I've read so many of this sort of story I shouldn't be surprised by any dog owner's capacity for cruelty. But I am nevertheless repeatedly surprised. I look at my little Daigoro and cannot imagine doing him harm. I sometimes think, "In his several years of life, Daigoro has never known pain or tragedy. What in hell does that feel like?" Well, not every dog gets to know what a care-free life feels like.

A duct-taped long-hair chihuahua, about age two, was rescued from the side of the road in Phoenix, Arizona. Her legs were taped together and she was inside a garbage bag that was additionally taped. The dog's temperature was found to be 107 degrees F., and the Arizona Humane Society's medical personnel had to work fast to get her temperature down. One leg was badly swollen, perhaps from being taped, though it looked like she might've been injured when the evil owner tossed her out of a moving car.

Efforts were made to track down the abuser, passing out leaflets in the area she was discarded, seeking any leads to bring the wicked to justice. It was to no avail, but at least Lotti was on her way to a full recovery.

The Society named the recovering chihuahua Lotti, and had every expectation that she'd have "a second chance for a long happy life" as soon as she was strong enough to be adopted. And sure enough, in March of 2009 she went to a new home where "she will now spend the rest of her life receiving an endless amount of love."