Help Free Pepie

Pepie has since passed away after living a life of neglect and filth in her cage.

I am leaving this website up because people need to her of her plight,

and hopefully be inspired to help other dogs in similar situations.

Pepie has spent every day of the past nine years in this cage.

She is currently sixteen years old. She is a retired sled dog.

Her cage measures 10.5’ length x 3.0’ width x 3.5’ height.

Before this cage, she likely lived on a chain (as most sled dogs do).

This dog has never in her life been free.

Pepie’s cage and metal “house.”

What can you do to help Pepie?

You can contact local political officials and representatives:

City Hall
342 Central Avenue
Dunkirk, NY 14048
716-366-0452
716-363-0058 fax
Internet: www.cityofdunkirk.com

Mayor
Richard L. Frey (R)
City Hall
342 Central Avenue
Dunkirk, NY 14048
716-366-9882 (B)

Council Members
James A. Muscato (D – At Large)
280 Lake Shore Drive W.
Dunkirk, NY 14048
716-366-3763 (H)

Anthony J. Dolce (D-1st Ward)
132 S. Serval Street
Dunkirk, NY 14048
716-680-3961 (H)

Kevin J. Muldowney (R-2nd Ward)
10 Beach Rd.
Dunkirk, NY 14048
716-366-4336 (H)

Rose M. Floramo (D-3rd Ward)
539 Deer St.
Dunkirk, NY 14048
716-366-0335 (H)

Robert T. George (D – 4th Ward)
415 Lord St.
Dunkirk, NY 14048
716-366-1176 (H)

County Executive
Gregory J. Edwards
Gerace Office Building
3 North Erie Street
Mayville, New York 14757
(716) 753-4211

Sheriff
Joseph A. Gerace
Sheriff’s Administration Building
15 East Chautauqua Street
P. O. Box 128
Mayville, New York 14757
(716) 753-4900

County Clerk
Sandra Sopak
County Courthouse
Mayville, New York 14757
(716) 753-4331
County Clerk’s Page

District Attorney
David Foley
County Courthouse
Mayville, New York 14757

Pepie, limping in her cage.

You can contact the local cruelty investigation agency:

Chautauqua County Humane Society

2825 Strunk Rd
Jamestown, NY 14701
Phone:716-665-2209
Fax: 716-665-2615
Email: cchs@netsync.net

http://www.spcapets.com/

Ted Blanchard is the name of the Cruelty Investigator for CCHS.

Jeff Lubi is the name of the Executive Director.

Both of these individuals should be contacted via the phone number listed above.

City of Dunkirk Animal Control Officer Wally Baker should also be contacted:

Main: 716-934-4539
Fax: 716-363-0058
Cell: 716-679-8303

Pepie and a pile of frozen feces.
(Photo Taken in 2005)

You can request a song and dedicate it to Pepie:

Call 106.9 KISS-FM at 1-716-487-1069 and request a song
for “Pepie the abused husky” or “Pepie the caged husky.”

Pepie, pleading to be free.

You can contact and write editorial letters to the local newspaper:

The Observer

http://www.observertoday.com/

editorial@observertoday.com

You can also call 1-866-908-4569 to get a
list of other local media contacts in Dunkirk.

Pepie’s overgrown nails, stained fur and an inflamed paw pad.

You can sign and forward the Care2 Online Petition to free Pepie:

SIGN HERE!

An obviously arthritic Pepie.

Ingleburn Veterinary Hospital notes that, at its worst – and especially if left untreated – arthritis can cause chronic pain, difficulty in movement and a decline in quality of life. This is obviously the case with Pepie.

Pepie can’t even walk correctly due to her severe arthritis.

If you’re interested in donating an arthritis supplement to Pepie, such as Dasuquin, please contact the Chautauqua County Humane Society with an inquiry of where to have it shipped to benefit Pepie. Dasuquin is an over-the-counter supplement and I can tell you from first-hand experience that it can work quite well for geriatric dogs who have arthritis.

It appears lime has been poured over the rotting area beneath Pepie’s cage.

To keep up to date with the latest happenings,
you can join the Pepie support list!

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/help_Peppy/

A close-up of Pepie’s rusted grate floor.

New York State has a pending bill against tethering dogs for more than 6 hours per day (Assembly version-A06553, Senate version-S2052). Please write to the assembly and senate members, thank them for supporting this bill and ask for them to amend the bills to include a requirement for pens to be no less than 150 square feet of space. There are currently no laws regarding pen size, which makes it much more difficult to legally help dogs like Pepie.

You can write to the Assembly Agriculture Committee members:

http://assembly.state.ny.us/comm/?sec=mem&id=2

You can write to Senate Agriculture Committee members Young, Lavalle, Seward, Morahan, Little, Larkin, Valesky, Stachowski, Breslin, and Aubertine:

http://www.senate.state.ny.us/senatehomepage.nsf/senators?OpenForm

Another view of Pepie’s rusted cage.

A politician’s primary concern is to be re-elected, thus those of you with voting powers in the city of Dunkirk need to let local officials know that instances such as Pepie’s neglect will determine the way you vote. If locals pull together, you can easily launch a voting bloc for animals in your city! For more information and a “how-to” guide, check out Get Political For Animals: And Win The Laws They Need.

As seen in the above photograph, Pepie has obvious periodontal disease.

According to the Veterinary Oral Health Council, in relation to periodontal disease, bad breath is the most common effect noted by owners. However, this is often only the tip of the iceberg.

The gums become irritated, leading to bleeding and oral pain, and the dog may lose its appetite or drop food from its mouth while eating. The roots may become so severely affected that some teeth become loose and fall out.

Bacteria surrounding the roots gain access to the blood stream (“bacteremia”). Studies have shown that dogs with severe periodontal disease have more severe microscopic damage in their kidneys, heart muscle and liver than do dogs with less severe periodontal disease.