Along the county border, in the village of Cashton, on November 21st, 2023, a dog was found, alone and in poor health. Upon discovery, the property owner contacted Monroe County’s humane officers, who responded to the residence and took the dog.
While the dog received veterinarian care, the shelter did some searching and found out that the owner was Caleb J. Seibert, 21, of Westby. Further investigation, along with the Wesby Police Department, resulted in Seibert being referred to the Vernon County District Attorney’s Office, for animal cruelty and abandonment. While the case is still under investigation, it has not stopped the community from showing the dog, Dexter, love.
Previously known as Thomas, Dexter is one of many dogs who have been abandoned, in recent months, which is a growing concern, for the Animal Welfare Department in Monroe County.
While waiting for the investigation to be referred to the Vernon County District Attorney’s Office, the Herald reached out to the Monroe County Animal Shelter, about the recent influx of “lost” and abandoned dogs. Amber Dvorak, Monroe County Dog Shelter director and humane officer, informed the Herald that there is a statistically supported trend of dogs being taken in by the shelter, specifically within recent months. “Some of the cases we deal with are a lack of knowledge,” Dvorak explained. “Some are straight forward neglect, abuse, drug, or other criminal-activity related - it really varies. During the Covid pandemic, we saw a large increase in the number of dogs being bred/produced - more and more people were adopting dogs.”
At the time, this was great news for dogs, but now, consequences of the increase in breeding and owners being irresponsible, is impacting the shelter. “It, also triggered people to make money, by breeding more puppies to sell,” Dvorak continued. “Now we're seeing the negative results from that. Shelters in the Midwest are starting to euthanize, for space, for the first time in decades.”
Just before Dexter came to the shelter, two other dogs were found out in the country. The Monroe County Animal Shelter was able to identify the dogs as belonging to a resident, who had recently ghosted the shelter, after he was expected to surrender the dogs. “He was a no-call/no-show to his surrender appointment,” Dvorak said. “He, instead, took them out to a rural road and dumped them out of his car, not thinking we'd find out. To this day, we don't understand why he made the choice that he made, putting the dogs in danger when we were ready to help, but that's what happened.”
In the case of Dexter, it is believed that Siebert abandoned the dog, while in poor health, instead of seeking out resources. “In Dexter’s case, this was a simple act of neglect,” Dvorak told the Herald. “The owner acknowledged there was an issue and simply chose not to have the dog seen by a vet and continue his medical care.”
While Dexter is doing much better, the level of neglect caused permanent health issues that have not yet been released. “Dexter is on the road to recovery and doing so well,” Dvorak happily reported. “Even though he'll likely have some permanent health issues, he's a happy, funny, loving, playful boy, who didn't deserve what was done to him.”
Even though Dexter’s story will be ending with an adoption and a loving family, there is still an issue within the community, regarding abandoned dogs and the influx of dogs within the county. “Because the homeless animal issue is not slowing down, as always, we encourage people to spay and neuter,” Dvorak said. “We encourage them to get their pets into a veterinarian, to prevent further medical issues. We encourage them to research and have a budget in their minds - plan for the commitment of the pet. Lifestyle should play a big part when it comes to bringing in an animal.”
Thankfully, according to Dvorak, the Monroe County Dog Shelter and the Animal Welfare Department can provide additional support, to struggling pet owners, who are typically able to care for their pet. “If people fall onto hard times, there are resources to help, but these resources are limited,” Dvorak informed the Herald. “We might not be able to take a surrendered animal immediately, if our kennel space is full, but when people are up front about their struggles, employees are dedicated to finding ways to help, in the meantime.”
If you are interested in donating for the care of Dexter, donations - with his name specified, can be dropped off at the shelter, located at 3100 East Wisconsin Street, or mailed to: Monroe County Dog Control, 777 South Black River Street, Suite #2, Sparta, Wisconsin, 54656.
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