NEWS REPORTS
Pauley Perrette also fights for life. She works with Burbank-based Chihuahua Rescue, which focuses on abandoned and abused dogs (mostly, but not exclusively, Chihuahuas). Perrette has a former feral Chihuahua herself, and on her trailer wall is a picture of a wolf-dog hybrid that was adopted out. A longtime supporter of dog rescue and adoption, Perrette became interested in Chihuahua Rescue after reading a newspaper article about a huge raid on a California puppy mill. "They had like 300 or something Chihuahuas there," she says, "who were all feral and abused. They had to euthanize 100 or so. This woman at Chihuahua Rescue, Kimi Peck, ended up with 174 of them. I tell everyone, breeders are bad. "It's like forcing animals to have sex. There are too many dogs already. Every rescue I have, there are hundreds of dogs, and they're awesome dogs. So, please stop making more dogs." 2005
CNN SUNDAY MORNING
Interview With Steven Heller, Kimi Peck
Aired July 20, 2003 - 10:42 ET
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: Although Chihuahua Rescue has found them homes, the dog breeder will not be allowed to place -- the breeder is facing animal cruelty charges. For more on the fate of the Chihuahuas, we're joined by Kimi Peck with Chihuahua Rescue. Also joining us is Steven Heller. He is the L.A. County deputy district attorney, his office handling the criminal part of this story. And Mr. Heller, I want to start with you. Before anybody portrays you to be a dog killer, this isn't something you want to do. You feel obligated at this point that you have to just pursue charges, and this is the way it's being played out. The dogs are mean, violent, and are they fit for homes?
STEVEN HELLER, L.A. COUNTY DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: Well, Sean, certainly there is a criminal matter that's going to proceed. The dogs have been assessed several times by animal control behaviorists. They initially were assessed to be very dangerous and very dangerous to the public. They've been reassessed with behaviorists from the county, along with behaviorists that Chihuahua Rescue brought, and we have bean working with Chihuahua Rescue the last week or so to find a resolution that could be agreed upon and protect the public plus also put those Chihuahuas into a situation where they can be adopted out or rehabilitated or housed without any of them having to be put to sleep.
So, I think ultimately everybody's working towards a resolution that doesn't include putting any of the dogs to sleep.
CALLEBS: Well, Kimi, let me start with you. How, I guess, dangerous are these dogs? I see you holding one now, but are they as violent as they are being portrayed? Dogs that simply couldn't be with people because they'll bite children become dangerous?
PECK: No. That was what the battle was over. I've been doing this for many years. This dog I'm holding on my lap was -- came from far worse conditions than the Baldwin Park dogs. He has a long way to go. No one can approach him when I'm holding him. But he eventually will end up in a wonderful home.
And I've placed over 5,000 dogs like this. So, when I heard about these dogs, you know, I -- because I have so much experience with this, I just had to fight for them.
CALLEBS: Well, I mean they look cute, harmless and such. But they grew up in horrible conditions. We're talking about crammed into pens. They were basically at times tearing each other apart. What makes you think these dogs can be safe enough to be in a family home?
PECK: Just past experience and working with them. We have dogs that were brutally abused that can be rehabilitated. These dogs were running in packs. That's true. They weren't neutered, they, weren't spayed. They were breeding. But they -- there's never been any discussion about them attacking the breeder. I don't know that she was ever bitten by any of them. We work with dogs that have bitten people, and we can cure them.
CALLEBS: Mr. Heller, I mean, we're not talking about Cujo here. These are little dogs. Do you ever feel like you're the bad guy in all this? You're out there, I guess, basically simply doing your job.
HELLER: I've never felt like the bad guy in this. From the moment Miss Peck came forward, I've been working with her to put a resolution in place that will allow the dogs to be worked with instead of put to sleep. I certainly believe that's possible. The behaviorists who have assessed them, including Miss Peck's own behaviorists, have agreed at this point, these dogs are not safe for the public and that it's quite likely that a number of them will not be safe to be released to a general family home versus a rescue situation and somebody who has experience dealing with animals.
So, you know, we're committed to working with her in trying to get these dog released to a safe environment, and then ultimately, if any of them are safe enough to be adopted by homes, certainly for them to then go to the homes.
But ultimately, I don't feel like the bad guy. I feel like I am doing everything I can to see that these dogs get the best resolution as victims of this matter, as Miss Peck.
CALLEBS: Kimi, do you believe that a lot of these dogs will never find homes?
PECK: I think that Warren Epstein, after evaluating all of them, felt that possibly three might not be able to be rehabilitated, meaning they might just have to live their lives out together without a lot of human interaction. But isn't that worth it? Wasn't that worth the fight to save the other...
CALLEBS: Is the problem here -- is the problem here puppy mills? I mean, does it come down to that?
PECK: The problem comes down first with the breeders, the puppy mills. The second problem is the animal shelters. The animal shelters are not giving these -- any of these dogs, it's not the 200 Chihuahuas. This is about all of the dogs across the country in animal shelters. Their fate is being left up to employees that don't any background and any business deciding the fate of these dogs. And this is the problem.
CALLEBS: Well, that is a question...
PECK: Something has to be done to reeducate these people. Even the current temperament testing that's being initiated into our, you know, shelters in California, well, initially their animal behaviorists said all of these dogs should be euthanized , the 140. When we brought our own animal behaviorists in, we were able to sway them the other direction.
CALLEBS: Well, it's a lot of work, and this is a lengthy topic that I'm sure that we'll come back and hear more about. Best of luck to all of you. We hope this works out to the best of everyone's satisfaction. Thanks very much to Kimi Peck with Chihuahua Rescue, as well as Steven, the L.A. deputy D.A. Thank you guys.
HELLER: Thank you, Sean.
Faith Maloney | Best Friends:
"We're in full support of Kimi Peck and all the work she's been doing."
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
5001 Angel Canyon Road Kanab, UT 84741-5001
Phone: (435) 644-2001 Fax: (435) 644-2078
email: info@bestfriends.org | http://BestFriends.org/ |
Faith Maloney Ext. 308 | Faith@bestfriends.org |
Beagles And Buddies News Story | 2005
The following article was in the Sunday San Gabriel Valley Tribune
about B&B rescuing and rehabilitating some of the very frightened Chihuahuas that were at the Baldwin Park Animal Shelter for over 8 months.
At the time of this interview they had been with us for l0 days.
FOUR RESCUED CHIHUAHUAS FINDING LOVE
'Little Women' healing By Karen Rubin
They call them the "Little Women.' Four female Chihuahuas who spent eight months at the Baldwin Park animal shelter are now getting love, exercise and attention from Connie Kramer and her crew of volunteers at Beagles and Buddies, an El Monte-based animal rescue organization. It appears the dark times are over for Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth, the four sisters in Louisa May Alcott's classic novel.
When the dogs first arrived from the shelter, Kramer put them in her bathroom, where for a couple of days they stayed huddled together and refused to come out. One of the dogs arrived with bloody paws after scraping the metal door on its carrier cage, Kramer said. But on Thursday, all four were outside at the Red Cloud Ranch the name for one of her kennel properties. They mingled with other dogs in the gated compound and enjoying the misters Kramer turns on to cut the heat of the day.
"They're gradually expanding their boundaries,' Kramer said. "At first, they were a little herd, now they are exploring on their own.' Two take food out of Kramer's hand. All are cautious and will not allow strangers to touch or pet them.
Kathy Fuller of South Pasadena volunteers at the shelter. The dogs have been receiving a herbal remedy to suppress anxiety. Sometimes they huddle together, away from other animals. When they become sociable, they will go to foster homes where a dog expert will work with the Chihuahuas' temperament, Fuller said.
For now, the dogs are not up for adoption, but will be when they become socialized, Fuller said.
Kramer is exploring using aromatherapy and plans to build a dog-wellness room that uses natural remedies. Her kennels take up two buildings, one across the street from each other. She has about 100 dogs and adopts out about 20 a week, she said.
The Chihuahuas made headlines when county authorities rescued 296 dogs from Emma Harter, an Acton woman who is an unlicensed breeder. She faces felony animal cruelty charges and is awaiting trial. The animals lived in such tight quarters that they formed feral packs that preyed on weaker dogs. Most of the dogs were inbred or cross bred. Dozens were euthanized because they were sick or dying. Others were adopted out. But the Baldwin Park animal shelter cared for 170 dogs for eight months.
Kimi Peck, the founder of Chihuahua Rescue, organized the dogs' removal to various rescue organizations.
The last of the dogs left the shelter last week.