Newspaper Article

Dog with mangled ears
adopted in Seaside
By KELLY NIX
THE PLAYFUL puppy who was rescued by the
SPCA after having his ears crudely cut off without any
anesthesia has been adopted by a Monterey Peninsula
couple.
Oliver, an 8-month-old mix, was taken in by the
SPCA for Monterey County in April after having been
found in Hollister with severed ears. Oliver’s story, told
in a Pine Cone article, also made national news.
In June, Janelle and William Robbins of Seaside went to
the SPCA’s website looking for a dog to adopt.
“We wanted a dog and we saw him online,” Janelle said.
“We went and looked at him and played with him for a little
bit and we fell in love.”
It was not until they told SPCA workers they wanted to
take him home that they learned Oliver’s story, and that the
SPCA got lots of calls from people interested in adopting the
dog from as far as Maine.
“When we heard the story, we fell in love with him even
more,” Janelle said.
Just before adopting Oliver, the couple had relocated to
the Monterey Peninsula from Utah.
The dog, which is mix between a pit bull and another
unknown breed, has very much made himself at home.
“He loves to sleep in bed with us,” Janelle said. “He will
come up and lay in the middle of us and say ‘pet me.’ He acts
just like a kid.”
Oliver had his ears cut off and cauterized in what the
SPCA believes was a crude attempt to crop his ears, a procedure
that should be performed by a veterinarian.
But Oliver, who is keeping the name given him by the
SPCA, apparently hasn’t suffered any long-term effects,
physically or emotionally, from having his ears severed.
“It didn’t dampen his spirits at all,” Janelle said.
The couple doesn’t have any children, but have their
hands full with Oliver.
“He is our baby,” she added.
The SPCA had been holding on to Oliver for evidence in
case authorities caught the person responsible for cutting his
ears. The dog was released after there were no leads, but the
case is still open.
“We offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to
the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible,”
said SPCA spokeswoman,
Beth Brookhouser.
“Unfortunately, no one ever
came forward with information.”
For information about the
SPCA for Monterey County,
call (831) 373-2631 or visit
www.spcamc.org.

Meeting the family...

We spent the day in Atwater, California with William's Grandpa Fred Bodrero, Uncle David, his mom Alice, and his step dad Darryl. Oliver LOVED being outside in a new place he wouldn't hold still.

This is William with his mom and grandpa.

Top Left: Fred Top Middle: William Top Right: Darryl

Bottom Left: David Bottom Right: Alice