Marlborough Realtor Leads Charge for Justice for Phantom
Lyn Gorka has been "overwhelmed" by the response to an online petition about the case of the Hudson dog left behind when his owners left their foreclosed house.
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As a Realtor, Lyn Gorka has seen first hand how pet abandonment is on the rise, with pets left behind in homes that owners leave due to the ongoing foreclosure crisis.
For Gorka, the story of Phantom, the Hudson dog found dead in an apartment last year, serves as an example how tragedy could be prevented.
The dog was left behind when the apartment's owners left and was locked inside. The pet's body was found after neighbors complained about an odor coming from the vacant apartment.
"I've been fighting on this for eight months," said Gorka, "Every corner I've turned, nobody wants to hear it. Nobody has wanted to do anything, but I'm not going to stop."
This week, Gorka set up an online petition hoping to bring fresh attention to the case. The petition, which went live Wednesday night, had gained more than 200 signatures within 24 hours and by Friday morning, had more than 330 signees.
Gorka hopes to take the petition to the MSPCA and the office of Middlesex County District Attorney Gerry Leone. Leone's office and the Hudson Police Department ruled there was not enough evidence to charge the pet's owner with abandonment.
"As far as I know the law, ignorance is no excuse," Gorka said. "The police know who owned the dog and they know they deliberately left him behind. They said there was a communication gap, but the dog just went through torture. He ripped the woodwork and broke the toilet seat trying to get water."
Gorka would like to see law changes as well, including a mechanism to ensure that homes taken by banks in foreclosure situations are inspected immediately after they are vacated to ensure there are no pets left behind.
"Everyone that hears the story of this dog cries and asks why the people responsible could not be charged and found guilty," Gorka said."I am asking the same question."
JODI
11:09 am on Friday, July 20, 2012
lYNN,THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK...KEEP US POSTED AS TO HOW WE CAN HELP. JIM AND JODI PIRELLI
PIRELLI PEST MGMT.
Kathy Martin
11:33 am on Friday, July 20, 2012
It seems as though Leone & HPD are the ignorant ones here!!! What an idiotic decision on their part!!!!!!
Kelly Bernard
11:33 am on Friday, July 20, 2012
Lynn, it is WONDERFUL what you are doing, I completely agree that those so call people that left him should have been able to be charged! signed and rooting for this!!
Tanne
4:07 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
Lynn, thank you for doing this. Sadly we hear one too many stories like this...
Barbara
4:07 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
This breaks my heart I can't believe what his poor dog endured. How can they say that there is not enough evidence? They used to live there and they left the dog behind. Did they not know the dog would die? There was no need of that. There are shelters!
A
4:07 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
How horrible!!! I would have opened my home to that beautiful dog in a heartbeat. The people who abandoned him should be punished and severely. There are always other options - they were heartless - I hope the karma train catches up to them and soon.
Jody Nelson
10:54 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
It never ceases to amaze me when I hear how cruel, selfish and thoughtless people are. Thank you for all of your work on this. I hope this law passes quickly. I also hope these people are criminally charged.
Pam Jolicoeur
10:54 pm on Friday, July 20, 2012
They prosecute people who do this in Texas, California, Colorado, NY etc. Tell me why they cannot do the same to these people? They know who lived there, they know they left Phantom behind, therefore they should be able to go after him along with the MSPCA. Poor animal...wish he could've been saved. What a nasty way to die. Maybe someone should deprive his former owners of food and water until they suffer the same fate.
Donna Long
9:11 am on Sunday, July 22, 2012
I agree & support this idea. Donna Long
Lois Black
10:13 am on Friday, January 18, 2013
This breaks my heart. This is a big problem. There are rescue organizations that could help, such as All Retreiver Rescue, Pet Finder. Surrender the pet and allow it to find a new forever home, like ours maybe....
Jim Gatos
10:13 am on Friday, January 18, 2013
I've heard of this happening in Arizona and the west but in Hudson? Yes, I guess Class 1 jerks exists here too! What are the steps to pass a law in Hudson? I'm calling Kerry's office today to get this spread to the whole state!
Jessica
9:22 am on Tuesday, May 7, 2013
This is just appalling. I hope the people who killed this dog never get a good night's sleep again. How can they even look at themselves in the mirror? How can they live with themselves. Absolutely sub-human behavior.
Paula R
10:09 am on Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Incredibly sad. The law should absolutely be passed. However I'm surprised its 5 days - should be more like 2 or 3 days.