Signatures: 2,693
Goal: 5,000
Deadline: 12-30-2006

This petition originated to draw attention to Mara Spade/Second Chance Animal Rescue and her intentional neglect and unethical practices within animal rescue. This petition is set forth to help portray the seriousness of this matter, not only to the public and the Berkeley County Courthouse officials, but also to the local authorities within the entire state of West Virginia and it's government officials.

Mara Spade, which owns and operates Second Chance Animal Rescue, located in Inwood, WV needs to be charged accordingly with one count of neglect and cruelty for each of the 149 dogs found and confiscated by Berkeley County Animal Control and also one count for each animal found deceased while under her care. Mara Spade should also be ordered not to own or participate in anything that may place an animal under her supervision or care for any length of time. Please sign this petition on behalf of the animals that have suffered at the hands of Mara Spade and Second Chance Animal Rescue.
This is a picture that was found on Mara's rescue site of "part" of the premises where the poor dogs were kept. Note the run down trailer in the back that was their "adequate home".
Second Chance "Rescue"

Please do NOT let her ruin it for other all-breed rescuers! We need all-breed rescuers also to help with the mixed breed dogs. They are a vital part of the rescue world!
Please view these sites for more graphic pictures of the shelter and premises where these POOR animals had to live...horrible!

http://www.geocities.com/advocatetoanimals/SecondChanceRescue.html

http://www.geocities.com/advocatetoanimals/SecondChanceRescue2.html

http://www.geocities.com/advocatetoanimals/SecondChanceRescue3.html

I ask, if you will, to please sign with your name instead of anonymous. Your name will hopefully make this petition more personal and have a larger impact when it is being viewed by the courts and other political parties.

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Number	Date	Prefix	Name	Comments	Email address
2,699	2:41 pm PST, Jan 4		Rebecca Cloniger	I adopted a Female Rottweiler from this rescue when she first started this operation. Celene was a very good and loving family dog. Who was very protective over her family (including the kids), you couldnt ask for a better dog to have been an adult dog. I think it is sad that people treat animals like this, if they are going to be a rescue then they need to treat the animal like they should be treated and loved.	rcloniger@yahoo.com
2,698	2:38 pm PST, Dec 4		lauren hazzard	its horrible to see these poor animals in such horrific conditions!	imahazzard2@aol.com
2,697	11:38 am PDT, Jun 8	Ms.	janey abner	dont send this stupid woman back to these animals	janeyjani@yahoo.com
2,696	8:24 am PDT, May 26		Anonymous	I cant stand to see that.	lturman@pacscimiami.com
2,695	5:51 pm PDT, May 13	Ms.	Sandra P.	I hate seeing animals in poor enviorments. I wish to stop all that is going on with animals; Well, if they involve being hurt, inside, and out.
2,694	11:56 am PDT, May 12		Kimberlee Renner	Shame shame on someone for treating Gods creatures this way...and to know that she was just spotted on 4-30-09 with KEN GREEN out doing the same things again....stop this woman and the things she does...Put her behind bars
2,693	5:56 am PST, Jan 13		janet mcmahon	I adopted two dogs from this organization. They were wonderful companions and welcome additions to our family. It breaks my heart that anyone purporting to be an advocate for animals could show such blatant disregard for their welfare.	lochdu47@yahoo.com
2,691	11:53 am PDT, Oct 7	Ms.	jessie adams	how did she get away with it in the first place?? she got her warning the first time now put her fuckin ass in jail... this is no joke she did i once she did it twice and she'll do it again.. how long is it going to take to get throw peoples heads.. thinks of all the dogs that had to live in that..	darkangle1621@aol.com
2,690	8:30 am PDT, Aug 24		Jenny O'Neil
2,689	2:38 pm PDT, Jul 20		greta malkotzoglou
2,688	12:44 pm PDT, May 31		Annelies Ooms
2,687	9:40 am PDT, May 22		Ashley Crow
2,686	11:34 am PDT, Apr 29	Ms.	Patti Owens	I adopted my wonderful beagle mix Daphne aka Buffy from Second Chance. She is the best friend my young children could have ever asked for. This poor dog had been noticably abused by the time she came into our family. Finally after 2 years of hard work and lots of love she no longer shakes, cowers and leaks onto the floor when she gets into trouble. How anyone could do this to such a wonderful little dog (13 lbs.) is beyond me. Please stop these types of things from happening to anyone elses animal.
2,685	9:23 am PDT, Apr 8		Anonymous	please help these poor animals.animals have feelings, thet just want to love and be loved.god have mercy on these animals and the ones we dont know about.we should have stiffer fines and longer jail time.and neaver allowed to own any kind of animal.	peggyemminger@aol.com
2,684	1:00 pm PDT, Apr 5	Mrs.	Deanna Hayes	This is horrible. I have 3 dogs of my own and 2 that I recently rescued and I would never give them to a place like this. I live in Florida and I can not believe that this place has not been shut down.
2,683	4:06 am PDT, Mar 27	Ms.	Judith Lerner
2,682	7:31 am PDT, Mar 19	Ms.	Ginger Geronimo
2,681	5:06 pm PDT, Mar 12		Susan Campos	I was the foster caretaker for a small, black beagle mix named Elvis. He was sent to Second Chance, supposedly to be given a better chance for adoption. Had I known the circumstances, I would have gladly kept him. I can only pray he was adopted to a good and loving home. He was so sweet and had just learned to trust and love people. I hope his trust was not betrayed.
2,680	3:08 pm PST, Feb 27		Ivana Soldic
2,679	1:57 pm PST, Feb 19		Julia Tawyea
2,678	10:37 am PST, Feb 18	Ms.	Kate Gibb	save a life, GOD knows who you are.
2,677	11:24 am PST, Jan 27		Treasure Dillard
2,676	12:04 am PST, Jan 27		Karen Lambert, RN
2,675	6:40 am PST, Jan 26		dwight & barb eastman
2,674	2:08 am PST, Jan 17	Ms.	SANDRA ROCHA
2,673	3:35 pm PST, Dec 21		Julija Petrovic
2,672	11:45 am PST, Dec 5		Rosaria Menz�
2,671	7:10 am PST, Nov 27		Alessandro Barracciu
2,670	7:10 am PST, Nov 27		Laura Tatti	Stop animal cruelty!
2,669	1:00 pm PST, Nov 15		Shannon Saldana
2,668	10:13 pm PST, Nov 14	Mrs.	Randi Esquivel	This is a shame that someone can get away with this. She needs to be shut down.
2,667	7:02 am PST, Nov 9	Ms.	Anonymous	This is discusting. i hope someone will put her in jale and give her dirty dishes to eat off from. The poor animals do NOT diserve that.
2,666	11:33 am PDT, Oct 28		Tea Sijaric
2,665	11:54 pm PDT, Oct 16		Aleasha Casaretto
2,664	11:43 am PDT, Oct 16	Mrs.	Anonymous	We adopted one of her dogs about 1.5 years ago. Not realizing what kind of a scam she was running. The dog was such a mess I adopted her (paid them $250, to save the dog from going back from were it came from) b/c the dog was so sick and looked like it would have died if it did not get medical assistance.	tobymike@gmail.com
2,663	6:42 pm PDT, Sep 26		Jamie Sprague
2,662	4:49 pm PDT, Sep 12	Ms.	KIMBERLY A ROBERTS	People that treat animals like this are not good enough for jail. Let her live in the same conditions as those poor animals did.	kimberly.roberts@camc.org
2,661	8:41 pm PDT, Aug 16		delwyn gibbs
2,660	11:18 pm PDT, Aug 6	Ms.	Anonymous		Hilary_hope@hotmail.com
2,659	7:13 pm PDT, Aug 1	Mrs.	Anonymous	I haved worked with mara on several different occasions withe animals at first she was doing it for the right then it just seemed to overtake her and she never drew the line with her population of dogs.I then started to see neglect and no compassion for them animals they were a ### only to her. she never did home checks or followed up on her adoptions. so what she spayed or neutered them and wow gave them rabies. need to see her shut down for the animals.	boobearabbey@yahoo.com
2,658	12:10 pm PDT, Aug 1		Brianne Moss	I rescued a puppy from this rescue and she had all kinds of worms! She was also filthy and had fleas. Luckily we got her straightened out. I had no idea it was this bad.
2,656	9:09 pm PDT, Jul 30		Michelle Hughes
2,655	11:25 am PDT, Jul 29		sam ahmed
2,654	10:35 am PDT, Jul 11	Ms.	Cassandra Dunigan
2,653	11:26 am PDT, Jul 8		Rebecca Highland	This is ridiculous. Animals should not be treated this way.
2,652	7:49 pm PDT, Jul 6		Gle Zanth
2,651	7:39 pm PDT, Jun 27		laura heffernan

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Stop Mara Spade/Second Chance Rescue

This petition is in regard to Mara Spade/Second Chance Rescue located in Inwood, WV and the unethical treatment and abusive manner in which she/they operate. Mara Spade, who owns and operates Second Chance Rescue, has been neglecting the dogs that she has taken into her possession in several ways. The courts are not charging her as they should for the neglect, which will leave her with the option of owning and still yet operating another rescue/kennel situation in the future. This has to be stopped.

A reputable rescue DOES NOT allow numerous dogs to occupy a fenced in lot without supervision at all times. A reputable rescue does not leave a refrigerator on its side in the winter months filled with water which has frozen to a solid block of ice for the animals drinking water, leaving them no water at all. A reputable rescue does not place dogs of this number into a situation where they must fight for food. This leads to the "strongest will survive" attitude while the weaker, older, or special needs animals suffer.

A dog was found on the premises that had died and was decomposed. This IS neglect and abuse of the severest kind. No matter what the animal died from, he should have been taken to a veterinarian for treatment and care OR to be humanely euthanized if he could not be saved with proper medical treatment.

This statement was found in the local paper regarding this specific case, which opened the doors for a search warrant:

In a June 29 visit to Spade's shelter, a Martinsburg-area veterinarian reported seeing "numerous dogs exhibiting lameness, poor skin/haircoats and open wounds" in pens throughout a facility that had inadequate ventilation, horrible sanitation, inadequate water and food.

Not only that, but according to the Animal Control Officer for Berkeley County there were at least 4-5 dogs with untreated wounds the size of her hand. Some of the other dogs were lame, had ear mites and were suffering from shaking their heads and also had lacerations. There was one bowl of food that 60-80 dogs were found fighting over inside of a dilapidated trailer which was considered, by Mara Spade, their shelter.

A dalmation was being attacked by two other dogs which was also witnessed by the Animal Control Officer. This is proof of the statement, "the strongest will survive" as is the situation regarding the litter of puppies lying over to the side on a dirty blanket unable to get to the food because of other dogs fighting leaving them helpless and in great fear. This is unethical and it is neglect for EACH animal that had to endure this situation. Not just one, leaving me to ask why only one count of animal cruelty, a misdemeanor at that, has been applied?

West Virginia has not only a misdemeanor statute for animal cruelty, but also a felony which came into affect in 2003. The authorities need to start implementing these statutes and taking them seriously or else this state will continue to have problems with animal abuse and neglect and other people like Mara Spade. I implore you to make this right and prosecute Mara Spade to the fullest extent of the law and not let her off with a slap on the wrist.

Mara Spade knows what she has done is wrong but continued to run her so called rescue under such deplorable conditions. Mara Spade may have stopped some dogs from being euthanized, but what about the dog that was found within the acreage that died and suffered tremendously by dying slowly without medical treatment? He could have and should have been humanely euthanized, instead by a qualifying euth tech, and would not have had to endure the suffering that he did by Mara Spade's unethical and neglectful hands.

Do not allow her to continue to house animals ever again. It is not only not in her best interest but it is definitely in the best interest of the animals that will no longer have to suffer and try to survive for her to make a few dollars off of them.

We ask the state of West Virginia's judges, law enforcement agencies and attorneys to take this crime seriously and start utilizing the laws that are already in place regarding animal abuse. Without the authorities to uphold ANY law/statute, it is merely a suggestion to residents of this state, which continually leads to more tragic situations, such as with Second Chance Rescue. It will be a continuous cycle if not enforced immediately.
We ask that she be charged with one count of neglect and cruelty for each of the 149 dogs taken and one count for each of the dogs found deceased while under her care. We also ask that Mara Spade will never be allowed to own another animal or participate in any event,of that,which animals are involved.

Dogs and other animals have endured more than their share of torment and abuse. They are living, breathing beings and should be treated as so.

Note: This Stop Mara Spade/Second Chance Rescue petition was submitted by Jaime Trainer. ThePetitionSite.com is a free service provided to help concerned citizens rally support for issues they believe in. The opinions expressed by this petition do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of ThePetitionSite.com or Care2.com. There is no express or implied endorsement of this petition nor any newsletter offers (except those from Care2.com) by Care2.com, Inc, ThePetitionSite.com, or our sponsors. If you believe this system is being abused, please contact customer support.

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