I realize it's not a real important fact in comparison to a child beaten and killed, but I've got to say something about the dogs. How long has that boarding place had them? Because it was few days before Joe Clyde went missing, thus 2 weeks?? If so, those dogs are NOT starved in the video. They are at a healthy weight. As someone involved in rescue for decades, those dogs physical appearance is NOT abuse situation, nor does their wagging tails, and demeanor in the video those of abused dogs. Starved dogs don't gain their healthy weight in 2 weeks. True abused dogs, they don't change their behavior in 2 weeks.
Was it wrong they were abandoned? Absolutely, "IF" that did occur. If the dogs had run off, them being 9 miles away from home isn't shocking to me. Especially if they are intact dogs. Dogs roam, especially if one is in heat, or a male looking for one in heat, or if they were chasing a deer.
If the dogs had been roaming for awhile, they could have been infested with ticks. That may be true. But the dogs in that news video aren't dogs that any rescue I work with would have taken as starved. It can take many months to reverse some types of abuse. A true starved animal must go on a refeeding, SLOW schedule as to not shut down organs. Scared dogs are not necessarily abused dogs. Timid dogs are not necessarily abused dogs. But it sells a good story....
