Star 7

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Original: “Very vocal, Star would let his foster parents know what he needed or wanted by barking.”

“In April of 2020, as COVID lockdowns were beginning, the Warwick Valley Humane Society contacted MAESSR regarding 11 dogs that they had seized from an irresponsible breeding situation in Orange County, New York.  The shelter was trying to limit the number of dogs in its care due to the pandemic, and they asked if MAESSR would be able to find foster homes for these dogs until the case went to trial.  Of course, MAESSR said yes, and the trek began to get those dogs out of the shelter in New York and into foster homes all up and down the east coast.  Because MAESSR volunteers are amazing at what they do, this was a seamless process, and the dogs were quickly settled.

“Because of the pandemic, the courts were very backed up, and the trial did not begin until January 2022.  There were hearings and appeals, and more appeals, and after what seemed like forever, on April 22, 2023 Lauretta and Daniel Duthie of Laurdan Kennels were convicted of overdriving, torturing, and injuring animals, and failure to provide proper sustenance in violation of the State Agriculture and Markets law.  They were fined $1,000 and were required to register on the Orange County Animal Abuse Registry (https://www.orangecountygov.com/934/Animal-Abuser-Registry), prohibiting them from owning animals for the next 15 years.  It wasn’t until March 8, 2024, that they registered, and the dogs were turned over to MAESSR at that time.

“Due to years of neglectful veterinary care and poor breeding practices, virtually all the dogs needed treatment for medical conditions, including dental disease, mammary tumors, deafness, blindness, untreated ear infections and allergies, among other things.  Each dog needed grooming, vaccinations, and most of all the love and attention they desperately wanted.  Where indicated, surgeries were performed for the tumor removals, dental cleaning and extractions. The total cost to provide needed veterinarian care for the 11 dogs exceeded $100,000, which MAESSR shouldered and to date has not been reimbursed by the owners, as was intended during their prosecution.

“Of the 11 dogs that were seized in 2020, these seven, Tara, Eliza, Bennett, Gracie, Nelson, Electra, and Harrison remain in MAESSR care thriving in their foster homes and preparing to be adopted now that the case is closed.  Star, Cameron, Hunter, and Winston crossed the bridge, but spent their last days knowing love and compassion from their foster families.  

“We cannot change the world for all the dogs, but we can change the world for the dogs that come into MAESSR’s care.  We are honored to have been called upon to help and fortunate to have the means to provide what these babies needed.” — Debbie Lipcsey, MAESSR President

Former show dog Star found himself and ten other Springers in the middle of an animal cruelty case in 2020.  The Warwick Valley Humane Society of New York found willing foster homes through MAESSR for these neglected dogs.  Star never lived to see the end of the court case having died in 2022, but he found a loving home and the best medical treatment available. 

Star was a funny, high maintenance boy who liked to do things his way!  Very vocal, Star would let his foster parents know what he needed or wanted by barking.  If the water bowl was empty, if foster mom was late with breakfast, if he needed help getting onto his foster parents’ bed in the middle of the night, if he needed to go out, Star would bark.  The foster parents got fairly good at reading his mind and his barks.  When Star tried to eat the vet’s groomer because she was forcing him to wear a muzzle, he got to go home without being groomed at all.  A different groomer was found who was more to his liking and he did fine.  When he and foster dad had a disagreement about Star peeing in the house, Star would always bark ferociously at him and then come to him for the best ear scratching.  He only wanted dad to walk him.  Oh, those doggie brains.

Because of an enlarged testicle and tumor, Star’s hormones were all out of kilter so he drank a lot and he peed a lot—both inside and outside of the house.  Star wouldn’t hesitate to urinate wherever he wanted inside and he would make no moves to head to the door first.  For low thyroid levels, he was placed on thyroid medication; his otherwise beautiful coat had large balding spots.  His vet wrote letters to the judge asking for permission to neuter Star which would eliminate many of his maladies. This request was denied since Star’s conditions were just inconvenient and not life threatening.  So, Star and his foster parents had to live with these “inconveniences.”

Star was able to jump onto the couch and his parents’ bed for cuddles and sleep during the daytime, but if he got off the bed at night, he had to wake mom up to lift him back onto the bed.  She was also the one to answer Star’s 5 AM potty calls.  After that, they would go back to bed for a few more hours of sleep.  Star never wanted his foster mom to sleep in if he was up for the day.  Woof, woof!  Breakfast time!  Then, he would be in and out for potty breaks all morning until a two-hour siesta would quiet him.  In and out he would go, all afternoon and evening.  Repeat!  Luckily, Star’s foster parents were retired, and the pandemic kept them at home.  If they did have to leave home, a male wrap was put on Star for the safety of the hardwood floors.

Although this senior was arthritic, he loved his walks and being outside.  He’d sometimes have to give visiting deer a good chase and he loved the snow in winter.  He was kept on a long lead when his foster mom had him outside with her, but if she forgot to leash him, he could always be found at his next-door neighbor’s house, sitting on her steps and barking for a treat.  Star loved all the neighbors and all of them loved him.  At one hot summer barbecue, Star put his front legs into an ice chest to cool himself off in the cold water! 

Star got along well with the resident dogs and was fine with the cats in his previous foster home.  His early morning barking and health problems of his former foster dad caused Star to be moved to his foster home in New Jersey.

After his fourteenth birthday, Star began to slow and he did not want to go too far on walks.  His arthritis was visibly bothering him so he began taking Rimadyl for his pain.  His passing took his foster parents by surprise.  Despite his problems, he was a handsome, loving old boy whom his foster parents love and miss even now.

Godspeed, sweet Star!