On Thursday July 10, 2014, an urgent email for help was sent by Broward County Animal Care and Adoption (BCAC) to Big Hearts for Big Dogs Rescue (BHBD) in Miami, Florida and other Broward approved rescues. Broward County Animal Care and Adoption stated they had a very dire situation with a 5 month old puppy named Peanut FKA Taz that BCAC had adopted out 3 months earlier. Without a second thought, Big Hearts for Big Dogs Rescue immediately sent a representative to Broward County Animal Care & Adoption to have the puppy released under their care. They were horrified upon arrival seeing the terrible condition Peanut was in. Allegedly Peanut's adopter's told the staff at BCAC that they were returning him because "he kept getting out".  Peanut had SEVERE mange, bacterial skin infections, DOUBLE eye infections, internal parasites and was so profoundly starved he was severely anemic and dehydrated.  This was the product of LONG TERM abuse and neglect.

 

Peanut was immediately taken to Animal Wellness of Tamarac for assessment and care Friday and Saturday July 11th and 12th, his condition continued to worsen so he was transferred to Country Club Animal Hospital on July 12th in critical condition. Peanut was placed on IV fluids & administered medication, due to his red blood cell & hemoglobin count still being dangerously low due to the extent of his starvation and infections. Peanut was monitored through the night by the staff at CCAH. 

 

On Monday July 14th, Peanut was extremely weak, his sodium was high and blood counts low. The doctors were working feverishly to discover the source of the extreme anemia. Peanut's skin was in such poor condition he was losing blood and fluids constantly, a second antibiotic was added due to the severity of the pus on his skin. Peanut needed to be stabilized as soon as possible and continued to be monitored through the night.

 

On Tuesday July 14th, Peanut was laboring to breathe and upon examination it was noted there was crackling in his lungs which the doctors couldn't determine if it was from pneumonia or his own veins leaking fluid into his lungs. While the doctors awaited radiology results and to discuss the critical concern of Peanut's heart with the low protein and low fluids, Peanut was placed in an oxygen tent.  It was then determined the fluid was blood and Peanut was bleeding out from his organs shutting down.

 

At approximately 1:30pm Peanut passed away from the long term neglect, starvation, coupled with mange and severe infections that his body could not fight anymore. 

 

Our hearts are broken...........

 

We must not allow the individuals responsible for Peanut's neglect, abuse, & tragic passing go unpunished. An investigation MUST be done and charges MUST be filed.  Peanut cannot have died in vain and his ‘adopters’ go on to murder more innocent puppies while the county stands by and does NOTHING.  WE DEMAND action NOW for Peanut. 

 

Please email Broward Animal Care Division Chief, Susan Pierce @spierce@broward.org and Department Director, Cynthia Chambers @cchambers@broward.org