animal cruelty charges for dog-sitter who exercised Chihuahua by running it by car (dog ok)

[Liberal_in_LA]

Charges for Colo. woman who ran Chihuahua by car

A dog-sitter's shortcut led to criminal charges for a Colorado woman who ran a Chihuahua alongside her car at 10 to 15 mph.

The Daily Camera reports that 29-year-old Joan Renee Zalk of Boulder faces animal cruelty and felony menacing charges after witnesses confronted her Friday morning for running the pup alongside her Toyota Camry.

The newspaper reports that Zalk told officers the dog, named Cooper, "goes ballistic" if it doesn't walk 3 miles a day.

Witnesses called police after seeing the leashed dog struggling to keep up with the car. Zalk reportedly said the dog was fine.

Zalk is free on bond. Cooper was uninjured and was taken to a local shelter. The dog was expected to be released to its owner, who was out of town at the time of the incident.


Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/09/20/national/a144915D65.DTL#ixzz1Yu9fLuhz
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/09/20/national/a144915D65.DTL#ixzz1Yu9UzDqA

[xchrom]

1. This should result jail time. Nt

[LeftyMom]

2. God forbid a 29 year old walk three miles a day.

I have a little canine nephew named Freddy who is a chihuahua. If somebody dragged him next to a car at 10-15 mph (and with their stubby little legs, that's what going that fast would do- he can't run that fast that long) they'd need to move out of state and change their name, and hope I never found them.

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. thank goodness the public was outraged. Owner might have never known their

pet was being dragged by car.

[LeftyMom]

4. Not to mention the risk of running the dog over.

A person too lazy to walk a tiny dog probably shouldn't get a job petsitting. *sigh*

[RebelOne]

12. My sentiments exactly. I am a Chihuahua owner also. n/t

[TBF]

5. Has she never heard of doggie daycare?

I take my big young lab there once or twice a week to run. It's a big outside yard and I would bet he runs 3 miles or more during the course of the day with all the other dogs.

Maybe they ought to hook Zalk up to a car and see how she can keep up - I'll drive.

[lunatica]

6. We used to do that with our Great Dane

Many years ago when I was a kid. It was the only way he could get a little running exercise. There was no way any of us could keep up with him if he ran, or even trotted. The stride of a Great Dane is very long. But we would only do it around the block in very quiet suburban neighborhood and at a speed where he basically trotted. We didn't pull him on a leash either. If he started to look a little tired we'd stop and let him in the car. He took up the entire back seat of the car. He was big even for a Great Dane.

[TBF]

7. lol - my lab is at least 90 lbs. and the Danes at daycare are the ones

he likes to play with. If there are too many at once he shies away, but if there are only a couple he will go running with them. It is a big city doggie daycare so you get all kinds of large dogs (the small and large parks are separate of course). He looks much smaller at that field when the danes and other large dogs show up.

[Walk away]

8. I am a pet sitter who specializes in Tiny Dogs.

These little ones are so delicate! They may have the hearts of lions but they need tender loving care.

Here is a link to one of my Doggie Day Care videos. The right way to exercise Tinies! <http://youtu.be/igXJBmZVyC4>

[Liberal_in_LA]

9. that was a whole lot of cuteness!

:loveya:

[Walk away]

11. Check out my Yorkie Tuesday group.

<http://youtu.be/ap1Okn6l7c0>

What a way to spend the day! The way to calm a dog down is by putting him in a group to play and rest with not drag him around until he's exhausted, terrified or injured!

[Poll_Blind]

10. Heh heh- that was a great video and perfect musical accompanyment!

:thumbsup:

PB

[jwirr]

13. My Sadie, a Chihuahua, cannot walk that far and would never have

been able to keep up with a car. Stupid woman.