A dog without a nose who appeared to be the victim of animal cruelty is suddenly part of a custody case. Austin Pets Alive (APA), a leading no kill organization in Southwest Texas, took custody of the apparently injured Bearded Collie who was found running loose last month. Now the dog's surgery has been cancelled and the the dog's custody will be contested in court Thursday.
A family was found who said the dog, now named Victory, had been lost for a month and had been hurt while she was missing . They turned the animal over officially to Austin Pets Alive. The organization raised money to begin a skin graft for Victory's nose and surgery was scheduled this week. However, surgery had to be cancelled when another family stepped forward and asked for their dog back.
This family said the dog's name is Olive and that she has been missing since early January. They have photos and claim the dog lost her nose to Lupus and was under veterinary care. Austin Pets Alive is countering that only neglect could cause this result. A spokesperson for APA says, "“We believe prior to (her escape), she was medically neglected and her nose shouldn't have come off, but further tests will determine if that’s true,” Hoke said." The police are investigating as well.
The case will be heard 4 p.m. Thursday in Hutto Municipal Court, 401 W. Front St. and the public may attend. Austin Pets Alive is a sister organization to San Antonio Pets Alive and is sure to have plenty of supporters in attendance.
Dogs in court seems to be a theme here in Texas this year. An eagerly awaited Texas Supreme Court decision may reset the value of a dog from a negligible amount to what dog lovers feel is more appropriate. That decision is expected very soon.
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