Massachusetts State Police arrested a man on abuse charges after reports came out that a dog had been tied to a steel rod by the beach right when the tide was coming in. This heartless act was made worse when authorities realized that the dog had a rock attached to him, making an escape from drowning even more unlikely.
The dog, who was thankfully found in time, is a 50-pound pit bull with the name of Killer — which, sadly, might create the impression that he was raised for the wrong reasons. While pit bulls can actually be a loving and caring breed, they can easily be trained for bad, which is why they're often looked down upon by those who may not be too familiar with family pets.
Pit bulls are also often used in illegal dogfights. Those who train dogs for fighting use a pit bull's natural sense of loyalty to their human owners. While it's unclear why the dog was tied up, it's safe to say that his human had no regard for his life.
On Monday, the Massachusetts State Police posted information about the rescue attempt and cleared up the situation: "The Massachusetts State Police have a charged a Revere man with animal cruelty after a Trooper determined he chained a dog to an exposed steel rod at the edge of a beach, with a large rock attached to the chain to prevent the dog from escaping, and then walked away, leaving the dog to the mercy of the next high tide."
The police identified Elias Pacheco-Osario, 27, as responsible for what happened. He reportedly lives close to Short Beach, where the dog was found. "The dog was left in a secluded portion of the beach close to the waterline, chained to the piece of rebar exposed at the bottom of the walkway where it meets the sand at the high tide line," the police stated. "During certain parts of the day this portion of the beach is completely submerged, with the tide rising as high as street level, past the point where the dog was chained. The dog was at risk drowning in a couple of hours if he hadn't been found."
"Trooper Mastromattei and Trooper Pasquale Zollo canvassed the area around the beach for residential video surveillance and located video from three separate residences showing a male suspect walking the dog toward Short Beach," the statement continued. "A fourth video obtained by Revere Police Detective David Caramanica showed the same man walk down the beach ramp to the sand with the dog. All four videos show a metal chain collar and leash attached to the dog consistent with those found attached to the dog on scene."
After meeting with Pacheco-Osario, they learned that the dog's name was Killer. "During the interview the Trooper and Officer were able to confirm that Pacheco-Osario had been the dog's owner and had walked to the beach the previous Sunday, tied him to the steel rod, and walked away, abandoning him," police said. "The suspect said he had decided he could not keep the dog any longer."
That statement is a lot, especially for dog lovers. When welcoming a dog into your home, you need to treat that dog as a member of the family. While situations change, having to part with the dog is often hard to do. But there are plenty of cruelty-free solutions to help the pup find a new, loving home.
When bringing a pit bull into your family, it's especially important to vow to take care of the dog. While rehoming through a shelter is possible, many shelters are often overrun with pit bulls, since they're often not allowed in rental homes. Based on widely spread stereotypes, many pit bulls have to be surrendered every year.
"Overwhelmingly, Pitbulls are the most common dogs in municipal animal shelters nationwide," states Rescue Dog Home. "If you happen to walk through an intake shelter that houses little dogs in a separate section, as many do, it may actually appear to you that every dog in the shelter is a Pitbull."
After being identified, Pacheco-Osario appeared to be remorseful for what he is accused of doing. He pleaded not guilty to animal cruelty after meeting his $340 cash bail.
"I'm sorry," he stated to reporters, per CBS Boston. He is due back in court on November 3.
Right now, the dog formerly known as Killer is in better care and is no longer living with Pacheco-Osario. His name is now Carmelo, and he's on the road to recovery.
"His canvas is young so his canvas is still pretty blank so now he can just make his own beautiful story," a worker at Ocean View Kennels told CBS Boston. Surely, based on his story, Carmelo will find an excellent home in no time.
According to WCVB Boston, Pacheco-Osario said he tried to take the dog to a shelter, but nobody would return his calls. If this is true, it's alarming yet understandable. Since many people are going back to work, those who adopted a dog as a companion during these unprecedented times are returning them like they're library books and not living things. It's yet another reminder that many people are unaware of what really goes into pet ownership.
Dogs form bonds with people and depend on humans for survival. It's not fair to toss them out when they no longer serve our emotional needs, or if someone decides their care is just too expensive. Whenever you bring a dog into your home, you need to think about a game plan for the next decade or so depending on the age, health, and breed of the dog.
This story should be a reminder for anyone who's looking to add a dog to their home. Dogs can be a lot of work, but the payoff is quite rewarding. But when taking in a dog, you're saying that you're willing to provide for your pup the best you can. Pacheco-Osario's alleged actions as reported by the police are not only cruel — they're inhuman.
