Animal control officials have examined Coffee, the dog often seen panhandling outside Mets and Yankees games in New York City, and say the pooch bears “no signs of abuse or neglect.”
The dog, which is typically dressed in baseball jerseys and earns $75 in a day’s work, was examined Wednesday by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
It was determined that she bore no signs of abuse or neglect,” the ASPCA said in a statement. “The ASPCA will continue to monitor this situation and be prepared to take action, in the event that any New York State animal cruelty laws are being violated.”
The owner, Norberto Fernandez, of Queens, New York said he is a professional dog trainer who rescued the pooch from the streets and taught it to pose and hold a pipe in its mouth.
“All I do is train dogs and people are starting to hate on me — they’re surprised of all the tricks my dog can do,” Fernandez said.
The dog wears a Wright No. 5 jersey for Mets games, pinstripes for Yankee games and has a plastic container for donations at her feet when she is working.
Some animal lovers have alleged that she works without water or rest — allegations Fernandez denies.
Outcry over Coffee’s situation prompted the creation of a Facebook page, “”” HYPERLINK “http://www.facebook.com/StopAbusingCoffee” t “_blank” Stop Abusing Coffee,” that has more than 8,200 fans.
Some of Coffee’s Facebook followers also insist she wears a shock collar.
The dog owner’s daughter, Wendy Fernandez, says Coffee does not wear such a device, and an ASPCA veterinarian found no evidence of one on Wednesday.
Norberto Fernandez said that the collar that Coffee is seen wearing can be filled with ice to keep the pooch cool when she wears a baseball jersey in the summer heat.
Story by Elaine Furst for Dog Files
View more videos at: http://nbcnewyork.com.
Anyone forced to wear a Yankees jersey, is being cruelly punished.
Hahahahaha!
Then why won’t he let her lay down????
This is not abuse, people. As long as the dog gets water and food, she is entertained by people and movement, she is outside, it’s a hell of a lot better than being stuck inside a house all day, alone and bored, waiting for the owner to come home from work!
my dogs are safe in the air conditioned home in the summer months, and in a heated warm home in the winter months. they are not bored, they get rest, and sleep, and bark at people driving by. they don’t have to stand all day with an outfit on in the heat. Why doesn’t the owner have a job. a real job!
yeah, have you ever been in NY in the summer, with a fur coat on? Animals weren’t put on this planet for your entertainment, or to beg for money because your to lazy to get a real job.
yeah, have you ever been in NY in the summer, with a fur coat on? Animals weren’t put on this planet for your entertainment, or to beg for money because your to lazy to get a real job.
I am not against remote collars but it does appear that someone has a remote for the collar in their hand in the 3rd or 4th photo in.
Remote collars aren’t abusive. If used correctly and not malfunctioning or set on a unnecessarily high setting, they do not cause the dog pain.
Actually part of what upsets me is the fact that in the article the dog is referred to as ‘it’. Dogs are not ‘its’, objects are ‘its’. As for panhandling, if she has water, is not sitting in the heat, and is well cared for then s/hes fine. I stil don’t know if the dog is male or female/ There is neckwear for dogs to keep them cool. This looks like a healthy dog and how does anyone know whether Coffee i allowed to lie down or not? Maybe everything is not perfect but I can not tell from a picture. Compared to some of the things I have seen on line happening to dogs this is something I am not going to lie awake worrying about.
You can tell by her body language that she is perfectly fine.
does she have to pay taxes on the $75…