Family seeks answers about dog’s injuries at North Gate Kennel
Owners of Shadow say they haven’t received information about how attack occurred
CONCORD » Shadow the dog usually bounds around the house when his people come home — jumping, wagging his tail, the usual “happy dog” things.
“And then he’ll be so submissive, he’ll roll over on his back and want you to rub his belly,” said Alan Iannaccone Jr., 21, who came home from the University of Portland for the holiday break to a dog with stitches (and drains) all over his body, wearing a cone and curled up in the corner by the sliding porch door.
And instead of rolling over for belly rubs, he’s growling at whoever comes near, including his family.
“He’s never growled at us, ever,” said Elizabeth Iannaccone, who was still seeking answers Thursday about how Shadow was so badly hurt during a planned four- day stay at the North Gate Kennels in unincorporated Walnut Creek. “We know he’s doing it because he’s in such pain.”
Iannaccone said her 4-year- old mixed breed, a rescue dog, was attacked by a pit bull last Friday at the kennel. Kennel employees took Shadow to a Walnut Creek veterinarian right after the attack where some 18 puncture wounds were stitched up, according to Iannaccone. The kennel paid for that care, she said.
The family had left Shadow
at North Gate ahead of a holiday trip to Lake Tahoe with extended family. Even though the attack appears to have happened midday Friday, the family was not notified until Sunday, Iannaccone said. Shadow had stayed at the kennel a few times previously without incident, she added.
A woman who answered the phone at North Gate late Wednesday afternoon advised a reporter to call back after Iannaccone gave her side of the story, “and I’ll tell you if it’s true.” Two more phone messages went unreturned, and when a reporter went to kennel Thursday, a woman inside said “Bye!” and slammed the front door.
State law has some provisions for how commercial kennels should protect guest animals. Senate Bill 945, signed into law in September 2016, says kennels must be maintained well enough to protect contained animals from being injured, to keep other animals out, and to promote animals’ health and wellbeing. The state law also requires kennel owners to notify guest animals’ owners immediately of illnesses or injuries.
Separately, the kennel has not had a valid Contra Costa County business licence since 2014, according to Brice Bins, Contra Costa’s chief deputy treasurer-tax collector. His office has called and mailed the kennel, which will have 15 days, after the letter’s receipt, to update its license before administrative actions may be taken, Bins said.
When the employees at North Gate Kennels failed to respond to her repeated requests for more information, Iannaccone said, she posted her experience — and sad photos of Shadow, with his wounds and drains — on Facebook Tuesday afternoon.
The post went viral, having elicited more than 10,000 comments and 10,000 shares as of midday Thursday. “I didn’t expect that; it’s been overwhelming,” she said.
She said it hasn’t been decided whether she and her husband Alan will lodge formal complaints or hire an attorney. For now, she wants answers and to impart advice to others who plan to leave their dog (or cat) at a commercial kennel.
“I would ask to see where (the animal) is being kept, check out his surroundings, ask questions,” Iannaccone said.
She assumes that, given she hasn’t heard back from the kennel as of midday Thursday, her family will pay for any upcoming veterinary care.
She also bristles at public suggestions by an unnamed kennel worker that Shadow was the aggressor in the Dec. 29 fight.
In the meantime, the Iannaccones wait for answers, try to clean Shadow’s wounds (when he lets them), try to make sure he eats and goes outside, and hope the wounds heal. And they listen to Shadow’s muffled growls.
“This is not him, this is not how he is,” said Iannaccone, on the verge of tears. “I’m not sure he’s even going to get better.”