Saturday, August 28, 2010

Los Angeles Man Arrested For Rescuing Panting, Overheated Puppy Confined In Allegedly Foreclosed, Abandoned Home; Authorities Leave 2nd Dog Behind

In Los Angeles, California, The Examiner reports:
  • Let's chalk this one up to another example of "no good deed goes unpunished." Or is it perhaps an illustration of overwhelming fear of lawsuits? An animal rescuer was arrested Thursday after attempting to save two dogs left behind in an allegedly foreclosed and abandoned Los Angeles house. L.A. Animal Services officers contacted the police department, alleging that the man, Hans Peterson, interfered with their investigation and they feared the city would be sued because of it.(1)

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  • A six-month old puppy was locked inside the house and another dog named Taz was left inside the garage. After entering the house to remove the puppy, rescuer Hans Petersen was arrested for “interfering with Animal Services as they conduct their duties.” [...] The [panting & overheated] puppy was taken to the South L.A. Animal Shelter, but Taz was left behind in the garage to wait for the owners to show up.

For more, see Good Samaritan arrested after he tried to save two L.A. dogs from abandoned house.

Go here for the KNBC-TV Channel 4 video report.

See Deputies say man abandoned sick dog for a Sarasota, Florida story of a pet owner who abandoned his residence, leaving Sampson, a golden retriever, in a hot garage, with no food and little water, and who was reportedly in the full throes of a seizure when sheriff's deputies found him.

(1) Reportedly, neighbors, afraid for the dogs' welfare, contacted authorities as the heat outside increased.