Authorities close in on Lily's dumper

3/31/2010

By Jim Poole

Attorney Mike West’s quest to find the person who abandoned a suffering dachshund by the side of the road is paying off.
In a front-page story in last week’s Times-Journal, Mr. West appealed to the public for help, and the public responded.
“The out-pouring of community support was amazing,” Mr. West said Monday. “I was just blown away.”
David Gregory of Sloansville found the dog secured in a box along Saddlemire Hill Road about 1:30am March 19. He turned the tiny miniature doxie over to Dog Control Officer Joe Durma, who took her to the Animal Shelter of Schoharie Valley.
From there, Mr. West and his wife, Cyndi, took her to their home, where they named her Lily.
The dog was under-sized for a miniature, had part of its lower jaw removed and had only one tooth.
Seeing Lily’s condition and the way she was abandoned, Mr. West vowed to find who left her.
And he’s done that.
Last week’s story turned up plenty of information, and “we’ve found the person who threw the box by the side of the road,” Mr. West said.
The State Police and the Schoharie County Sheriff’s Office are now involved.
“The police are working on it,” Mr. West said. I suspect something will happen in the next couple of days.”
Meanwhile, Lily is doing well at the Wests’. She’s gained some weight––now pushing almost six pounds––and is a happy little dog.
Mr. West said he received 20 phone calls from the story, with about half offering concrete information about Lily.
Many of the rest offered encouragement and support, though a few asked for help––a missing cat or a running-loose dog.
“I guess I’ve become the patron saint of lost causes,” Mr. West said, laughing.