The Story of Russell...
Read the UPDATE of 3/20/98
This was written by Susan B. Foster, of New York and she has a date of 12/3/97 at the bottom. This has been included in the December, 1997 issue of "ALL THAT IS", the newsletter of Spring Farm CARES.
My name is Susan Foster. I live in Upstate NY, about 20 minutes north of Utica. The neighborhood is farm country and forest. My house is located on 5 acres of conifers and hardwood. It's a beautiful spot, bordered by deep wooded ravines and the West Canada Creek, a safe haven for kids and pets. A creek for swimming, woods to explore and wildlife to love and appreciate.
I live on a rural road that is approximately 2 miles long and has seven families living on it. All walk this road for exercise and enjoyment. Four of the seven families own dogs and walk with them on the road.
On the morning of November 11, 1997, I took four of my dogs for a walk down the road. Tesla, a shepherd-lab mix, Jackie and Russell, my Jack Russell Terriers and Holly, my daughter's Lhasa Apso. I had gone approximately 500 feet and the dogs were ahead of me about 35 feet. They usually run along the shoulder of the road and explore the drainage ditch (approximately 2 feet deep) that runs along the side of the road. It was a beautiful sunny morning, crisp and clear. As we walked, two deer bounded up the hill, white tails high. An absolutely beautiful day.
Jackie and Russel
Suddenly I heard my dogs screaming. I ran up the road as fast as possible, following the sounds of their cries. I jumped down into the ditch and could see the two terriers at the top of the backside of the ditch. All animal owners know their animals' cries. These were cries of pain and terror.
Panic had already set in and my heart was racing. I moved a pine bough out of the way and saw Russell. He was struggling and twisting and I thought his collar was caught on a section of barbed wire fence. I reached up to try to unhook him and in horror realized that his collar wasn't caught on any fence - his head was caught in an animal trap and he was strangling.
I tried desperately to pull the trap apart and free him, but I couldn't. I have very little knowledge of traps and do not know the method required to release it. One bar on the trap was clamped tightly against his throat and the other against the back of his neck.
I cannot describe the pain, frustration, horror and helplessness that I felt as I tried again and again to free him. Looking into terrified eyes begging for help and unable to do anything to save him. Each second becoming more desperate, more hysterical and frantic. I kept pulling and pulling - I watched as he opened his mouth wider and wider trying to get air, but I could not help him. I screamed for help. I sobbed with frustration but I could not separate the bars from his throat. I was watching my friend and companion die and I couldn't save him. I held him against my face and chest and begged him to forgive me. I asked God to take him so his suffering would be over.
I held him until he died.
It was not a quick or a painless death and no animal deserves to die in this manner. Russell was a gentle and loving companion. A friend and deeply loved member of my family and his death was cruel and unnecessary.
I have spoken with Gordon Batcheller of the New York State Department of Envoromental Conservation of Delmar, NY and he told me that the DEC is reviewing the trapping laws at this time. He said the DEC welcomes comments and concerns about trapping. Your input is extremely important to this study and could ultimately result in saving the life of a family pet and insure that more humane methods are used by trappers.
Susan B. Foster 12/3/97
Russell
Please write Mr. Batcheller as well as your Congressperson. The names and addresses of Congressmen in the Utica area are included below.
Gordon R. Batcheller
NY State Dept. of Environmental Conservation
Division of Fish, Wildlife and Marine Resources
Wildlife Services Team
108 Game Farm Road
Delmar, NY 12054
Congressman Sherwood Boehlert
10 Broad Street
Utica, NY 13501
State Senator Raymond Meier
207 Genesee Street
Utica, NY 13501
To find the address (both e-mail and US Mail) of your Senators and Representatives, visit The Congressional Directory.
Bonnie Reynolds of Spring Farm CARES has written a follow-up editorial to this horror. In her editorial, she mentions that the individual who set this trap has been apprehended. There is a court case pending. The person who set the trap said he does it "for the fun of it."
This is a letter we received from Susan B. Foster on 3/20/98, written to all of you who have still not signed the petition:
When you lose a companion you have two things left; pictures and memories. On sleepless, tear-filled nights, they are what I turn to. I would like to share a little of both with others who understand the sadness and pain of losing a deeply loved pet.
Russell, also known as "Bubba-Doo", was the glue that bound the others together. An easy-going, gentle, loving little guy that didn't have a mean bone in his body. He entered a house already occupied by 4 others (all females) and got along beautifully with all of them.
Socks-Ann is our matriarch. She is our 17 year old Collie-mix; shy, reserved, peaceful. Way past the point where she wants to "play" with a young dog, but she loved Russell. Why? Because he treated her with the respect and dignity she deserved. He knew instinctively just how much she would tolerate, and he would never push her too far. Tesla is our 10 year old Shepherd-lab mix. For years she held "baby" status, but again, good ole Russ knew how to make her play. He would run full-speed right at her and at the last minute, tuck and roll letting her know he respected her seniority. He would lay there on his back, looking up at her as if to say "ok, you ready - wanna chase me now?" She would get up, chase him around the yard for awhile and they would repeat this game over and over again. Jackie is our 3 year old Jack Russell terrier. She is feisty, stubborn, moody and definately "alpha" dog. Jackie calls the shots. Of all the dogs, Russell loved Jackie the best, unfortunately, it was very important to Jackie that she maintain her position of power. She accomplished this by making sure that any games were initiated by her. She would lay there, aloof, disinterested in his antics and no matter how hard he tried to get her to play, she would snarl and growl. He would leave for awhile, then return; crawling up to her on his belly, he would reach out with his paw and gently touch her; almost like "testing the water". If her mood was right, she would roll over, verbalize her willingness to play, and off they'd go, tearing around the house, chasing and barking. There were many times when Jackie just could not resist Russell's affection and would in turn offer hers to him by licking his ears. He was in heaven when she confirmed her love with this gesture. But by far, the best friend he had was Holly. They were constant companions, forever rough-housing and playing. We were often forced to turn up the volume on the television because of noisy play. She refused to separate herself from him. If he climbed into the small dog bed to rest, she climbed in too. If he ran ahead, she would run as fast as she could go to join him. Holly adored Russell. Wherever Russ was, so was Holly.
The house is quiet now; evenings still. All of us feel the loss. Russell gave us hours of pleasure just watching him play. He gave his love fully and freely. His tail always waging, his kisses and nose-nipping, snuggles and prancing; all to let us know how much he loved us. I value every moment we had with him and I am deeply saddened by his cruel and painful death. An untimely and senseless death, undeserving such a beautiful, caring and loving creature.
He shares his barbaric death with Valentine, the Massaro's boxer-mix who agonized for over an hour before she died in the strangling grip of a Conibear 220, the same trap that killed Russ. She was killed on January 4, 1997 while jogging with her owners on the Hudson-Mohawk bike path in Niskayuna, NY. Dusty, a border collie owned by the Lindsey family died in a Conibear 220 trap on January 26, 1997 in Clinton, NY. He was with his owner running through an open field. Buddy, owned by Liz Feist of Kalispel, Montana died in a Conibear 220 just off the side of a cross-country ski trail on December 26, 1997. A little lab-mix stray from North Dakota was found caught and suffering in a Conibear trap in April 1996. Judging from the rotted flesh around her neck, the Veterinarian estimated she suffered in the trap for over two weeks. She too died from the injuries inflicted by the trap. How many more companion animals have died in anguish in the grip of a Conibear or leghold trap? We will never know. How many trappers would bring a dead or injured dog or cat back to their owners. And think of the thousands upon thousands of wild animals who suffer in pain and anguish while caught in leghold or Conibear traps. If the trap doesn't kill them, if they don't chew their own leg off in an effort to free themselves, the trapper will beat them in the head, or stand on their throat or chest crushing or stomping them to death.
Please write your local and State politicians. Write your newspapers, national talk shows, Wildlife Departments and let them know that you will no longer tolerate this type of atrocity. Nothing will change until we make an effort to insure change. I pray to God that Russell, Valentine, Buddy and Dusty's deaths will not be in vain; that the deaths of those we don't know will not go unacknowledged That inflicting suffering on pets and wildlife will end. I cannot end the suffering alone, I need your help. Please support the effort to STOP THE USE OF INHUMANE TRAPS.
Please visit Russell's Family Album page, share some of the wonderful memories of Russell.
First article, © "ALL THAT IS" The Newsletter of Spring Farm CARES, Clinton, NY 13323.
Letter, © 1998, Susan Foster
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