Tommy - The Throw Away Dog
Tommy was found on 10-29-2009 by an employee of Waste Management Systems when he dumped in an oversized trash can into his truck and found that there was a nearly dead dog inside.
The Cahokia Police were called and responded to the scene to start the investigation. The first set of photos are from the pictures he took that day and are part of the evidence in this case. If it weren’t for the kind heart of the officer, this dog would have simply been hauled off to be euthanized at the end of the day. No one would ever know of the horrors faced by this poor creature, no one would care, and the only thing this poor dog would have known for his whole life would be that people are cruel.
Tommy underwent emergency surgery to remove an electrical cord around his neck which was imbedded in some places about an inch into the skin. The surgeons worked for hours removing the cord and all the layers of rotting and dead tissue around it.
While viewing one of the many TV news coverages of Tommy, Jackie, one of the Co-founders of Hope Rescues noticed a dog house lying next to a trash container to be taken away. She called the police chief in charge of the investigation. Her tip lead the investigators to the owner of the dog house and who was found to be Tommy’s abuser.
Tommy’s story continues to touch the hearts of the young and old that hears his story and he will forever be one of the many rescues that has shaped the core values with which Hope Rescues was founded
Tommy was adopted and went to his new home on Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009.
The abuser was found and charged with the following:
- Cruel Treatment of Animals
- Violation of Animals Owner's Duties (2 counts)
- All three counts are misdemeanors. Johnson's bond was set at $10,000.00
In 2010, As Tommy continued to heal, his story captured many people’s hearts, including one amazing and caring author in California. She was so moved by Tommy’s story that she published a children’s book about it. The book, published in both English and Spanish, was created to generate awareness of animal welfare and funds for those who work the front lines in companion animal rescue, rehabilitation and adoption, and to educate children about the proper ways to treat animals. The book was later developed as a DVD and as an enhanced iBook
In 2011, a musical production was created, based on the book, by Elizabeth Street Learning Center in Los Angeles. “Tommy’s No Throwaway Dog” was performed with a cast of over 100.
Tommy ... In the News
