Concern about the behavioral and medical histories of dogs rescued from two houses in Whiteford in May has led a southern Pennsylvania animal rescue group to file for custody of two dogs being sheltered at the Humane Society of Harford County.
Animal Rescue Inc., a “no kill” shelter based in Maryland Line, Pa., has filed a complaint in Harford County District Court to regain custody of two dogs seized from the property of Donna Bell on May 12, according to the rescue?s founder Grace Froelich.
Humane Society of Harford County Executive Director Tammy Zaluzney said she was aware that Animal Rescue believed it had a claim to dogs at the shelter, but she had not received any documentation from the courts on the claim. Froelich said the two dogs in question ? a dachshund/beagle mix named Licorice and a basset hound/beagle mix named Dexter ? have behavioral and medical issues that, she said she feels, make them unadoptable. Froelich said both dogs were sheltered at Animal Rescue years ago and were adopted out.
Froelich did not know how Dexter and Licorice came to be among the dozens of dogs seized from Bell?s property, but she said the fact that they are now at the Humane Society speaks to how these two dogs have problems that can overwhelm an unsuspecting adopter.
In the case of Licorice and Dexter, Froelich was skeptical this would be the case. Licorice, who is around 13 years old, Froelich said, underwent spinal surgery several years ago, while Dexter has been cast out of previous homes because he has been resistant to house training. Lutherville resident Mary Sue Rubin, who adopted a Shih Tzu mix rescued from Bell?s Whiteford properties, also expressed concerns about health issues among the dogs sheltered at the Humane Society. Rubin said the health histories of many of the Whiteford dogs up for adoption at the Humane Society is not known, and this may lead to many of the dogs being homeless again.
Of her new family member Lulu, Rubin said the Shih Tzu is probably about 15 years old, is blind, has trouble walking, has a heart murmur and has numerous growths on her underside.
