Bonehead of the Week: Man Abandons Six Puppies in Suitcase Bearing His Name

Full disclosure before I start this story: When I see the suitcases come out in my household I get mightily bummed. It usually means that Maria is going on a business trip and ditching me for a few days or even weeks. Sure I have plenty of attention and love and food and walks from the other family members while she's gone, but I like having her around. I just wanted to let you know before I begin this that I am just not a fan of suitcases. I am biased.

With that out of the way, I can begin this short tale of boneheadism. So a suitcase was recently found on a street in Toledo, Ohio. An adult dog was pacing around it, and of course, attracting attention. When a curious passerby opened the suitcase, what should be inside? Doggy biscuits? Stinky fish? Nope. Puppies! Six English bulldog puppies.

They were OK, fortunately, but they were only four weeks old - too young to be taken from their mom. Of course, the dog pacing around the suitcase was the mom of the pups. I'm sure she was very happy to see the case opened and have access to the pups.

If you were going to abandon puppies in a suitcase (and I know none of my readers would do this, but let's be hypothetical), you'd probably take off the luggage tag with your name on it, right? Well this guy didn't. And the suitcase was found two blocks from his residence.

His excuse: He said he had given the pups to someone in Michigan, and his suitcase had been stolen before that. Do I sense a grasping at straws here?

I give him a little credit because at least the guy had licensed the mom dog. That's how they traced her to him immediately. But jeez.

Sadly the mom had to say good-bye to the pups forever. The three boys and three girls are now in foster care until they're old enough to be adopted out, and also until they're no longer needed as "evidence," according to the a Reuters article. There's already a long list of potential adopters.

This is what these pups should look like in just three or four weeks!

The man has been charged with animal abandonment, which is a second degree misdemeanor. It carries a maximum $750 fine and 90 days in jail. I doubt he'll get more than a slap on the paw. I can't find any story that says what happened to the mom dog. She was found blocks from her home, no leash, which isn't a great sign that she's well watched, but maybe somehow she had busted out of the house to get to the pups.

Of course, this could all have been prevented if the guy had just brought the pups to the local humane society. "Anyone who can't take care of any animal can come here and we will work with you," said Toldedo Area Humane Society executive director John Dinon. Let that be a lesson for any other boneheads out there. (Unfortunately they are not reading this story, because boneheads are generally not readers of Dogster.)

Images via Shutterstock: Four English bulldog puppies, older pup

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Dog Bearing Heartbreaking Note From Child Finds a Home

Mr B, who found a new home thanks to the unselfish love of a child (Credit for all photos in this post: king5.com):

When a King Charles Cavalier spaniel wandered into Paul Wu’s driveway and wouldn’t leave, the Kirkland, Wash., resident got out of his car to inspect the little dog more closely.

He found a red, bone-shaped container attached to the dog’s collar. On the container was the hand-scrawled word, “OPEN.” So he did.

Inside he found a note and some money. The note, hand-written on lined yellow paper, read:

Please take care of Mr. B. He is a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel. Six years old. My parents got divorced and Mr. B was supposed to go to the pound. I think he has a better chance with you.  This is my birthday money for any of his care. He is used to kids, not other dogs.  He’s a good boy.  I know God will take care of Mr. B – Everyone loves him…especially me. Thank you.”

Wu was very touched by the note, and didn’t want to leave the dog on his own, so he brought him to work with him. There, coworker Robert Kuchcinski, who has three children, decided to lend a hand. He brought Mr. B home after work, and took him to the vet’s. The tagless dog had no microchip, but got a relatively clean bill of health. (He looks well fed.)

Kuchcinski’s family fell fast for Mr. B. They’ll be keeping him.

“I’d hate to be a kid making that choice,” Kuchcinski said. “It didn’t seem right that it would go to the pound.” (Yes, he’s calling him ‘it,’ but he’s a new dog owner, so that should improve with time.)

It’s been a few days now, and Mr. B is settling in beautifully. With three kids and two adults, there are sometimes 10 hands wanting to pet him at once. And he looks oh so comfy on the chaise lounge.

Wu appeared on a local news station in order to get word to the child/teen who dropped off Mr. B. ”
“All I want to do is let this person know that we found him a good home. That’s the whole message,” said Wu.

What a bunch of good people were involved here. It could have gone the other direction if the wrong people found the dog. I hope the child faring OK, and will soon find out that Mr B is doing well, too.

Sources: King 5 News, Digital Journal

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