Fawn Lunde poses with her Bloodhound Tobias . Dick Riniker photo
Posted on 10/11/2007 7:59:52 AM PDT by Daffynition
To Fawn Lunde, Tobias is a dream come true, the dog she’s wanted since she fell in love at age 7 with Duke, the bloodhound on “The Beverly Hillbillies.”
In March 2002, the La Crosse woman sold her pickup truck to buy the puppy from a Missouri breeder.
“He’s my best friend,” said Lunde, 45.
But to the animal control department of the Coulee Region Humane Society, 5-year-old Tobias is something else: morbidly obese.
It led senior humane officer Amiie Gabrilska on Sept. 21, 2006, to order that Lunde have a diet analysis and weight loss plan done for the 197-pound hound.
“Clearly, an animal that’s grossly obese has a shortened lifespan,” Gabrilska said.
It was among 619 “compliance orders” the department issued to pet owners in 2006, Gabrilska said. If the requirements aren’t met in a timely manner, the department may cite the owner and eventually even confiscate the pet.
But Lunde’s example shows the process doesn’t always work smoothly.
She said she felt pressured to enroll Tobias in a weight-therapy program at La Crosse Veterinary Clinic that included weekly weigh-ins and dramatically reducing his food rations. The cost: $1,200 over nearly five months, she said.
Tobias’ weight loss: 0.
“I may not be the smartest cookie,” Lunde said, “but I do know when there’s a weight problem, it could be due to thyroid or pituitary gland problems. I kept telling them that, but they were so set on the idea that I was overfeeding him.”
A La Crosse County social worker, who asked not to be identified, said she went to each weight-control session with Lunde and Tobias. She attributed some of the miscommunication to Lunde’s depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
“When Fawn’s under stress, things don’t come out nicely,” she said. “She tends to cry a lot and probably comes across as hysterical.”
But she’s always taken meticulous care of her pets, the woman said, and actually needs them. A Gundersen Lutheran doctor wrote in an Oct. 2 prescription that Lunde should have the dog “for therapeutic reasons. This is medically necessary.”
Lunde paid for a blood test for Tobias in September at VCA Sand Lake Animal Hospital in Onalaska, Wis. The low end of normal is 0.8, said veterinary technician Brandi Aliesch, and Tobias scored 0.3.
“It’s most likely his obesity was caused by thyroid problems,” she said.
The clinic prescribed medication for him Sept. 15, she said. Since then, he has lost 9 pounds, which Aliesch called “incredible.”
But Lunde said animal control recently asked for access to her financial records, concerned she can’t afford Tobias’ ongoing care.
She told them her income from disability always has been enough to provide proper care and feeding for her pets. She worries more about her own health, she said, if Tobias were taken from her.
She’s already given up one dog after being told she could not afford two, she said.
At this point, Lunde is not sure what future actions might be taken concerning Tobias.
Gabrilska declined comment on specifics of the case, citing confidentiality.
Is my pet fat?
A 2003 report by the National Academy of Science found 1 in 4 dogs and cats are overweight or obese. This puts them at higher risk of diabetes, heart disease, arthritis and joint problems and can reduce their lifespan by up to two years. But how can you tell if it’s time for your pooch to lose some paunch?
While visiting your veterinarian is the best way to find out, a few quick checks can help get you started:
# Feel your pet’s ribs. They should be easy to feel without pressing, but shouldn’t be visible through the coat.
# View your pet’s torso from above. It should resemble an “hourglass” shape.
# Look at your pet’s abdominal area. It should be “tucked in” just past the ribcage, rather than rounded or sagging.
It led senior humane officer Amiie Gabrilska on Sept. 21, 2006, to order that Lunde have a diet analysis and weight loss plan done for the 197-pound hound.
“Clearly, an animal that’s grossly obese has a shortened lifespan,” Gabrilska said.
They take away obese children from their parents - why not pets too/s
Damn libs. They ought to leave the lady and her boy alone. As long as he’s happy, that’s what counts most. Years ago, my vet told me, “Dogs don’t care how long they live; they just care how well they live.” I’d say her dog is living pretty well.
“We’re going to have to take some things away from you.” — Hillary Clinton
You do as I say or I will cost you money and take your pets away.
Shaking my head again & a whats next grrrr ping
I can give that dog my most heartfelt sympathy on getting a proper thyroid diagnosis. A good friend took the form of low Blood Pressure 65/45 -— like -— dead!
I don’t know but the dog’s butt posted the pic.
What a f$%king idiot. Dogs care about eating, not how long they live.
We want your children ...your pets ...your cigarettes, your trans fats ... your nannies and grannies ... when will this end? GRRRR!
Looks to me there are government employees trying to justify their jobs.
Poor Aretha..she better hope this doesn’t happen to Scoobie Snacks.
Is your lawn up to snuff? You're probably making your neighbors sick and causing glaciers to melt by over watering it. Or under watering it. Whatever the lawn patrol officer says you're doing wrong.
Apparently the health-nazi nanny-state jackbooted fascist goose-stepping seig-heiling taliban scum aren't satisfied with enslaving humans in their new Reich, so their going after animals as well.
I don’t use weed killers so I think I am safe so far...I fear the smoking police & the pet police though & whatever is coming next...Thankfully my 5 Muslims aren’t fat..OMG I just called the dogs the Muslims...I guess the PC police or CAIR are going to get me now...I’m shaking in my boots.
I won't say any of it's a conscious conspiracy, but some of the creep to the Left comes from activists getting bright ideas based on work done in other areas. What I mean:
The government gets the right to monitor a dog's weight, and to remove dogs if they are "in trouble".
The next thing you know, Child Welfare activists are "concerned" about your kids, they claim that "We treat our dogs better!!" and you've suddenly lost custody.
The attack on our rights is multi-pronged. Perhaps the attacks are not coordinated, but they do feed off each other.
In just the same way, same-sex marriage is used by some to justify polygamy, and lowering the age of consent.
I think this is satire.
Isn’t it?
That and having nothing better to do with their time ...some cutbacks in the dept. will do the trick.
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