Humane Society chooses Joy to be 'Face of Cruelty, Neglect'

To bring attention to the plight of animals that have been victims of abuse, the Humane Society of Louisiana has designated Joy, an abandoned pit bull mix found near Franklin, to be their statewide “Face of Cruelty and Neglect.”
“People can be extremely thoughtless and cruel, especially to unsuspecting animals who depend on us for their food, shelter, comfort and well-being,” says Jeff Dorson, the society’s Louisiana director. “We want people to see what happens to animals when individuals deliberately mistreat, neglect and abuse them and there is no better example than Joy.
“Her story is the story of animals throughout our state, country and world ––where animals are still held in low esteem and can be discarded at a moment’s notice.”
On Feb. 18, a tip given to a local rescuer, Koorie Wimberly, owner of Koorie’s Cozy Kennels and Pet Salon in Franklin, led to the discovery of an emaciated pit mix left in a cane field on La. 87. After learning that a skinny dog was seen by some trees in the middle of a cane field the previous morning, Koorie went to the site and miraculously found the dog in the dark.
The dog was lying next to the filthy blanket that had been dumped with her, shivering in the dark, when Koorie first saw her. She was in a severely neglected state, with open sores from untreated mange, and was severely malnourished. Koorie put the shivering dog in her car and provided her with her first good night’s sleep in a long time.
The dog, now named Joy in the hope that she may finally experience some happier times, was later transferred to the Pointe Coupee Animal Shelter, in the town of New Roads, where she is being treated for her ailments.
Joy was treated for demodex mange and open sores with antibiotics and hydrotherapy. After several weeks of treatment, after the infections were healing, they noticed that Joy had multiple dog bites on her head, under her neck and on her backside.
“Joy has been at a local vet clinic for several weeks, and her bill is expected to reach more than $3,500, says Carol Vincent, Pointe Coupee Shelter director.
Vincent has personally been looking after Joy and monitoring her progress.
Those wanting to donate to Joy’s recovery fund can do so on the Pointe Coupee Animal Shelter Paypal link on their website: http://www.pointecoupeeanimalshelter.org/. Donations can also be sent to the Pointe Coupee Animal Shelter at P.O. Box 905, New Roads LA 70760, or dropped off directly at the McCaskill Vet Clinic, located at 1116 Parent Road, New Roads.
Those interested in adopting Joy, donating supplies or volunteering at the Pointe Coupee Animal Shelter can contact Carol at 225-718-1114.
The Humane Society of Louisiana donated $100.00 for Joy’s initial treatment and has pledged an additional $100.toward her aftercare.
Photos of Joy taken immediately after her rescue and a more recent one after her treatments and sitting on a pier, apparently living up to her new name, are attached.
“Virtually every community has a dog like Joy who lives on the edge of town, almost invisible, trying to survive after being abandoned, and we want to bring attention to the plight of these wonderful animals, shed light on their plight and ask other Good Samaritans like Koori to render aid to them if they see them,” adds Dorson.
The Humane Society of Louisiana is one of the state’s largest animal advocacy organizations. For more information, please visit their website at www.humanela.org or their Facebook page.