Sad ending / new beginning for 2 Denver exiles

[cheekymunkee]

Two pit bulls in Boulder County left in freezing weather; one died
By John Aguilar (Contact)
Thursday, January 18, 2007

The cold snap that recently beset much of Colorado claimed the life of at least one dog in Boulder County, prompting pet advocates to remind people that frigid temperatures can kill even the furriest among us.

"Even though some dogs have thick coats, they don't necessarily have a lot of body fat," said Dr. Lesli Groshong, a veterinarian with the Humane Society of Boulder Valley. "They are pretty hardy animals, but they still need a little extra help."

Groshong helped treat a male pit bull that had collapsed after being left outside in a small enclosure on Millionaire Drive near Sugarloaf Mountain last week. By the time animal-control officers arrived at the home the evening of Jan. 11, the dog, Bobby, was cold to the touch and appeared to have frostbite on its nose, ears and legs, according to a report from the Sheriff's Office.

Veterinarians had to hook up an EKG monitor to establish a heart rate in the hypothermic animal, the report said.

Bobby was put down Saturday after he started bleeding internally and it was determined that nothing more could be done to save him.

A female pit bull that was also confiscated from the same yard that evening managed to escape the sub-zero temperatures with a pair of frostbitten ears. The dog — Lucy — was spayed and put up for adoption by the Humane Society on Tuesday.

"She has a really sweet temperament and is a sweet animal," said Lisa Pedersen, director of development for the Humane Society.

A county animal-control officer cited Mythe Thien Nguyen Dinh with two counts of animal cruelty. She and her husband were temporarily looking after the dogs for relatives who live in Denver, which has a pit-bull ban.


http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2007/ja ... ot-enough/