New name, new life (A.K.- pup that had his ears cut off)

Update on dog formerly known as A.K. - with ears cut off
http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=18613bd1-ce61-4a21-9424-42a29d49e80e&k=24861

New name, new life for earless pup
Dalson Chen, The Windsor Star
Published: Friday, December 28, 2007

You might know him as A.K. the earless puppy, but Windsor's most famous dog has a new name to go along with his new life -- so say hello to Kasen.

"We didn't really want to keep the old name because it was so associated with everything that had happened to him," said 25-year-old Renee Hamelin, one half of the Windsor couple who was chosen by the humane society to adopt A.K. this past summer.

"So we searched around for something that we liked that had a strong K-sound so that he would respond to it a little better."

Hamelin said she and her husband Peter, 29, stumbled upon the Latin word Kasen, which means "protected by helmet."

"We thought it suited him a little bit," Hamelin said.

There's no denying that Kasen now lives with a lot more loving protection than in his early life. It was in May that local humane society representatives found the mixed-breed puppy -- then known as A.K. -- cowering in a west end apartment with both his ears crudely chopped off.

The dog's owner allegedly did it to make A.K. appear more menacing. The Humane Society subsequently seized the puppy and charged the owner.

Outrage spread across the city, the province, and then the nation about the act of animal cruelty. A.K. became a poster dog for the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Meanwhile, the Humane Society fielded more than a dozen requests from families who wished to adopt the injured pet. Peter and Renee Hamelin were finally chosen from 13 applicants, and ownership was transferred to them in June.

Since then, Hamelin said, Kasen has adjusted well to his new home, with no signs of lasting fear or mistrust.

"He's doing really good," she said. "He doesn't mind having his ears touched, or his head, or anything.... He's like any other dog. We don't see any problems with him. Everything's healed really well."

Now roughly a year old, Kasen has grown to a weight of 85 pounds -- about 35 pounds heavier than when the couple received him.

"He's stocky. He's a big boy," Hamelin said. "He's pretty much double in weight compared to my other dog."

The other dog is the Hamelins' half-chow, half-Labrador retriever named Guinness, who Renee described as inseparable from Kasen.

"They cling to each other. If one of them is in one room, the other one has to be there. They're constantly together. And if we let out one at a time, they both whimper."

Along with loyal companionship, Kasen enjoys such luxuries as sleeping on the Hamelins' bed -- even though he and Guinness have their own doggy bed. "They'll sleep on their bed next to my bed, and then come morning, they're both on my bed. And I just don't have the energy to fight it," Renee said.

Part of the couple's agreement with the Humane Society is that they allow Kasen to participate in various public functions. Hamelin said Kasen has made appearances at about four events so far.

"He's pretty well-known around the neighbourhood, especially on our street," Hamelin said. "A lot of people just come up and say 'Hi,' and he's really good... I think he's used to the attention now."

Indeed, Kasen might be more comfortable with his popularity than the Hamelins. "We like that he's noticed and that he's an advocate of some sort," Renee said. "Whenever anyone wants to take pictures, we kind of just push him in front. We're not big limelight people. But he's used to posing."

Kasen's former owner, Windsor resident Rony Salman, is awaiting trial on several counts of animal cruelty. Renee Hamelin said she's interested in staying up-to-date about the case, but she also feels Kasen's new life isn't affected by it.

"If anything, I'm kind of grateful that (Kasen) got a second chance. And I don't wish any ill upon anybody. I just, I still don't understand why it was done. But everything has a way of working out, I guess."

For his part, Kasen is enjoying his first holiday season with Guinness and the rest of his new family. Hamelin said she and Peter hung a Christmas stocking full of chew toys, rawhide treats, and "a whole bunch of stuff they can tear apart."

"They've been eyeing their stocking for a couple weeks now," said Hamelin on Christmas Eve.


© The Windsor Star 2007

I love happy endings.

I heard about that dog, that's great news.

UPDATE
A.K.'s former owner arrested for B&Es
The Windsor Star
Published: Monday, January 28, 2008
http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/story.html?id=eb2c02f0-06f2-4a9e-90f7-a8769bc5dd2b&k=89551

The man charged with animal cruelty in the ear-severing mutilation of the puppy A.K. last summer, is now facing more charges, this time related to a break-in in South Windsor.

Rony Salman, 30, is facing trial Sept. 8 on charges under the Criminal Code for cruelty to animals, brought by the Humane Society after the dog was found with its ears cut off, igniting outrage in the community. The mixed-breed puppy's owner allegedly did it to make A.K. appear more menacing. A.K. was taken in by the humane society and treated for his wounds. He was adopted out to a local couple, who have since renamed him Kasen. The dog gained fame across the province last summer, becoming the "poster child" for the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

On the weekend, Salman and two other men, Mohamad Charara, 26 and Mahdi Joudah, 52, were arrested in what Windsor police believe is a major break in an investigation into a rash of break-ins in South Windsor over the past few months.

Spokesman Staff Sgt. Ed McNorton said a suspect vehicle, spotted in the area of several recent break and enters in Southwood Lakes, Northwood Lakes, Walkergate Estates and Roxborough Woods over the last several weeks, was noticed again, this time at a home in the 4500 block of Southwood Lakes Boulevard. Police responded and confirmed the home had been broken into. Police then began looking for the suspect vehicle, a blue Chevrolet Lumina. They located a car matching the description on nearby North Talbot Road. It was stopped and three men were arrested. McNorton said that a quantity of jewelry was seized, which police believe was taken from the Southwood Lakes Boulevard home.

McNorton said the three suspects were charged with break and enter, possession of stolen property and resisting arrest. They have been scheduled for arraignment and further charges are pending.

McNorton said officers will continue to investigate several similar break-ins that occurred in the area.


© The Windsor Star 2008