Owner Of Rescued Pit Bull Puts Ad On Craigslist
After reading another story about an abused pit bull I’m beginning to think the real bully breed are humans.
This is a rather bizarre and twisted story. Here are the details from The Orange County Register.
MISSION VIEJO – A pit bull puppy stabbed seven times by one of its owners and then saved by a Mission Viejo rescue group earlier this year is for sale on Craigslist.
The ad put up at 10:49 p.m. on Tuesday advertises a bluenose pit bull that is 14 months old.
“Azure is a very lovable Pit Bull,” the ad says. “Unfortunately, my living situation is not working for a big dog like her. She is very loving and playful around people, however, I am still working on socializing her with other dogs. She weighs about 70Ibs and is very healthy and needs lots of exercise. I am asking $300 which includes her brand new dog house we just built, leash, harness, chain, whatever food I have left, treats, toys she hasn’t chewed up yet, certificates, medicines, ect. She is also spayed and up to date on all of her shots.”
The contact person for the ad is listed as “Erin.”
Erin Lup of Costa Mesa owns the dog and is the former girlfriend of Justin Carrafield, who is serving time for the stabbing earlier this year.
“I would like to come and visit her every so often and stay updated on her progression,” the ad said.
Azure was stabbed at a Mission Viejo apartment that Lup and her former boyfriend shared.
In late January Lup’s then-boyfriend, Justin Carrafield, 26, came off a Xanax binge, downed a bottle of alcohol and started fighting with Lup, she said at the time. He choked her and then directed his anger at Azure, stabbing the 8-month-old puppy seven times with a martial arts-style sword, authorities said.
Carrafield is serving a one-year sentence after pleading guilty to felony charges of animal cruelty and cultivating marijuana.
Though Lup had no money for the surgeries, Dr. Matthew Wheaton gave his staff instructions to do everything needed to save Azure. The puppy underwent surgery for the seven stab wounds, including one between its eyes.
Funds for the more than $5,000 in treatment came from Wheaton’s Pet Rescue Center – a Mission Viejo nonprofit dedicated to saving strays that would otherwise be euthanized.
Wheaton said he was shocked when a phone call came about the ad on Wednesday from a person who knew the clinic had donated money and time to save the dog.
He called Lup and offered to help find Azure a home through the Pet Rescue Center. He said he told her that if she made it a requirement to see the dog, it would be more difficult to find a stable home.
“I don’t think selling the dog on Craigslist is the right way to do it,” he said. “She needs to be OK with cutting ties and put the dog in a permanent home. We’ve had lots of pit bulls come through the Pet Rescue Center and they’re always adopted by someone who knows the breed and can provide them a stable and nurturing environment.”
The ad has been pulled from Craigslist. Let’s just hope that Azure is taken to a safe environment until she gets the loving home she deserves.
* Pic courtesy MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
What this poor dog has been thru. God Bless Dr. Wheaton for stepping in. I hope they find a forever home for this pittie soon!
Ms. Lup’s heart may have been in the right place, trying to find the dog a new home instead of just tossing her away, but her head might need to be screwed on a bit tighter.
Thanks to Dr Wheaton for intervening
Good luck Azure!
I take that back about Ms. LUp’s head needing to be screwed on a bit tighter. She was trying to do the right thing, so good for her.
Maybe she thought that if someone was willing to pay that much for the dog it would be in a good home. I hope it gets a loving home, it certainly deserves it.
Unfortunately it seems like the Pit Bull is the breed du jour of stupid people (like Michael Vick.) When I was growing up in Chicago it was the German Shepherd. Unfortunately we can’t do Home Studies for all prospective pet owners.
I think it is low down for this woman to place an add on Craig’s list or any other add to sell her since this rescue and vet offered the surgeries to save her life for what her fiance done. She should be grateful the rescue and vet stepped up and came to her aid when she could not afford to safe the dog. She should let the rescue/vet find this pitty baby girl a good home and not ask for no compisation for her.
Wow, this is both amazing and heartbreaking at the same time. Who sells dogs on Craigs List? Everyone knows thats a no-no. She should hand the dog over to the vet that SAVED HER LIFE and let them deal with Azure. I would feel more comfortable with Azure being in that environment than with a girl who is attracted to drug-addicted violent men. Who knows what will happen next to Azure when she is in that girl’s care. This is ludicrous.
Jaime
Losers shouldn’t be able to have dogs – PERIOD! Can’t animal control physically remove Azure and place him with a competent rescue group for rehoming?
Erin Lup is a freakin’ loser!!!!!!!!!
Dr. Wheaton, YOU ROCK!!!!
I know this is a Dog site but keep in mind that Ms. Lup was also a victim. This winner of a boyfriend she had also choked and beat her. I disagree with the dog on craig’s list but in the end if it gets her and the dog in a better place all the better. Going through the doctor will hopefully bring them both some relief.
OK – perhaps Craigslist isn’t the optimal place to advertise a dog to be rehomed, but let’s cut Erin Lup some slack here (esp. you, Tucker!). If she’s in a difficult position where she has to re-home her dog, where is she supposed to publicize it? Is Craigslist really all that different from the classifieds in the local paper or flyers on a telephone pole? Wheaton’s Pet Rescue is probably a better option provided the dog has a very high adoption probability there, but perhaps this option just didn’t occur to her, she thought they had done enough already, or perhaps she was afraid the dog wouldn’t be adopted and would be executed. Without her input, we’ll never know. The bottom line is she was trying do the right thing and find the dog a good, new home.
Erika’s comment is right on regarding payment. Absolutely EVERY piece of advice on re-homing I’ve ever seen says to ALWAYS ask for a nominal payment – NEVER give a dog away for free. This goes a long way to screening out those who would take the dog on a whim, sell it for medical research, etc. As to the amount ($300) this hardly seems excessive to me, and is in line with what pretty much all the dog rescue organizations in my area (Alberta, Canada) charge for new adoptions.
Chris
Register just posted that the price went up to $500 and now posted on a different website. Unreal. This vet’s rescue center that saved this dog’s life after thousand’s of dollars on their own dime obviously cared so much for this puppy’s welfare and she goes and posts this ad without even contacting them first to see if they could help –and possibly meet
the “visitation” requirements?and my sisters chose to believe Tommy. No, instead, she puts him up for sale and THEN raises the price. Every
penny she gets for this dog better be donated to that
rescue center or she is sooo gonna regret her actions. She’s gonna have to deal with some seriously bad press!
The real “bully” has always been humans. These dogs were never meant to be vicious towards people. Stupid people have run this breed into the ground and now responsible owners that love this breed have to fight to keep their dogs, have to fight against society that has labeled them as dangerous dogs. The real danger is US!
How completely horrible, his sentence isn’t long enough, he’s obviously also going after people as well, he needs to be put in prison and forced to take classes for his numerous problems. As for the girlfriend, I really hope she surrenders the dog to the rescue group and I’m horribly disappointed that she’s selling the dog with a chain and dog house and hadn’t had her spayed; the last thing this poor girl needs is to wind up as someone’s yard dog or breeding machine (a relatively cheap blue coated “blue nosed” Pit Bull being sold with chain and dog house, just doesn’t seem like it’d attract the right kind of people).
OK, I know you should never, NEVER sell your dog on Craiglist (Come ON) but we do need to cut her some slack. I agree with Daddy’s mom, Erika, Mollydog, and Chris.