Judge’s Decision for Patrick, the Starved Pit Bull

By Lisa Spector, Canine Music Expert, Juilliard Graduate, and co-creator of Through a Dog’s Ear.

On April 1st, I wrote about Patrick, the starved, neglected, Pit Bull thrown out with the garbage. Later, a custody battle between his caretakers/rescuers at the Garden State Veterinary Hospital (GSVS) and the Associated Humane Societies (AHS) broke out. AHS claimed they had legal ownership of Patrick and wanted him removed from GSVS and placed into their shelter facility at Popcorn Park Zoo. A poll in that blog asking if Patrick should be moved to the Popcorn Zoo showed that 86 percent of Care2 readers thought he should NOT be moved.

Yesterday, New Jersey Judge Joseph Cassini III denied the request by AHS that he be removed from GSVS. Patricia Smillie-Scavelli, hospital administrator at Garden State Veterinary Specialists, spends eight hours a day with Patrick and hopes to adopt him. In addition to nursing him back to health, her dream is to bring him out of stardom status. She just wants him to be a dog, not a super star in the middle of court cases.

Next: Patrick’s previous abusive owner

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Janet I.

5:43PM PDT on Sep 2, 2011

Dreadful story

send a green star

Emily D.

11:45AM PDT on Aug 30, 2011

So sad. 6 months? More like 6 decades is what she deserves.

sharon s.

5:03AM PDT on Jul 16, 2011

Im so pleased that the judge in Patricks case has made this decision,this is the best for everyone involved especially Patrick who has obviously become attached to the wonderful people at GSVS.I have followed this sweet baby from the very beginning and im so happy that Patricia wants to adopt him, and to hear that she wants him to just be a dog not a superstar shows she only has his best interests at heart.What a great outcome for Patrick YAAAYY !!!!! To spend the rest of his life with someone he knows and loves and to be loved in return!!!

Belinda B.

5:20PM PDT on Jul 2, 2011

It's sad that places are fighting over him when there are so many just like him in shelters that need homes :(

carlee t.

7:28PM PDT on Jun 26, 2011

love you patrick

Sara P.

11:12AM PDT on Jun 24, 2011

I cant believe someone would do that to an innocent wee animal

Dawn Z.

9:36AM PDT on Jun 23, 2011

I hope that Patricia Smillie-Scavelli, hospital administrator at Garden State Veterinary Specialists is allowed to adopt Patrick. Clearly she loves him and who better to adopt Patrick than one of the people who has cared for him since his recovery began. They have already formed a bond and it would be a disgrace to break that bond.

Kyle H.

6:38PM PDT on Jun 15, 2011

Honestly, and the human race is supposed to be the more advanced, intelligent, and caring race. Who says. God Bless whoever saved that wonderful creature. The rest of them, well, that does say something for the kind of people they are. Who would just walk by him without helping in every way possible. They ought to be flogged. Also, the owner was a horrible excuse for a human being who should get a lot more that what is listed for the maximum. Animal abuse like this needs to be upgraded to a felony. But, not only is the owner responsible for what she did but the horrible people that just walked by him and did nothing are just as bad and just as responsible. They watched him starve and did nothing. That is just as bad as what the owner did. He might not have been in such deplorable conditon if someone had done the humane and right thing immediately after his horrible owner did what she did.

Hasan Y.

3:11PM PDT on Jun 15, 2011

:( thanks