Patrick: His health is good, his former owner heads to trial, and his custody still disputed
A year has passed since a starving pit bull was put in a plastic bag, dropped down a trash chute and found in a garbage bin at a high-rise apartment complex in Newark.
Just look at him now.
Dubbed Patrick — in honor of St. Patrick’s Day — he defied all the odds.
One year later, he’s looking healthy and happy — though a custody battle is still raging over him.
Meanwhile, his former owner, who turned down a plea deal, is scheduled to appear in court today for her trial on animal cruelty charges.
Patrick was originally taken in and cared for by the Associated Humane Societies, New Jersey’s largest animal shelter organization.
They took him to Garden State Veterinary Specialists, where, after a giant hairball was removed from his stomach, he began eating and gaining strength.
In the months that followed, by virtue of his inspiring story, he’d become a poster boy for the rescue organization, the veterinary hospital, and a few others that hoped to capitalize on his growing fame by using his case and image to fight for stronger animal abuse laws.
Associated Humane Societies is seeking permanent custody, despite earlier rulings that he should remain in the custody of Garden State Veterinary Specialists of Tinton Falls.
Both sides accuse the other of trying to profit from Patrick’s plight.
Patrick weighed 19 pounds when he arrived there, and now weighs 50. He has been staying with Patricia Smillie-Scavelli, the hospital’s administrator, who wants to keep him.
AHS says Patrick should be returned, and that once he is, they would begin the process of finding a home for him. They deny that they are trying to make a profit off of him, and say the veterinary hospital didn’t have the right to take possession of a dog brought in for treatment.
Kisha Curtis, meanwhile, the dog’s former owner, rejected the state’s plea offer of 18 months in prison, a $5,000 fine, 30 days community service and termination of animal custody rights.
She is not accused of tossing the dog down the chute, only of neglecting and abandoning him.
(Photo credits: Top, The Patrick Miracle Facebook page; middle, Associated Humane Societies; bottom, Newark Star-Ledger)
Posted by jwoestendiek March 19th, 2012 under Muttsblog.
Tags: animal cruelty, animals, associated humane societies, battle, bin, chute, cruelty to animals, custody, dog, dogs, emaciated, fight, garbage, garden state veterinary specialists, high rise, inspiration, kisha curtis, miracle, new jersey, newark, patrick, pets, pit bull, profit, recovery, rescued, resilience, st patricks day, story, straving, thin, trash, trial
Comments
Comment from Sharon
Time March 19, 2012 at 1:44 pm
Actually, it wasn’t a hairball in his stomach: it was one of Curtis’ hairpieces (extenders).
I hope Curtis gets the maximum possible sentence. She doesn’t deserve a plea deal nor leniency from some of these judges who’ve been letting scum like this off with little or no punishment these days. I wish they could do to her what she did to Patrick.
I don’t understand why they didn’t also accuse her of throwing him down the chute- she threw away a live dog as if he were trash, all too willing to let him either suffocate or be crushed to death. That speaks volumes about her character (or lack of it) to me.
Also, I wish AHS would just give up this attempt to get their hands on Patrick. He’s been through hell and is HAPPY where he is. He loves and trusts the human he’s living with. They need to leave him alone and let him be happy, a right he has earned more than most of us.
Comment from Anne’n'Spencer
Time March 19, 2012 at 5:07 pm
It’s so good to see Patrick looking healthy and comfortable. His coat is beautiful, and his facial expression looks calm and contented. I’d like to see him stay with the people he’s come to know and love.
Comment from lisa
Time March 19, 2012 at 6:18 pm
just horrible!!!!!!!An eye for an eye!!!!!!See how she likes it,must no be human to be able to do that and go on with your day!!!Must be harsher penalties so people stop doing this.Shame on her and the system@!!f@c@I@g b@t@h!!!!!!!_!
Comment from Tammy
Time March 19, 2012 at 6:38 pm
It’s so shocking to see the photo of Patrick when he was found — he looks like a carcass. My hat’s off to both the shelter and the vet for not just euthanizing him immediately.
Comment from Lisa
Time March 19, 2012 at 8:50 pm
Fry the bitch!!!!
Comment from Donna
Time March 19, 2012 at 11:43 pm
What I don’t get is, if Patricia Smillie-Scavelli wants to keep him, why not just allow her to adopt him and let him continue with his new lease on life? Makes no sense not to, IMO. As to his last owner, I hope they throw the book at her, and she gets much more than the deal she turned down!!
Comment from cecille
Time April 6, 2012 at 3:39 pm
Kisha Curtis should be locked in a cell and starved until her bones protrude through her skin! She should get the maximum senstenceM! Animal cruelty should be taken more seriously!M
Comment from Catherine
Time May 18, 2012 at 11:09 am
Garden State Vet didn’t give up on him, they deserve the publicity. If, God forbid another incident like this occurs they might be less likely to get involved and this would never have been brought to the public’s attention if they hadn’t made it public. This has gone global. What about Ms Curtis’s neighbours or anyone that saw the dog in this condition? Why didn’t they report her to the authorities. A dog doesn’t become emaciated overnight. Anyone who doesn’t report animal cruelty is just as guilty as the owner. Leave Patrick where he is!!
Comment from Tiffany
Time May 23, 2012 at 10:12 am
JUST LOOK AT THAT BEAUTIFUL FACE!!! It makes me so happy to see him today, it is truly a miracle!!!
Comment from lalanya
Time June 1, 2012 at 12:24 am
I am so thankful for people that CARE!!!! That dog looks DEAD!!!
Comment from Marita
Time July 2, 2012 at 6:50 am
Why are they fighting about the custody? Is he happy right now? What is most important? The dog´s happiness or the ownership? To me, he should stay where he is right now if he is happy there and it seems so. And I really hope this human garbage get´s thrown away in a plastic bag and put in prison. This is torture and abuse and it has been going on for a very long time.
Comment from Toby
Time July 10, 2012 at 8:59 am
I agree with an eye for an eye. They should give Curtis the maximum and starve her to death like she tried to do to that poor dog. The problem with the system is that they don’t take this kind of abuse seriously enough and let the abusers off too easily. If someone at Garden State wants to adopt Patrick why is the Human Society fighting it, let him go into a loving home.
Comment from Danielle
Time September 17, 2012 at 10:09 pm
For someone to be that cold hearted…she just deserves to die.
Comment from Kristy
Time September 19, 2012 at 6:51 am
Can I be put in a room by our selfs for one day……I will do justice to her…..she is a very sick lady……she is gonna go to HELL Jesus don’t like cruelty
Comment from janetsara
Time September 19, 2012 at 11:06 am
shame he didnt eat her…………
Comment from LINDA
Time September 19, 2012 at 5:42 pm
let patricia smillie-scavelli keep patrick.
he has been thru enough – he has a home where he is loved – let him stay – he’s not going to understand why he is being taken away from his loving family
Comment from Karen
Time September 19, 2012 at 8:20 pm
STARVE HER ASS………
Comment from Anonymous
Time September 19, 2012 at 11:55 pm
Such a beatiful boy now!!
I hope Curtis gets the maximum possible sentence, its just disgusting what she has done..
Comment from judy
Time September 20, 2012 at 12:39 pm
tie her up and leave her for a week without food….loser….what a loser
Comment from judy
Time September 20, 2012 at 12:40 pm
What a handsome boy….so glad he’s ok and I hope he gets the best from new forever home..
Comment from Chris
Time September 20, 2012 at 11:31 pm
What an awful person, she should be starved or just put her down.
Comment from Thelma
Time September 21, 2012 at 12:22 am
What a sad story with a happy ending.People for once should think like a dog.Maybe the world will be a better place.
Comment from Juanita
Time September 25, 2012 at 12:15 pm
I can understand the one who nursed that poor “carcass” of a dog back to life wanting to keep him! That took an enormous amount of LOVE and Patrick is returning that LOVE! They deserve to be together as they have bonded by this painful experience, others may not understand, not being there day by day loving this poor dog while he was a “carcass”, LOVE bringing LIFE back to him, day by day!
Comment from Diana Nolen
Time September 25, 2012 at 7:37 pm
How do you volunteer to be on the jury?
Comment from Jennifer Moore
Time October 23, 2012 at 12:48 pm
So the Humane Society is spending donation money to fight for custody of this dog so they can find him a home when he already has a home? What am I not getting here? This is retarded. AHS…go spend donation money on rescuing more animals…Patrick is happy and thriving, you did the right thing when you saved his life and now he is happy and well…happy ending.
Comment from PK
Time November 20, 2012 at 9:39 pm
I think if the vet who treated Patrick wants to keep him them he should return every cent he took for his treatment. What a colossal nerve to take the money of people who sent what ever they could afford to line his own pockets while gaining notoriety as well. Talk about arrogant! People are sacrificing every day rescuing, scraping together pennies to make the lives of those they rescue better and this vet takes when he could have easily given. I, personally work Pro Bono for several rescues never charging a cent as do many I know in my profession. I an just sick and tired of vets making a fortune on the suffering of dogs and the humans who are trying to save them. Return the money then everyone will know that money is not your intent. But I won’t hold my breath.
Comment from Anonymous
Time March 19, 2012 at 1:26 pm
lock her up!!!! horrible