We found Rocco. This is one of those good news/bad news updates. Rocco is healthy and living with a new family in Wood County, Ohio. That's around the Bowling Green, Ohio area. And his new family calls him Marmaduke. At this point, it looks like Rocco or Marmaduke will never come back to Indiana and his first family.
You might recall we told you their story about a month ago. The Granger family accused Pet Refuge of keeping him from them and sending him to a rescue group in Ohio.
Since our investigation, we've heard from other people with similar stories about Pet Refuge. Families who had a hard time getting their pet home or who never got their pets back.
And we heard from a Pet Refuge volunteer. This is the story that really got our attention. The volunteer says Pet Refuge is quick to judge owners and acts on those judgments without going through proper channels.
Here's what went through her mind when she saw our story on Rocco.
The former volunteer says, "That it's finally coming out. That they've done something like this and I know for a fact, they've done it before.
She asked us to conceal her identity but says she volunteered for Pet Refuge for more than a year.
She says, "I think with Pet refuge, some of them, they've kind of lost hope with certain owners and stuff like that and they've seen so many horrible things that they don't give people the benefit of the doubt."
Her voice breaks as she recounts stories. In one story, which sounds very similar to Rocco's, she says Pet Refuge hid dogs from owners and took the dogs to a rescue group in Ohio.
Former Volunteer: "They don't know the whole story. They don't know the owners side. They don't WANT to hear the owner's side. They know, what they know, and that's good enough for them."
Traci Capellman asks: "Why not stand up and say "We're an animal rescue organization! What are we doing?"
She says, "With Pet Refuge, there's almost a pecking order. As a cleaning volunteer, you are basically at the lower end of the totem pole. I honestly, I didn't know what to do."
She says she did go to her superiors at least once with concerns. She hopes talking to us now will bring positive change.
She says, "I'm not here to make enemies. I'm here to put this out there. That maybe there needs to be tougher regulations for Pet Refuge to go through."
Carol Ecker says, "Since that topic was aired, we have had, I'd say, quite a few people come to the shelter and tell us about stories..."
Carol Ecker, Executive Director of the St. Joseph County Humane Society was hearing stories before our first investigation and she's hearing more since.
"Well, when you start getting 4,5,6,7, 8, then you think there's probably a lot more that people are afraid to talk about so I think where there's smoke there's fire and I think we have a lot more issues to deal with."
Ecker placed the organization on probation in January and has until June to make a decision about the rescue group's future.
We contacted Pet Refuge multiple times asking for an interview or statement from them. They initially told us they couldn't comment because of the police investigation. Today, their attorney contacted us to say they've learned the investigation is complete and they can talk to us. But they don't plan on talking on camera for several more days.
We did get this statement from their Pet Refuge's president last week. It says, in part, "Pet Refuge has been helping dogs and cats in the area for over 30 years... successfully placing hundreds of pets."
But President Pam Comer says quote, "As with any sizable organization, some volunteers will be overeager and say things or do things that are not in accord with Pet Refuge policies."
As for Ecker's decision, she says this licensing decision isn't one she's going to make alone. She's put together a group of people to help her. People whose opinions she values... and it may involve some sort of mediation.
We'll continue to bring the latest, if and when Pet Refuge does talk.
