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Local Wishbone Rescue Founder Guilty of Animal Cruelty
Jul 11, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: Local Wishbone Rescue Founder Guilty of Animal Cruelty Fort Myers, Florida, July 11, 2007 - Sheila Kuykendall, founder of Wishbone Animal Rescue, was found guilty of animal cruelty on July 3, 2007 in a Lee County Court and fined $200. The allegation of animal cruelty was reported through local veterinarians to Animal Services. The charge stemmed from Kuykendall's explicit decision to refuse necessary medical care and ignore the professional medical advice offered by the Emergency Veterinary Clinic on January 29, 2007, when she brought in an injured cat in her care. Kuykendall was advised that the cat needed immediate emergency surgery or would have to be humanely euthanized as it was suffering and would inevitably die without proper veterinary treatment. The cat, which was attacked by one of Kuykendall's dogs, died during the night after her refusal to follow the medical advice. Lee County Animal Services has been dealing with a growing number of ongoing complaints against Sheila Kuykendall and Wishbone Animal Rescue since 2004. Reports indicate numerous cats and dogs running at large, threatening and menacing behavior from her dogs, and her cats killing a neighbor's chickens. Additionally, there have been reports of poor living conditions with nuisance waste accumulation and other related concerns. Despite neighbors' attempts to resolve issues and animals frequently impounded by or brought into Animal Services, the situation has not improved. Records indicate that the animals in Kuykendall's care have been a repeated nuisance to her neighbors at both her current and previous locations. In a related note, recently there was another report of a pot-bellied pig being severely injured by a dog in Kuykendall's care, but there is no indication if the dog is the same dog that attacked the cat. The information in that incident is under review, but no charges are expected to be filed. Wishbone Animal Rescue currently lists over 100 animals on its website, and notes that they "have many more pets that are not currently listed." Lee County Animal Services encourages and works with legitimate animal rescue agencies but strongly advises citizens to do their homework before they adopt any animal. Many great animal rescues are intermixed with some very problematic ones. Reputable rescues are those organizations that work within the law and limit their animals to the number for which they are able to provide adequate care and housing. Failure to do so ultimately creates situations that are dangerous to both the public and the pets in their care. Always ask to see where the animals are kept, ask if they are spayed/neutered, and request any medical information from the adopting agency. For more information about reporting animal cruelty, adopting a pet, or to view pets for adoption, visit Animal Services website at www.LeeLostPets.com or visit the shelter. Lee County Animal Services is located at 5600 Banner Drive in Fort Myers.
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