Animal Watch
D.C. Animal Watch
Thursday, March 10, 2005; Page DZ16
ALEXANDRIA AREA, Route 1, Feb. 25. A cat escaped from its owner outside a pet-supply business and dashed, unharmed, across a highway. The seven-pound Bengal cat, named Lucy, was seen later that day by construction workers on the Virginia side of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. A worker took the animal to his home in Northwest Washington and called D.C. Animal Control. The cat was taken to the D.C. shelter, and the Alexandria and Arlington shelters were alerted about the stray the next day. The owner, who had filed a lost-pet report with the Arlington shelter, claimed the cat in Washington.
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ALABAMA AVE. SE, 3000 block, March 1. A male resident called the Humane Society to allege that a neighbor had tried to poison his dog by feeding it poisoned sausages. The resident's dog had been the targets of previous complaints by the neighbor. The resident said he found the sausages in his yard and was planning to have them tested by a veterinarian. An officer spoke with the neighbor, who denied attempting to poison the animal. Both neighbors acknowledged that they had had several disputes for several years. No further action was taken by the society.
49TH PL. NE, 4900 block, Feb. 28. The Humane Society received a report at 3:30 a.m. about pit bulls fighting in a back yard. An officer found two bloody adult dogs and a puppy in the yard. The officer was unable to enter the yard and left a notice asking the owner to call the society. No one called, and during a follow-up visit later that day, two officers saw only the puppy in the yard, where there was no proper shelter. The puppy was impounded. The case was under investigation.
PARK RD. NW, 1900 block, Feb. 23. A woman called animal control to report that an opossum had been on her screened porch for 24 hours. She said she had propped the porch door open so the opossum could leave, but it had stayed. An officer caught the animal and released it in another location.
RITTENHOUSE ST. NW, 500 block, Feb. 24. Investigating a report about two dogs in the back yard of a residence, a Humane Society officer impounded two pit bulls found attached to heavy towing chains. The dogs' owner called the society and said he kept them chained to prevent them from fighting but could keep one in a pen instead. He also said he was moving soon and would be setting up a pen at his new location. The dogs were held at the society shelter pending arrangements for their shelter.
B ST. SE, 4900 block, Feb. 25. A woman called animal control about a large cat sitting atop a fence with a ravioli can stuck on its head. An officer removed the can, and the cat looked at the officer, hissed loudly and ran away.
ROCKWOOD PKWY. NW, 4600 block, Feb. 25. Investigating a report from police, a Humane Society officer found a green Honda containing a mixed pit bull and a mixed shepherd, with food and water. The officer left a notice on the vehicle, which had New Jersey license plates, asking the owner to contact the society. A woman later called and said that she travels across the country and lives in her car. She said she kept the dogs for companionship and cared for them well. Because the dogs were not in immediate danger and did not appear to be in stress, they were not impounded. In general, it is not humane to keep animals in cars, according to the society.
DOUGLAS PL. SE, 2700 block, Feb. 28. A Humane Society officer impounded an 8-year-old male pit bull kept in a muddy pen with an inadequate doghouse. The dog was arthritic and shivering in the cold. The owner later called the society and was told that he must provide adequate shelter before receiving the dog. Doghouses must have bedding, be elevated and have a door flap, among several requirements, according to the society. The dog was held at the society shelter pending the owner's shelter improvements.
ATLANTIC ST. SW, 1 to 100 block, Feb. 24. An employee of a hair salon called animal control to report that an animal was stuck in a closet at the business. She did not know what kind of animal it was because she was afraid to open the door. An officer removed a pigeon from the closet and released it to the wild. It was not known how the bird entered the closet.