The Woman Accused of Tossing Patrick the Pit Bull Down a Garbage Chute Pleads Guilty

Kisha Curtis still denies the act but admits to animal cruelty charges nonetheless.

Authorities believe that in 2011, a New Jersey woman wrapped her one-year-old Pit Bull in a plastic bag and threw him down a garbage chute into the trash compactor. He was alive. By the time rescuers found him, he was near death. In fact, it was astonishing that he was still breathing. The dog was a skeleton, his emaciated, corpse-like body shriveled and lifeless. The dog had moved just enough for a maintenance worker to notice the bag moving and save him.  

After that, Patrick, so named because he was rescued around St. Patrick's Day, pulled off one of the greatest recoveries we've ever seen, going from this: 

To this: 

We've written about the story a lot over the years: here, here, here, and here. Now, Patrick is finally getting some justice. The woman who was accused of throwing her dog down the chute, Kisha Curtis, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to fourth-degree animal cruelty, according to Essex County Prosecutor's Office. 

According to CBS News, Curtis was accused of tying the Pit Bull to the railing in her former Newark apartment building, then leaving the state for more than a week in 2011. Prosecutors said she was responsible for the dog's "torment and torture," by abandoning and starving the dog.  

Curtis has denied putting the dog in the trash chute, and she was set to go to trial on Wednesday. Instead, on Tuesday, she plead guilty to animal cruelty for tying up the dog and leaving him without food or water. She also gave up ownership of the dog. 

According to News 12 New Jersey, the surprise guilty plea was not part of the plea deal, and the prosecutors handling the case say they will seek the maximum penalty of 18 months in jail, though authorities say that she might not serve any time because she has no prior convictions. 

"Miss Curtis obviously committed an act, and now she's paying the consequences for it," Assistant Essex County Prosecutor David Feldman told News 12 New Jersey. 

State Superior Court Judge Joseph Cassini III is scheduled to sentence Curtis on Aug. 29 and also rule on the custody of Patrick. The dog is in a custody dispute with Associated Humane Societies and Garden State Veterinary Specialists, the groups who nursed Patrick back to health, along with the City of Newark, according to NJ.com. 

Currently, Patrick lives with Patricia Smillie-Scavelli, hospital administrator at Garden State Veterinary Specialists. 

Patrick's story has received intense public interest throughout the years, and we encourage you to follow the Patrick Miracle Facebook page for daily updates. We'll return to the story once the sentencing his handed down and Patrick's custody is determined. 

Via NJ.com, CBS News, and News 12 New Jersey; photos via the Patrick Miracle Facebook page unless otherwise noted

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Ever See a Grown Man Cry? Tell Him He Has to Give Up a Beloved Dog to an Accused Animal Hoarder

A woman accused of hoarding hundreds of animals in deplorable conditions is demanding to get one of her favorite dogs back.

A Kentucky woman charged with 200 counts of animal cruelty for hoarding hundreds of animals in deplorable conditions is jockeying to get back a couple of her favorite dogs and horses.

But at least one of those dogs won't be given up without a huge fight by her foster family.

Here's a photo of the mobile home where Terri Smith is accused of having kept hundreds of animals, both inside and outside. Apparently some of them were in as bad a condition as the mobile home.

This is the mobile home of Teri Smith, who was accused of keeping more than 200 animals in deplorable conditions both inside and outside.

Luckily most of the animals found good foster homes when they were taken away a few months ago. And the beautiful spaniel in the photo below went to a fantastic home. Steve and Jodie Judy and their family fell in love with her, named her Moto (after their favorite sport of motocross), and took her everywhere with them.

"I love her as much as I love my own kids," Steve Judy said in a report on WDRB-TV.

Moto's foster family deeply loves her. They'll do whatever it takes to keep her from going back to a woman charged with more than 200 counts of animal cruelty. (Image: WDRB-TV)

When the family heard that Smith, who pleaded guilty to one charge (you read right -- one out of more than 200), wanted a couple of dogs and horses back, they prayed Moto would not be one of them. But they got the dreaded phone call while shopping, and Jodie burst out crying in the store.

Steve Judy, as you can see in this photo, has a hard time talking about this without breaking down himself.

Steve Judy says Moto is like one of his own kids.

"She cannot go back to that lifestyle," he says. And he tells his dog while petting her with clear adoration. "It's okay, I promise, Daddy ain't going to let you go nowhere."

Smith is scheduled to be sentenced in court today for her one count of cruelty. The Judys will be right there to fight any official requests from Smith. If all goes well, they could adopt Moto once the case is settled. If things go badly ... let's not go there just yet. It's too sad to think about.

Check out this video, which was shot while Steve and Jodie and their three sons and two dogs were in the RV they travel in for motocross competitions. And if you happen to live near Henry County, Kentucky, and feel like heading to a courthouse today, the family could probably use a little moral support.

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McDonald’s Manager Accused of Punching Mom With Service Dog

Jennifer Schwenker, her two sons, and husband, in a 2008 11Alive news story about children with autism

An off-duty manager of a McDonald’s in Marietta, Georgia, was caught on surveillance tape as she harassed the mother of autistic twin boys because they came into the restaurant with a service dog.

The mom, Jennifer Schwenker, told manager Tiffany Denise Allen that the dog was specially trained to help her boys. But Allen didn’t care for that explanation, and followed the family around the restaurant. At one point Schwenker entered a bathroom with her brood to get away from Allen.

After they left, police say Allen punched the mom in the face.

You’ll find the TV report, complete with the surveillance video, above.

The manager has been fired, and police have charged her with simple battery, simple assault fear and disorderly conduct.

We often hear about this sort of discrimination, but it’s rare to see it. How does it make you feel to witness this, Dogsters?

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