Unleashed: Task force to try to prevent another Phoenix - A blog for animal lovers on pets, dogs, cats, shelters and animal rescue

In the wake of a spate of highly publicized cases of gruesome animal cruelty, Baltimore has created a task force to curb such crimes.

Mayor Sheila Dixon announced on Tuesday the creation of the Anti-Animal Abuse Task Force, a group including representatives from city offices, the police, the states attorney’s office, animal welfare organizations and city residents.

Over the course of a year, the task force will assess the effectiveness of Baltimore’s cruelty laws and brainstorm ways to raise awareness of animal abuse. They’ll also consider ways city agencies and animal advocates can better coordinate their efforts.

The task force will issue recommendations to the mayor.

“The protection and safety of animals in this city is an important concern,” Dixon said. “It’s imperative we treat this issue with the upmost importance.”

The first meeting will be at 6 p.m. July 15 at City Hall — though it won’t be open to the public. Task force chairwoman Caroline Griffin, an attorney who’s on the board of Baltimore’s Humane Society, said the public will, however, be welcome at some future meetings.

Meanwhile, Dixon is asking anyone who sees suspected animal abuse to call 311.

In May, someone doused a pit bull puppy with gasoline and set her on fire in Southwest Baltimore. The dog, who came to be known as Phoenix, was soon euthanized because of her extensive injuries and people raised more than $26,000 to find out who did it. Teenage twins were eventually charged as juveniles in the case.

In June, two cats were found within two weeks in the same Northwest Baltimore neighborhood, burned, beaten and tied to a school fence.

Christine Muldowney, a social worker from Lauraville is one of two citizens joining the effort. She says she’s seen for years the grim evidence of abused dogs and cats.

“I’ve seen the bodies,” she said, adding that she hopes this will be a way to pull something positive from the death of Phoenix.

“We just keep receiving case after case and not a lot is getting done,” says Jennifer Mead-Brause, executive director of Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter, Inc., where Phoenix was first treated.

One thing Mead-Brause plans to start immediately is tracking abuse cases in the city. Now, no one has any idea how many animals are hurt or criminally neglected in a given year.

Animal control brings them to her shelter by the truckload, daily, and her staff tries to heal them for adoption.

Meanwhile Bob Anderson loses track of the animals once they leave his truck. He said he didn’t even know there was an arrest in the Phoenix case until he read it in the paper.

“Pulling people together like this can make a difference,” Mead-Brause said of the task force. “Change will get done.”

Mayor Sheila Dixon announces the creation of the Anti-Animal Abuse Task Force Tuesday at City Hall. JED KIRSCHBAUM/ BALTIMORE SUN PHOTO.