Animal House

For those curious about the fate of Duke, the death-row bulldog who was pardoned recently after a very public fight, here is an excerpt from the current issue of Long Island Bulldog Rescue's current newsletter. It was written by Laurette Richin, who spearheaded the effort that ultimately saved him:

<<Duke's story has been in the forefront for us in the two months that followed my flipping through the paper in early May, where a story appeared about two Rottweilers and an English Bulldog alleged to have attacked a 4-year-old child. If anyone does not know about it go to www.longislandbulldogrescue.org and read what happened when one careless act resulted in a tragedy for a little boy, his family, three dogs and their owner.

It is a story that happens over and over again. Who has not had someone leave the gate or door open? Sometimes we are lucky and our dogs are found, sometimes our dogs are lost or hurt. Please invest in self-closing gates.

Duke’s story is also one of an extraordinary outpouring of love, courage, support, both emotional and financial, plain hard work, and optimism in the face of what appeared to be unbeatable odds, by thousands of people from around the world who love bulldogs, and believed that Duke [at left, in unhappier times] deserved a fair evaluation.

It has also been a story of amazing coincidences, timing and just when things looked the darkest…miracles, both large and small. Starting with the call from Len Egert and Amy Trakinsky, Duke's attorneys at 4:30 pm, the day before Duke was to be killed.

For me it has been an education in the law, politics, what the media can do, how things are often not what they first appear to be, and how wonderful humans can be. ...

Duke is doing very well at Elite Animal Trainers, and is showing himself to be a normal, happy, loving bulldog. He has shown no aggression and has also shown remarkable resilience as he seems to have suffered little trauma from the weeks of isolation and no exercise at the shelter. I attribute this to his basic upbeat nature, and to Robert Sowers, SPCA Investigator, visiting and playing with him during his confinement.>>

Duke is heading for the light at the end of the tunnel, Laurette wrote in an email to me: <<He is recovering from a cut tongue that he got somehow at the shelter, otherwise he has passed all his stuff with flying colors. He will be in training for the next few weeks, then adopted out of state. I have many applications for him. Duke is a good boy.>>

Meanwhile, Laurette notes that her group has rescued 23 bulldogs in the last 10 days. Duke may be out of harm's way, but she needs volunteers and foster homes to help with the endless stream of surrenders. Visit www.longislandbulldogrescue.org.