Please meet Augustine... or August as she is affectionately known to the volunteers at the Beebe Humane Society. She is among the many others at the Humane Society looking for a new home. But August didn't come as a stray or an owner turn in. August was part of an abuse case that makes us stop and really think about what she went through The director of the Humane Society tells about how she first came to meet August in her own words.... "On Sat 1-31-04 I was called in the am by Officer (name removed) to come to (Address removed) where there was a domestic problem that also involved some dogs. When I arrived I found a female pit bull tied to a dog house in the back. She was starving to death, ribs and back bones pretuding through the skin. She had red infected gums and breasts. She was in very poor condition. She was removed and taken to the Beebe Vet Clinic. We spoke with a man there named (name removed) he stated that he had been in the house the day before and that there were dead puppies and live puppies enclosed in one of the rooms, the pit was the mother. Officer (name removed) tried all day to get access to the home, we could not. I tried several times myself, the last time was about 10pm that night, I could see the one puppy crying in the corner of the room but could not see the dead ones. I could not get ahold of Kay Jordan at Pulaski County and was not sure what to do. The next morning Officer (name removed) called me again saying he got into the house. I called Dr Kristie Coley and ask her to meet me at the clinic in 30 minutes. When I arrived I found one puppy behind the door, he died just seconds after I arrived. I found 5 puppies already dead, 2 of them tied in a plastic bag. 1 puppy still living was taken to the clinic and eutheniized. Report is in this file. The floors were covered in trash and feces, there was no food or water for the puppies anywhere. This is not the first time I had been called to (address removed) because of animal abuse. I had been there 4 times prior within the last few months." This is the vet report both on August and her 7 puppies. "On 1-31-04 a female pit bull was presented for examination by the Beebe Humane Society. The dog was in very poor body condition. (2/5) She weighed in at 38.6 pounds, she was extremely under weight with backbone and ribs protruding through skin. In my opinion she was malnourished. She had a severe ear infection that was causing her pain and discomfort. Red swollen gums with gingivitis and tarter, large swollen mammary glands with severe infection, mastitis. The fecal showed she was infested with a large number of roundworms. She was treated with Strongid T and placed on oral antibiotics and eardrops. The breast infection alone would have caused her extreme pain and suffering. The Humane Society advised me that she had puppies they had not yet taken from the site. I told them at this point the mother was in no shape to nurture the puppies. The following day 7 pit bull puppies were presented, 6 of them dead. The living puppy was emaciated, it was in pain and suffering, its body temperature had dropped beyond recovery. It was euthanized. The dead puppies were in extremely poor body condition but were in fair post mortem condition. 2 of the dead puppies were found in the home wrapped in a plastic bag. 4 of the puppies examined were sent to the Arkansas State Diagnostic Lab for a complete necropsy. 3 of the 4 puppies were found in very poor body condition, marked to large number of tapeworms and ascarids (roundworms) One puppy was considered in fair condition but contained large numbers of internal parasites. All 7 of the puppies examined by me were in my opinion in very poor body condition. The exact cause of death on some of the puppies is unknown. Did the 2 puppies found in the bag suffocate there? At any rate the condition of the bodies and the large number of internal parasites that each puppy contained would have caused a slow, painful death due to starvation and illness. " August was taken to the Humane Society where she has flourished under the care and love she so richly deserves. Her court case has been postponed several times, so she is not yet able to be spayed and find a home. The vet bills on August are astronomical and the Humane Society more than likely won't see a penny of them. August is unaffected by any of this. She enjoys her days romping and playing in the sun and rolling in clean grass. Her nights spent cuddled up in her own private kennel. The clean blankets she gets every night. The food that has allowed her to gain over 35 pounds. When you first approach August she semi lowers herself to the ground... showing her belly and wagging her tail. But as soon as you touch her, and she realizes your not going to hurt her, she shows you her wiggle and big alligator smile (and kisses) August should be able to go to a home soon...(as soon as her court case is heard) If you think you can offer August what she deserves please fill out an adoption application. If you would like to make a donation to help with her vet bills, you can make them directly to the Vet clinic. You can mail a check or money order, or call in a credit card. Please make sure to tell them your making a donation in August's name for the Beebe Humane Society. Beebe Veterinary Hospital 5427 Highway 367 South, Beebe, AR 72012 (501) 882-7437