According to pet-abuse.com, there are 82 cases of serious pet abuse within 50 miles of the ZIP code 98024. In total, 129 of 171 cases have been mapped for Washington state (visit www.pet-abuse.com for details). Holly’s story is one of these statistics.

* Holly, my 9-year-old Jack Russell terrier, disappeared under unusual circumstances in April;

* Days later I found freshly scattered animal remains nearby (intestines, spleen, etc. …);

* A veterinarian analysis revealed that remains were not from an animal attack; they were sliced with a sharp object indicating human involvement;

* Additional lab tests performed proved the remains were from a small dog, most likely Holly;

* This same area has lost more than three cats in the last year;

* Animal Control and the King County Sheriff’s Office were notified; a report was then filed.

Before the dog remains were found, coyotes were suspected. Unfortunately, there are more sinister creatures preying on family pets. In some cultures pets are common food. In our own culture pets are often stolen and sold for scientific studies, or worse, they’re abused for no reason. According to a 1997 study by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and Northeastern University, animal abusers are five times more likely to commit violent crimes against people and four times more likely to commit property crimes than people without a history of animal abuse. Many studies have demonstrated that violent offenders frequently have histories of serious and repeated animal cruelty.

Our community needs to be aware of the risks to our beloved pets and how to protect them.

Patricia Schwab

Fall City

Editor’s note: King County Animal Control’s investigation determined the physical evidence was inconclusive and the investigator did not discover any evidence of human involvement in Holly’s disappearance.