Story Of Local Animal Rescue Being Read In Mexico
Laura Marlowe hoped the book would inspire children to learn about treating animals with respect.
Jeff Bernthal
Reporter
7:59 p.m. CST, January 9, 2012
ALTON, IL (KTVI-FOX2now.com)— Hope Animals Rescues had no idea how much attention one of their many rescues would receive.
On Monday alone, the Alton Illinois group rescued nine dogs from Cape Girardeau. One of their recent rescues was from Smithton, IL. A dog names Gracie was so malnourished you could see her bones sticking out from her wrinkled skin.
Police say the owner neglected to feed the dog on a regular basis.
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"For every dog like Gracie there's probably 100 more that didn't get rescued," said Jackie Spiker, Hope Animal Rescues.
The one rescue she made that`s now getting international attention involved a black pit bull mix named Tommy.
FOX 2 and KPLR-11 were the first stations to report on the case. Tommy was thrown in a Cahokia trash can to die and his owner was arrested after our report aired.
Tommy made a remarkable recovery thanks to the help he received at Horseshoe Lake Animal Hospital and then from Hope Animal Rescues.
Laura Marlowe read our report on line and was inspired to write a children's book about Tommy's recovery. She hoped the book would inspire children to learn about treating animals with respect.
That book has since been translated into Spanish is now being read in Mexico.
"It really warms my heart to know that even children in other countries are learning how to treat animals with kindness," said Spiker.
Even a California teacher turned Tommy`s story in a musical for her students to perform.
"You could probably go to California and they would know who Tommy was," said Spiker.
The story has also been turned into an educational DVD.
For more information go to www.tommythethrowawaydog.com
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