Dog at Risk of Abuse After Allegedly Being Dragged From Rescue

VICTORVILLE – A fragile dog was literally pulled from a Victorville rescue by an enraged woman claiming to be the dog’s owner on June 15, 2016, the owner of Cali Dobie dog rescue said.

On June 5, 2016, a dog was taken in by the Victorville dog rescue. The dog was very dirty with numerous burrs stuck in her tangled fur and owner Heather Kinal said she could not even be sure what kind of dog she was at the time.

As she does with all rescued dogs, Kinal proceeded to groom the neglected looking dog while in her head hoping to reunite her with her owner. “I try not to judge the owner by the condition of the dog,” said Kinal. “We really do not know how long the dog has been out unless we find and speak to the owner.”

As she cut the hair down the hair fell in clumps exposing the emaciated body of the Standard Poodle. The haircut also exposed a snake bite to the skin of the fragile approximately 2-3-year-old dog and several lumps that appeared to be tumors. Kinal took the dog to the veterinarian to seek treatment and was given antibiotics to treat the snake bite.

Kinal did what she could to find the rightful owner of the dog, while giving the dog both the veterinary treatment and affection she needed to properly heal both emotionally and physically. The dog slept with Kinal nightly for the 10 days while they looked for her owner and the dog grew to love Kinal and her family. After the 10 days, she decided to put a Craigslist ad out just to get some prospects for the adoption of the dog, who was now on the road to recovery. “I am like the FBI, I interrogate those wanting to adopt one of my rescues, I want to make sure they find a good home,” said Kinal.

Kinal, who is a trusted rescuer for around 10 years said that she got a reply with a phone number. The woman on the other end of the line claimed that the dog was hers so they arranged to meet at Kinal’s home, which was around 2 miles from the woman’s home. Before handing the dog off in a hopefully happy ending Kinal planned to verify that the dog was hers, find out how long the dog was missing and see how the dog reacted to seeing her owner.

The meeting did not go as planned, Kinal said that when the woman arrived she went straight to the dog with the leash. She asked her how long the dog was missing and learned that the dog went missing around 24 hours before she was found in such poor condition. Still Kinal wanted to get to the bottom of the situation and see if a reunion was in the best interest of the parties involved.

Kinal planned to have the dog spayed and vaccinated that same week and mentioned it to the owner who was vehemently against spaying the dog. Upon further conversation, Kinal realized the dog was planned to be bred in several different locations and may have been acquired for that purpose in March. As Kinal questioned she said she grabbed the leash and dragged the fragile dog down the driveway and shoving her into the waiting vehicle. Kinal, after seeing the treatment of the dog went again into rescue mode and ran to the aid of the dog. She grabbed at the leash and the woman pulled back roughly.

An altercation occurred and when the woman’s husband violently tugged Kinal’s arms, Kinal’s husband came out to her aid. Kinal said her arms are scratched from the woman and bruised from the woman’s husband, her young son also has marks on him yet the woman screamed assault. Kinal’s daughter called 911 and soon after deputies from the Victorville Station arrived. They talked to the pair and said since the “property” [the dog] was in the possession of the woman that she was going to be able to leave with her.

Kinal asked that animal control followed up with the woman the following morning to ensure that the dog was provided with the proper care. Animal Control did follow-up the following day and the woman is required to have a veterinarian check performed on the dog. The woman, later self-identified on Facebook, as Elizabeth Tanori said the altercation was started by Kinal when she went only to recover her pet and the photos of the dog provided are not of her dog. “She identified the dog using those photos, I do not know how she is now saying the pictures are not of her now,” said Kinal. Now Kinal has sought legal advice from her attorney about what she believes is libel on the part of Tanori.

“I have a stellar reputation in our community,” said Kinal. “I do not make money off of my rescues, I usually put money out of my own pocket to care for them.”  Kinal has been featured on televised news with a recent rescue, who she brought from near-death to on the path to full recovery.

Now, Kinal’s main concern is the well-being of the Standard Poodle who she said was roughly dragged from her home and shoved into a vehicle. She is concerned as all of the signs point to animal cruelty and definite neglect. At this point, Kinal said that she is willing to adopt the dog to make sure she is in a good, loving home where she will be provided with all the care that she needs.

“ The slander and defamation of my rescue will cease in this matter, I will be relentless and I will stand my ground and I will visit every resource necessary to make that possible,” said Kinal on a Facebook post.  “I have all of the supporting documentation pictures photos evidence screenshots of this threat I will not allow my rescue name to be damaged find somebody that is clearly trying to save herself from animal cruelty charges.”

Kinal believes that the Victorville Animal Control or Police should do more to protect the dog from future neglect and/or abuse. She is contacting everyone she can attempting to get help for the dog that she knows needs additional care. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, Victorville Station has been contacted by a 24/7 Headline News reporter but they are unavailable for comment at this time. Information will be updated as it is received.

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