Joseph had a disease which made the dog appear emaciated? I can't believe the owner believed this. Worse yet, I don't think that the man was mentally ill: just cruel. Why do people make up lies like their dog is emaciated? I wonder if this guy just didn't like his dog. I love
German Shepards. They are so smart. When my son was just crawling, I saved a German Shepard and brought him home. He lived across the street, and he was often tied to a pipe in the backyard. There was no way anyone in the house could see him. He was directly in front of my house. Several times I knocked on the neighbor's door to tell them that their dog was caught against a tree because he winded himself around it. Instead of saying "Oh, that's horrible." I always heard the same answer: "That's my son's responsibility." Their son was a young teenager, who didn't want the dog. So I would always untie the dog myself. Finally, I just asked for the dog. I had him for a few days, and then the teenager asked if he could have him back. He then gave him to another neighbor who brought this loving dog to the pound. Even today, I am still upset that he did that. He was so great with my son. He would gingerly walk around him so that he would not step on him when he was in my home. I still miss that smart, loving, and tender German Shepard.