Somerset — A local non-profit organization is hoping to jump-start an investigation into a rash of suspected dog poisonings in a southern Pulaski County community by offering a reward for any information that may lead to an arrest.
The Pulaski County Humane Society announced it would pay a $1,000 reward for any pertinent information that may lead to an arrest and conviction in the emotional case, which began in late 2008 after residents in the Garland Bend neighborhood of Tateville began losing their dogs after the pets began ingesting antifreeze — a sweet-smelling, highly toxic substance.
“The Pulaski County Humane Society is understandably concerned about these incidences of animal cruelty,” stated a press release from the organization. “Although the case has supposedly been under investigation for many months, the Sheriff's Department has failed to prosecute anyone for this crime.”
Pulaski County Sheriff’s Deputy John Hutchinson has been investigating the case since September 2008 when dogs began dying from ingesting the toxin. At least three dogs have been confirmed killed, and residents in Garland Bend have contended that at least two other dogs died after ingesting the poison.
Hutchinson has been investigating the possibility that someone had placed the bowls of antifreeze in residents’ fenced-in yards and kennels to ensure that the pets would discover the liquid.
In an article published in March about the poisonings, Hutchinson said one of the bowls may have been carried to a location by an animal, but he also said the others couldn’t have made their way into the fenced-in yards and pens without someone placing them there.
“Due to the bowls being in the fenced yards, I am sure that this was done purposely in an attempt to kill the dogs,” Hutchinson said in an e-mail.
Several residents stated in to the Commonwealth Journal in March that bowls filled with the toxic substance were discovered in their yards multiple times.
One resident reportedly told Hutchinson that she mixed up antifreeze with cat food to kill skunks, but that resident insisted she didn’t carry those bowls into the neighbors’ yards. There had also been unconfirmed reports that the person of interest had bragged about “getting rid” of the animals to others in the neighborhood.
There were no updates to the case as of Monday afternoon, according to Hutchinson.
The humane society is asking that anyone with information about the poisonings contact the organization at 451-2367. The $1,000 reward will be paid upon successful prosecution of the case.
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June 29, 2009
Humane society offers reward in dog poisonings
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Pulaski carries Girdler to win
In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s primary election, it was impossible to miss the colorful signs dotting nearly every Pulaski roadway. The names in the race for the 15th State Senatorial District seat popped out: A.C. Donahue. Chris Girdler. Mark Polston.Once citizens hit the ballots, however, the results mirrored the dimensions of the signs themselves: Chris Girdler stood the tallest.Girdler, deputy district director for Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, ran away with the votes inside Pulaski County’s borders, earning 3,926 votes for 62.05 percent of the total number cast.That number more than doubled the next highest vote-getter, businessman Mark Polston, who raked in 1,624 votes for 25.67 percent.However, Polston — who owns Classic Carpet, a home-flooring business located just off the southern 914 bypass — can claim a moral victory ... three of them, in fact. In all three counties in the district other than Pulaski — those being Adair, Casey, and Russell Counties — Polston actually edged out Girdler.In Adair, Polston beat Girdler 629 to 394. In Casey County, it was 538 to 417, and in Russell, it was 1,862 to 1,038.Polston said he just “couldn’t pull it out with the numbers” and that “the machine worked for” Girdler in Pulaski County.“I think that was their strategy — I think they had a Pulaski County strategy all along,” said Polston. “They played the political game well.”Polston said the difference between his and Girdler’s campaigns was that “mine was a very, very grass roots campaign,” he said. “I did not have a political machine behind me. I understand how this process works, and in this instance, he prevailed.”As for why Girdler didn’t take three of four counties, the winning candidate — since there are no Democrats in the race, winning the Republican primary was effectively a final victory for Girdler — said he didn’t have an answer for that.However, “I believe things happen for a reason and I hope the long and strenuous campaign will only heighten my desire to move beyond the bitterness and partisanship of the recent past,” said Girdler.“Regionalism is a goal of mine, and I look forward to helping all four counties,” he added, noting that he campaigned heavily in each of them.Sen. Vernie McGaha, the long-time state senator whose seat the candidates were vying for, actually supported Polston after Liberty’s Todd Hoskins dropped out of the race earlier this month.Donahue, a local attorney, got 556 votes in Pulaski County, 8.79 percent of the vote. He only received 145 votes in Russell County, 74 in Adair County, and 75 in Casey County, where hometown candidate Hoskins almost matched him with 71 votes despite no longer being officially in the race.Polston said he’s “still digesting” what happened, and though “the process has been a very good experience for me,” he wouldn’t commit to running again in the future. “I wouldn’t shut the door to anything, but I’m not opening any doors either.”Still, “I think I got a lot of people involved in the process that had not been involved before and would not have been otherwise,” he said. “A lot of people got out and worked really hard, got motivated to talk to friends and neighbors. I think a lot of people became involved through this campaign that are going to be involved for a long time.”Girdler stressed his “positive message” and said that Rogers is a “mentor and good friend” that he would turn to for advice in dealing with a frequently combative legislative body in Frankfort, one for which Girdler hopes to help change the culture.Girdler said that he was “confident and optimistic” during the day Tuesday because he’d “worked extremely hard.” Nevertheless, the realization that he’d won gave him “chill bumps,” he said.“I’m absolutely honored,” said Girdler. “The position of state senator is more than an honor, more than an office. It’s a charge to keep, and I will give it my all.“I pledge to be the people’s state senator,” he added. “I look forward to working with everyone to move this region forward.” - Local Democrats diss Obama
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