Just a few days ago I blogged about a news story in Northern California in a town called Olivehurst where a man, Wayne McFee, was being accused of dragging a dog by the name of Baby behind his truck and seriously injuring her. For a quick reminder, bark on the link: Bark! Please understand that I got all of my information from a news source and reported as they did. Of course, there is another side of this story, Wayne McFee's side. I was contacted by a close relative of McFee's that would like the other side of this story told. So in an effort to give a fair account of the facts, I promised the family member I would do a follow up.
McFee's relative claims that Wayne McFee does not nor has ever owned a pet, that Baby belongs to his daughter. He was supposedly doing his daughter a favor by removing Baby from her house after Baby attacked and killed another pet. McFee was apparently transporting the dog to a friend's home when unknowingly to McFee Baby jumped out of his truck and was drug behind the truck. According to the relative, McFee stopped the moment he realized that Baby had jumped out of the truck and claims that he did not reverse to run over her. When I asked why McFee had left her if this was an accident, I was told that he thought she was dead and there was nothing he could do. So he left her by the side of the road and went home and called his daughter to inform her of what happened to her pet dog.
I understand that this may be a case of someone getting caught in the middle of something that they didn't know how to deal with, but that doesn't make it right. Maybe Wayne McFee is a the most kind man in the world and he made an awful mistake with Baby, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't still be considered animal cruelty. Just because you don't intentionally do something doesn't mean you shouldn't be held accountable.
The questions I had that didn't really ever get answered are still there... where is the general compassion for a living creature, especially a pet? Why were Baby's vitals not checked before she was just left by the street? Why would you not take the dog with you if it were an accident?
Again, maybe the answer is that Wayne McFee simply didn't know better. But does that excuse his behavior? For this blogger, I am going to let a court and/or judge decide. What I will comment on is that I am happy for Baby that she is getting a second chance. No matter what happened prior to this accident, I think Baby will have a happy life once she finds a forever home.
