New addition to the family

Just a few minutes ago, the wife and I got home from picking up a new dog. Ours died two weeks ago of old age. We were debating about waiting a while and maybe looking at getting a shelter dog. The wife loves Pekingese. We saw a story on WRAL's broadcast and web site just last night about some Pekingese that were abandoned for several weeks in Edgecombe County. Last night, I did some research online and came up with the Edgecombe County Animal Control web site and info. I called this morning and found that they were all adopted. Well, not really, as it turned out. I was told that Dog Days Inn, a kennel and salon had taken all the survivors and was trying to place them. The wife called earlier this morning and left a message. This evening about 6:00, we got a phone call from the kennel owner asking us if we were interested. All but one was already adopted out. We drove to Tarboro this evening and got a Pekingese.

I will post more about the whole story later. There is actually a lot to tell. I will also put up a picture as soon as we take some with the digital camera and download them.

Here is a link to the WRAL news story online, video version and text version

Here is the story text.

Tarboro Woman Charged With Animal Cruelty

POSTED: 7:57 am EDT May 17, 2006
UPDATED: 11:01 am EDT May 18, 2006

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. -- An Edgecombe County woman faces felony animal cruelty charges after investigators found more than a dozen dead or dying dogs in her home. Authorities said it appears the woman moved and left the dogs behind.

Eight dogs, mostly Pekingese, were still alive when deputies found them starving to death in a mobile home in Tarboro. They also discovered seven other dead dogs, their bodies already decomposing, inside.

Investigators say complaints of a foul odor lead them to the trailer. Authorities arrested the homeowner, 55-year-old Belinda Haddock, and charged her with seven misdemeanor and seven felony counts of animal cruelty.

The arrest warrants charge Haddock neglected the dogs, causing or permitting unjustifiable pain, suffering and death. Investigators won't say how long ago Haddock abandoned the dogs, or comment on her reason for doing so.

The surviving dogs are at the Edgecombe County animal shelter for now. Officers say they are all in poor condition and none have rabies shots. Workers will continue monitoring the dogs closely to see if they are adoptable. It’s too soon to determine if they'll survive.

Haddock made her first appearance in court Wednesday morning. She's out of jail on a $7,000 bond.