Update – 4:30 p.m. Tuesday — Sumner County Attorney Kerwin Spencer said he has spoken with Wellington Police Chief Tracy Heath and they are currently seeking the original video of the dog “Blu” and her injuries that was produced by the Wichita Pit Bull Rescue update: Beauties and the Beasts Inc. (see linked video below) in the evidence gathering process in the case.

“I came back from vacation and I received 27 telephone messages this morning from people wanting me to make formal charges on a case I haven’t even had a chance to read,” Spencer said. “After awhile I had to decide whether I should read the case, or keep fielding phone calls.”

He said the discovery of the dog occurred when there was a domestic dispute involving the wife was accusing her husband of abuse on New Years Eve night.

“Thankfully, the dog is now in good care,” he said. “This gives us time to do a thorough investigation and not worry that the dog is in danger.

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Original story 12:15 p.m. by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — A 3-year-old pit bull by the name of “Blu” is currently in the custody of a licensed Wichita animal rescue group over alleged domestic abuse by a Wellington couple.

Wellington Police Chief Tracy Heath said this morning he was going to visit with Sumner County Attorney Kerwin Spencer today to see whether or not charges will be filed. (That has now occurred) Heath would not release names of the alleged suspects.

In the meantime, the Wellington Humane Society, which assisted in the rescue of the dog, is now pushing for criminal prosecution. Phyllis Todd, a member of the Humane Society, said she hopes the two suspects will be criminally charged with felonies dubbed under “Magnum’s Law” which would impose mandatory jail time of at least 30 days in jail and a fine of $500-$5,000 and mandatory psychological evaluation for convicted offenders.

The organization is also sponsoring an online petition to promote the prosecution of those responsible for “broken bones, burns, neglect and torture of an intact female Pit Bull.”

Also, Heath is urging people to be careful on social media sites such as Facebook, and not to name names of people who have yet to be charged.

“I’m simply warning the public not to do it,” Heath said. “Allow law enforcement to do the investigation.”

Allegedly, the Blu situation came to law enforcement’s attention on Dec. 31 when Wellington police were called on an unrelated domestic incident, Heath said.

Blu is a brown pit bull which appeared to have chemical burns and broken bones to the hip and at least one rib. She was taken into custody and treated at Arrowhead Animal Clinic before being transferred to the Wellington Animal Clinic for euthanasia, Todd said.

“We got involved around Jan. 4 and felt she needed saving,” Todd said. “So we spoke with ‘Beauties and Beasts, Inc.’ which is a rescue animal group that specifically saves pit bulls.”

Todd said Blu has been sent to the Wichita Shelter and is awaiting surgery. She said as of this morning, someone has expressed interest in wishing to adopt the dog.

What happened to Blu is open to speculation. Todd said it appears that Blu may have broken her hip and ribs from an alleged incident in which she might have fallen or was thrown out of a moving vehicle. It appears she will need surgery for these repairs, Todd said.

Also, since being in custody, Blu has lost ample amounts of hair across her body caused by some kind of chemical burns, Todd said.

“When I first saw her, there were burn marks on just her head,” Todd said. “But since being in custody, she has been losing hair across her body.”

She said Blu was about 35 pounds when they got her. Normally, pit bulls weigh anywhere from 70 to 90 pounds.

Todd said she needs surgery to repair her hip and shoulders and the financial situation surrounding the surgery has yet to be determined.

Sumner Newscow has sent a Facebook message to Beauties and Beasts Inc. but at this time has not received a response.

“She is the sweetest dog,” Todd said. “She is very docile and very loving.”

Todd said since working with the Wellington Humane Society she has not seen a case quite like this one.

“No, I have never seen a dog here in Wellington that was this abused,” Todd said. “I heard there were a couple of abuse situations similar to this in the past here in Wellington before I got here. But this is as bad as I’ve personally seen it.”

The Wellington Humane Society is hoping the case falls under the Magnum’s Law which was signed into law in 2006 by Governor Kathleen Sebelius.

Until that point, people could only be charged with a misdemeanor. In August 2005, an 11-week-old Labrador-mix puppy, named Magnum, was discovered in a trash bin with multiple injuries, including a broken leg, cuts, and chemical burns. He would eventually die, but his case sparked enough outrage that a law was passed by the Kansas State Legislature making animal cruelty a felony. Before that time similar attempts to pass legislation failed to get through the Kansas legislature.

Video of the Blu rescue from Beauties and Beasts Inc.:

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