Jimcs50
05-16-2005, 10:36 AM
AUSTIN
Owners fearful after 15 dogs poisoned
Pets, including rescued dachshunds, killed at kennel with cyanide.
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Deborah Cannon/AMERICAN-STATESMAN
(By Jennifer Barrios
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Monday, May 16, 2005
Joe Summers walked into the Lone Star Puppies kennel in Southeast Austin last week to find 15 Pomeranians, papillons, poodles and dachshunds, lying motionless in a mockery of sleep.
He turned and fled, screaming.
Kennel owner Sabrina Denning said Sunday that she took one of the dogs found dead Tuesday to the South Congress Veterinary Clinic, which shipped the remains to Texas A&M University for a necropsy. Examiners found that the dogs had been poisoned with cyanide, Denning said.
Most of the poisoned dogs were Summers' dachshunds, castoffs that he took in and gave away to new homes. He housed them at Denning's outdoor kennel and named them after the towns from which they came. Georgetown died, and San Marcos did, too. El Paso wasn't spared, either.
"It was a random act," Denning said. "They did not care which dogs they killed."
A spokesman for the Travis County sheriff's department would not comment on the case.
Denning and Summers have been left shaken and wondering what's next. They have about 20 dogs remaining at the kennel.
"I'm afraid that (the poisoners) thought they killed all the dogs, and I'm afraid they're coming back," Denning said.
Denning said she has installed a security system at the kennel, which is in the backyard of her house. The kennel didn't have a lock; now it has security cameras.
Summers also rigged up his own booby trap, hoping to protect his remaining dachshunds.
"I live for the dogs," Summers said. "My wife comes first, naturally, and then my dogs come. And that's my life."
[email protected]; 246-1150
:depressed
Owners fearful after 15 dogs poisoned
Pets, including rescued dachshunds, killed at kennel with cyanide.
Advertisement
Deborah Cannon/AMERICAN-STATESMAN
(By Jennifer Barrios
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Monday, May 16, 2005
Joe Summers walked into the Lone Star Puppies kennel in Southeast Austin last week to find 15 Pomeranians, papillons, poodles and dachshunds, lying motionless in a mockery of sleep.
He turned and fled, screaming.
Kennel owner Sabrina Denning said Sunday that she took one of the dogs found dead Tuesday to the South Congress Veterinary Clinic, which shipped the remains to Texas A&M University for a necropsy. Examiners found that the dogs had been poisoned with cyanide, Denning said.
Most of the poisoned dogs were Summers' dachshunds, castoffs that he took in and gave away to new homes. He housed them at Denning's outdoor kennel and named them after the towns from which they came. Georgetown died, and San Marcos did, too. El Paso wasn't spared, either.
"It was a random act," Denning said. "They did not care which dogs they killed."
A spokesman for the Travis County sheriff's department would not comment on the case.
Denning and Summers have been left shaken and wondering what's next. They have about 20 dogs remaining at the kennel.
"I'm afraid that (the poisoners) thought they killed all the dogs, and I'm afraid they're coming back," Denning said.
Denning said she has installed a security system at the kennel, which is in the backyard of her house. The kennel didn't have a lock; now it has security cameras.
Summers also rigged up his own booby trap, hoping to protect his remaining dachshunds.
"I live for the dogs," Summers said. "My wife comes first, naturally, and then my dogs come. And that's my life."
[email protected]; 246-1150
:depressed