says…
Great news...now they can take it back and euthanize it.
institches (anonymous) says…
DRSMith... Just an FYI.. the humane society does not euthanize anymore... :)
DRsmith (anonymous) says…
institches...now that is great news.
kansasfan21 (anonymous) says…
Where did you hear that?
blue73harley (anonymous) says…
kansasfan - Read the other thread where the dog was reported stolen. They do euthanize but as an exception.
kansasfan21 (anonymous) says…
Just last week Midge was quoted as saying “I do not want to euthanize for space reasons. We haven’t done that since 2000,” Grinstead said. “We’re about that close to having to do that.”
Which says to me: they don't euthanize for space (at the moment), but they still euthanize for other reasons. They do put down dogs that have only lived in the fighting world, or dogs that are a danger to others.
Don't get me wrong, its a great facility, but hardly any shelter can actually run on a 'no-kill' policy.
Spay and neuter your pets!!!
lmb (anonymous) says…
The Lawrence Humane Society DOES euthanize as they deem fit. For example, feral animals that the staff feel would not make good pets. That doesn't mean they put animals down willy-nilly, but get your blinders off, honey.
kugrad2009 (anonymous) says…
This makes a lot of sense. I was out fishing at Mary's lake and there were two kids running around with this dog. It was really friendly, but they said that they needed to sell the dog because it didn't have a home. I looked up the dog on the Humane Society's website and it looks exactly like the dog the kids at the lake had.
kmat (anonymous) says…
They only euthanize if any animal is so sick it can't be treated or if the animal is so wild it can't be adopted. Since they take everything animal control picks up, there will unfortunately be some wild animals that they have to put down.
Any shelter that calls itself a no kill shelter does also put animals down at times. No kill shelters are very selective in what animals they will take in which lessens the chances of having to put an animal down. Instead of helping all like our shelter does, they only help the animals they deam to be highly adoptable. That's what Animal Haven in KC does. You can take them an animal, but they may just turn you away.
Our shelter does an excellent job.
middlemgmt (anonymous) says…
I guessing that this publicity will get Oxford a home sooner rather than later. Great job to all involved in finding the puppy.
asbury (anonymous) says…
Really glad they found the puppy....
krisellion (anonymous) says…
I saw this story on the news right before I went to bed, it woke me up well before my alarm went off, and it wouldn't let me go back to sleep. I just couldn't imagine that sweet little puppy in the picture being turned into a viscious fighting dog. It made me sick to my stomach. I'm soooo happy he's safe, and will hopefully go to a loving home!!!
Irish (Leslie Swearingen) says…
I doubt if the parents told the kids to steal the dog.
But, they should have been aware that something was up when the dog showed up at their place.
Did they say, the dog followed me home?
If they were trying to sell the dog, it might have seemed like a good idea to them at the time.
Who knows what thoughts were going though their minds?
Frightwig (anonymous) says…
Keep in mind that these juveniles are criminals. They secretly entered the shelter, stole the dog and drove away with it in their car. People hear that they were underage and mistakenly envision Spanky and Alfalfa bringing home a puppy in a little red wagon. That's not the case here. I'd like to hear what their parents have to say.
XEPCT (anonymous) says…
Irish, you know, it's possible the "tipster" ended up being either of the kids' parents. And with the help of the police taught the juveniles a lesson... I think it would qualify as good parenting. Kids get into mischief; what's more important are the lessons they learn.
StirrrThePot (anonymous) says…
Thank goodness. The possibility of that little cutie being used for dogfighting was just awful. Hopefully the kids learn their lesson and find some good experience volunteering for the shelter.
puddleglum (anonymous) says…
WOOF!
roger_o_thornhill (anonymous) says…
If the kids took an ugly dog would there have been as much about it? It seems that even in the animal world, looks matter.
autie (anonymous) says…
I was just happy the alleged perps didn't turn out to be Cruella DeVille.
krisellion (anonymous) says…
Roger, I, for one, think ugly dogs are the cutest!! My doggie is a Heinz 57 mix - jack russel terrier, beagle, australian shepherd, pit bull, and his vet mentioned a couple of other possibilities. Needless to say, he's very strange-looking, but utterly adorable! I'm devastated when ANY animal is subjected to cruelty at the hands of human beings, no matter what it looks like. :)
ksb (anonymous) says…
Someone old enough to drive must have been involved (presumably), since the dog was driven away in a car.
Irish (Leslie Swearingen) says…
XEPCT You are right. A parent might not be aware when they child is doing something wrong and so cannot prevent that specific act. But, after they find out they can take steps to see it doesn't happen again.
Is a juvenile anyone under 18?
If the kids were trying to sell the dog, did they need the money that desperately?
Could the parent have come up with the idea to make a little money?
artichokeheart (anonymous) says…
I went to the shelter today. At least 40% of the dogs in the adotionroom are Pit Bull or Pit Bull mix.
I met one of the boys who took Oxford too. He is not a hardened criminal. He is just a little boy who desperatly wants a dog. So those complaining about him and his parents need to take a chill pill.
Once more I will say the lawrence humane society is low kill. If they do have to euthinize it isn't their fault. It is the fault of those who take owning a pet too lightly. Look in the mirror people, chances are you are looking into the face of the real problem.
yankeevet (anonymous) says…
Good news............glad too hear the pup is ok..
brian1981 (anonymous) says…
WTF?!?!
These kids stole a dog from the shelter so as punishment we . . .
Put them to work in the same dog shelter!!!!!!!
Brilliant!!!!!!!!
kugrad2009 (anonymous) says…
All these comments and talk about these kids taking the dog and looking to sell it for fighting is non-sense. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I saw the two kids with that same dog out at Mary's lake. One had to be around 9 years old, the other, 14 or 15 years old and they were playing with the dog. Had I known it was a stolen dog, I would have reported it, but didn't know at the time.
My guess is they thought the dog was cute at the time and decided to take it, which of course is wrong, but kids can do stupid things sometimes. They were out at Mary's lake and were even swimming with the dog. Either someone who had been walking around the lake reported them, or they got home and their parents called in and reported they had the dog.
morganalefay (anonymous) says…
Thank goodness they found Oxford. I hope the time these kids spend working with dogs teaches them a real hard lesson. Apparently the folks at the Humane Society are willing to educate them and I'm sure they will team them up with experienced volunteers. There might be hope for them yet. At the very least, they may learn that you shouldn't steal stuff and that taking care of dogs can be hard work.
I was at the Humane Society today to drop off donated items and asked to see a couple of the dogs. In my conversation with the volunteer, I asked about Oxford and she told me that they had found him. But when I asked if I could see him, she said that she couldn't let me see him at the moment. They are being very careful right now - as they should be.
Too often the wrong people are interested in adopting pit bulls or other popular fighting dogs. I was very glad to know that they are being extra careful with Oxford now. I wish they could do more thorough background checks on people who want to adopt dogs.
persevering_gal (anonymous) says…
I'm so glad to see that the puppy was found!
artichokeheart (anonymous) says…
I talked to the kid. He just wants a dog. Every kid should have a pet to love. He lives with his grandmother and she doesn't want him to have a dog. I hope that will change. When I walked in Midge was talking to the boy about animals. I think she could be a good influence on his future. That boy working at the shelter is the best way to show him that there are better ways to get what he wants I'm sure some of you would have rather seen a child sent to the detention center so he could learn from hardened offenders how to commit more severe crimes. That way later on you could feel superior in your judgements.
greenquarter (A Smith) says…
If the kid(s) just wanted a dog and couldn't have one, I think this is a great solution to let him work off his crime. It's a dumb act by a kid ... and now he can be around dogs and see what hard work they are, without needing to have one of his own. He sounds like he needs some positive reinforcement, and hopefully this experience will teach him a lesson in time to become a productive member of society.
terrapin2 (anonymous) says…
be3-You would put your own grandma in jail. Is everyone but you a dead beat that should be thrown in jail? If all you are going to do is type one liners judging everyone else and never offer an intelligent comment that adds to the discussion, then please, please back away from the keyboard and refrain from ever posting again. If we could all be as perfect as you.
faceit (anonymous) says…
Did they turn in Nick Danger (their ringleader)?
workinghard (anonymous) says…
I realize this is just a kid, but he must learn now at this age that you just can't take what you want. Would you feel the same if he was 19? Well, he will do the same at 19 if you make excuses for him now. I don't mean throw the book at him, but he needs to realize you have to obey the law. Let him do his community service and whatever punishment his grandmother decides. But telling him that she needs to take a "chill pill" undermines her attempts to raise him as a law abiding citizen. Everybody is ranting that Jaeger's parents enabled him by not teaching him right from wrong and that actions have consequences. This kid is not a victim, thousands of kids want a dog and can't have one, that doesn't give them the right to steal one, and I'm sure most don't.
Isabelle (anonymous) says…
Awesome!
bearded_gnome (anonymous) says…
I wonder what Oxford makes of all this.
Steinbeck once wrote something like we humans all look mad in the eyes of a dog.
great news to see little Oxford is okay!
sustainabilitysister (anonymous) says…
They do euthanize and should until we get the pet population under control. It would be such a perfect world if they did not have to but the fact of the matter is we're not there yet. The Humane Society DOES euthanize and so do NO Kill Shelters. The No Kill Shelters just get more money because it sounds more PC when they do in fact euthanize and the traditional shelters do more work. I support both but people aren't educated on these issues. It is very subjective as to what animals they euthanize. They euthanize if an animal acts aggressive, which is VERY subjective because I'd bear my teeth if I was in a cage too. They euthanize for health reasons and this is subjective as well. The focus should be on getting the word out on spaying and neutering your pets. Veterinarians DON'T tell clients the truth about pet overpopulation. Instead they say it should be done for health reasons. This is a disservice to all. Stop those litters and fix your critters.
Katara (anonymous) says…
artichokeheart (Anonymous) says…
I went to the shelter today. At least 40% of the dogs in the adotionroom are Pit Bull or Pit Bull mix.
I met one of the boys who took Oxford too. He is not a hardened criminal. He is just a little boy who desperatly wants a dog. So those complaining about him and his parents need to take a chill pill.
Once more I will say the lawrence humane society is low kill. If they do have to euthinize it isn't their fault. It is the fault of those who take owning a pet too lightly. Look in the mirror people, chances are you are looking into the face of the real problem.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How true about the owners! I remember this incredibly irresponsible owner who made the news a few years ago. Her dog got put down by the Humane Society.
I wonder if she ever paid back the expenses the Humane Society had to spend their money on for the time they had to feed and shelter her dog. It is too bad that money couldn't have gone to help animals that were actually adoptable.
Hey Marion! You remember that case, don't you?
That lady should have looked into the mirror more often.
Katara (anonymous) says…
Marion (Marion Lynn) says…
Katara;
The case was run the the megalomanical Judge Randy.
He should be disbarred.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Any idea if that woman reimbursed the Humane Society all the costs associated with sheltering and feeding her dog? How long was it - a year? 2 years? that the Humane Society fed and cared for the dog?
All that money could have gone to quite a few animals that were adoptable. All that money spent caring for a dog that was designated a vicious animal could have paid for quite a few spayings/or neuterings for people who want a pet but could not afford to have one fixed as a responsible owner would do.
So, I take it that you disagree with Artichokeheart's comment that if animals are euthanized, it is because the owners are irresponsible?
artichokeheart (anonymous) says…
workinghard (Anonymous) says…
I realize this is just a kid, but he must learn now at this age that you just can't take what you want. Would you feel the same if he was 19? Well, he will do the same at 19 if you make excuses for him now. I don't mean throw the book at him, but he needs to realize you have to obey the law. Let him do his community service and whatever punishment his grandmother decides. But telling him that she needs to take a “chill pill” undermines her attempts to raise him as a law abiding citizen. Everybody is ranting that Jaeger's parents enabled him by not teaching him right from wrong and that actions have consequences. This kid is not a victim, thousands of kids want a dog and can't have one, that doesn't give them the right to steal one, and I'm sure most don't.
Yes and that is what he is learning. I talked to this kid believe me he feels bad.
I find it difficult to believe you never did anything that you shouldn't have as a child. But then I have learned from reading this forum that so many of the posters here are darned near saints. Funny I was told the holy city was in the middle east. I guess the rest of the world hasn't heard it is really Lawrence Kansas.
artichokeheart (anonymous) says…
BTW I plan to talk to the child's grandmother to see if she will let him have a dog once he finishes his community service. If she will I am going to help him get a dog.
You should rent the movie My Dog Skip it may help you see more clearly.
kugrad2009 (anonymous) says…
Marion writes:
"Artie, the SOB shouldn't be allowed anywhere near an animal without one Heck of a lot of counselling and a very real psychological evaluation, as you and me both know that if he wanted a dog, he sure as Heck didn't need to steal it from the Humane Society.
I suspect that he is nothing more than a Junior Vick anad I questioin my use of capitals."
--------------------------------------------------------
Geeze, Marion. Was the Vick comment really necessary?
When Oxford was out for a day, he got to run around Mary's lake, swim with a few kids, and get some much needed exercise. In case you're wondering, yes, I saw the two kids out there. I was fishing at the lake for four hours. They were there for about that long too. They have volunteers at the humane society that take the dogs out for exercise, Oxford just got a little bit more than most get.
As for the kid, maybe he heard the dog population at the humane society was at capacity and figured no one would really care if he took a dog. After all, he is a kid, not what you claim he is. Kids make stupid decisions and he will serve his community, learn his lesson, as well as learn from people that know how to take care of animals. It's a win-win situation. Even if he can't have a dog, he'll get to play with plenty of dogs at the humane society.
Katara (anonymous) says…
artichokeheart (Anonymous) says…
Yes and that is what he is learning. I talked to this kid believe me he feels bad.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well, of course he feels bad. He got caught.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
artichokeheart (Anonymous) says…
BTW I plan to talk to the child's grandmother to see if she will let him have a dog once he finishes his community service. If she will I am going to help him get a dog.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So, if he really wanted a Wii and his grandmother wouldn't let him have one (and probably had good reasons for not allowing him to) and this kid went and robbed an electronics store for the Wii, you'd go talk to his grandmother to try to convince her to let him have one?
I agree with workinghard on this. You undermine the grandmother's authority and the child will not learn an important lesson.
artichokeheart (anonymous) says…
The SOB? He is a child. Tell me Marion at age 8 did you know about everything? Could you determine the outcome of a compulsive act? I doubt it.
I suppose you are one of those extrordinary people who came from the womb in perfect unflawed form. I bet angelic harmony bellowed from the sky the day you were born and every day since.
He's a kid get real will ya.
kugrad2009 (anonymous) says…
Marion, this is a situation that you are so far removed and out of tune with reality that you come onto a message board and spout off whatever the heck is on your mind, including insults and offensive analogies (Michael Vick). I ask that you think about things before posting again.
As for the counseling and "very real" psychological evaluation that you think this kid needs, you can pay for it, not us taxpayers. I bet you think this kids should be locked up for a while too... Who do you think will pay for that? You will, and so will the rest of us. Plain and simple, he's a kid, he did something wrong, and will have to serve his community as a result.
As for your potty mouth (i.e., calling a kid an "SOB"), like any child, yourself included, you should be punished. Maybe your parental figure(s) can wash your mouth with soap to make you think about what you did.
dudedog12 (anonymous) says…
Raider is right, hit the eparents for some work time, the apple does not fall far from the tree.
artichokeheart (anonymous) says…
I'm just glad there are people in the community who are willing to invest time to help a kid understand the diffrence between right and wrong. I prefere to see people trying to enhance the life of a child rather than throw in the towel at every turn. The nuclear family is a thing of the past. No we can't help every kid who hits a bump in the road but we should try to whenever we can.
rodentgirl16 (anonymous) says…
The kid lives with his grandmother. There is probably a void in his life that he felt would be filled by having a dog. Obviously, he went about it the wrong way. Almost everyone has a story about stealing something when they were young, getting caught, and being forced to take responsibility for it. Example, my brother stole a candy bar from the grocery store. When they got outside, he proudly displayed it for my mom. She told him he could keep it and the police would come get him (he was 4 so it was an empty threat) or he could take it back and explain what happened. He chose to take it back and at age 25, he's never stolen anything or been in trouble with the law to date.
Yes, a candy bar is different from a dog, but by being forced to atone for stealing the puppy and working at the shelter, Midge may have inadvertently shaped his whole future for the better. Maybe this community service will help to fill the void that caused him to steal the dog in the first place. It will also teach him how much work and responsibility a dog is. Lack of responsibility may be why the grandmother didn't want him to have a dog in the first place. If he can learn and understand that responsibility, maybe the grandmother will allow him to have a dog.
flux (anonymous) says…
Marion is loosing it.
workinghard (anonymous) says…
By rewarding this kid with a dog you teach him that breaking the law gets him what he wants. Maybe his grandmother has good reasons for not wanting a dog. Maybe she rents and is not allowed to have a dog or must pay extra, or maybe she has allergies. Offering to pay the expense of getting a dog does not help down the road with food and vet care. I have a pet now that costs me $150 a month in medical bills but I have made that commitment, maybe she can't. Had a dog get cancer, chemo is not cheap, but again that was my choice. Dog only lived 6 months longer but I tried. Dogs develope medical problems, it is unfair to put the grandmother in the position of being the bad guy once again. She has already done a wonderful thing by providing him with a home instead of letting him go into fostercare. You cannot teach him that he gets what he wants by breaking the rules.
workinghard (anonymous) says…
Now in answer to didn't I ever do anything wrong. You bet, and I got punished. That taught me not to do it again because you will probably get caught and punished.
I also gave two kids, about 12, the break of a lifetime once. They broke into my house and stole electronics and tools and vandalized the walls. They were seen leaving the house so I knew who did it, called the police, and as we were talking here they come walking down the street. The policeman gets them, they admit to it when they found out there was witnesses. The policeman asked what I wanted to do. Well one kid was in some of my kid's classes and I decided to keep him from harm I would drop the charges and let them go if they returned everything besides I didn't want to be the one to give them a record. I took the loss on the vandalizism but I figured a couple of weekends of painting was worth it for my child's safety. The policeman gave them a long lecture on how lucky they were and this person was giving them a once in a lifetime second chance that probably nobody else would and they should take advantage of it. Oh yes, they sincerely appreciated it and would never break the law again. So what happened. The one boy threatened my child repeately at school with bodily harm from him and his friends if I even thought about pressing charges. I called the school but nothing was done. He also was living with his grandparents. I found their phone number and called. The grandmother told me she was under the impression that they had been accused but no possessions were found on them. I set her straight on that, they were indeed in possession of my things and that I was going to press charges if one more threat was made to my child and to stay away from my child. Threats stopped right away. Did they ever break the law again, you bet, I read about both of them a couple of times in the paper. I should not have let them off with no consequences, it on encouraged them because they got away with it.
terrapin2 (anonymous) says…
Sustainability sister- I am a registered vet tech and we educate our clients on all the reasons to spay and neuter your pets, including health reasons and population control. We are in the business of health so to leave that out of the discussion would be a great disservice to our clients/patients. In the speech I give to all puppy/kitten owners I tell them about the humane societies putting down animals all the time. If they say they want to breed them we discourage it completely. We don't need any more people breeding ANY dogs/cats until the population is to a point that we don't have to put down healthy animals. I don't care what wonderful designer breed they are.
Health reasons like less breast cancer, prostate cancer, willingness to roam, etc...are all discussed as well, which is sometimes the extra incentive people need beyond just population control to get them to do it. We don't want animals put down unnecessarily any more than anyone else does. In fact probably less.
WHY (anonymous) says…
Yeah one more dog back on public welfare. If the dog had died tax money could have been used for kids or healthcare or .... but no we get our unwanted dog back. 242,000 dollars for unwanted dogs. That would pay for a few teachers or doctor visits or surgery for needy kid or food or......