Overweight dog at center of custody lawsuit
PORTLAND, Ore. – A 70 pound dachshund is at the center of a custody battle.
Obie the obese dog captured national attention as his caretaker, Nora Vanatta, put him on a diet.
Vanatta said Oregon Dachshund Rescue owner Jenell Rangan filed a lawsuit this week, claiming Obie belongs to her.
“They say I’m exploiting him,” said Vanatta. “They say I’m misusing his funds and they claim he belongs to them.”
Vanatta said Obie is getting healthier, having lost 15 pounds in the last two months. She's collected thousands of dollars in donations for Obie from supporters, and said the money is being used for his care.
Vanatta believes everything that’s happened to Obie in the past two months is only beneficial.
“He’s famous and he’s touched so many people and I think they regret not taking him on in the first place,” Vanatta said.
Oregon Dachshund Rescue originally heard the dog was in need of a home and put out an online plea for help. Vanatta offered to help soon after and an Oregon Dachshund Rescue volunteer picked up Obie from his former owners’ home and delivered him to Vanatta.
Vanatta told KATU News there was never any paperwork or verbal agreement exchanged between the two parties about Obie’s ownership. She said she doesn't believe Obie is now hers, but she doesn't think Oregon Dachshund Rescue has a claim to him either.
Jenell Rangan did not agree to a formal interview with KATU News, but said she believes Obie belongs to her and Vanatta is not providing good care.
All parties are expected to appear in court Monday morning.
“I just want what’s best for him,” Vanatta said. “And he’s doing well here. It just doesn’t make sense to take him away now.”
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For those of you that have first hand information about failure to appropriately report wages paid to employees or dogs being bought and sold for a profit under the guise of a rescue....these things are taken very seriously by those that oversee non-profits (not to mention the damage that is done to legitimate rescues if indeed this is true)..report the information:Â http://www.doj.state.or.us/charigroup/pages/complaint.aspx
For the record, obese dachshunds who haven't raised thousands of dollars from supporters are rarely the subjects of custody battles.
http://www.oregonlive.com/pets/index.ssf/2012/10/custody_dispute_over_obese_dac.html
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Some of you have lost sight of what this is about, it's NOT about money, and it never should have been.
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ODRâs objective is to protect and care for these dogs. ODR has volunteers who help with "fostering" until they can find someone who is a good fit to adopt these dogs. It would be insane to expect "fosters" should foot the bill too. People who opt to surrender their dogs instead of looking for a good home on their own should assume to pay a surrender fee. Some dogs are less desirable to adopt which means the rescue (whatever rescue it is) has to incur the cost to take care of these dogs until a suitable home is found. ODR was in a pinch to find a home immediately for Obie. Nora volunteered to foster, she did not apply to adopt, this was a temporary solution. Nora has violated her agreement and everything that ODR stands for, she exploited the dog for her OWN personal financial gain. Once ODR realized that Nora had her OWN agenda (it was no longer about the care of the dog) ODR asked for him to be returned to the rescue. NOT THE MONEY but THE DOG. Nora refused and now look at this ridiculous situation. Â
ODR and any reputable rescue would and should demand the return of  any animal who is not being treated by the guidelines of the rescue. Guidelines are put in place to protect the animals even when that means going to court. It shows the level of commitment ODR has for these animals. The mistake ODR made was trusting this person to do the right thing, that is it period. Nora has refused to return Obie now that she has so much to lose. Do you think she would refuse to return him if the animal was costing her money? Nora has her OWN agenda people. Â
Once returned to ODR the dog will no longer be exploited and will have the opportunity for a normal life with a family who will love the dog and not USE him as a money making venture .
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How would you feel if this was a child, would you be protecting the child or the person exploiting the child?
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Furthermore: ODR is not a broker or a dog breeder, check out their website, these dogs are not top shelf, they are regular dogs, and most of them have medical conditions. Â
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Please educate yourselves before speaking. Â
@Not your real mom
ODR doesn't utilize fosters and you can bet your butt that if they did there would be agreements and papers to sign.
Don't you think Obie has been enjoying a nice normal life until Jenell dropped a lawsuit out of the blue and once again has media all over.
You sound just as crazy as Jenell.
You are mistaken, it is about the money. Just read the court papers, they say right in them that if Nora gives ODR $5000 she can keep the dog. I just read them on Google and was very surprised but that is what they say they are looking for. The $5000 they lost because the dog was not in their custody. Check it out yourself.
 @Not your real mom You neglected to mention that unicorns are real and can be adopted for only five cents each.
 @Not your real mom ... ODR claimed they could NOT take care of the dog and BEGGED people to help Nora has helped how taking a dog out of a loving home to put him on display at a boutique is not in the best interest of any one ... most of the rescue dogs are kept in kennels how is this better then someone home ... a truly caring rescue would prefer fosters. Obie is happy and loosing the weight at a good pace ... there was no violate ... as far as the TV shows did ODR ask Nora not to go NO they went with her ,,, Crazy that you would go with if you did not think it was safe for the dog that would have been the time to step in ... Money ODR begs for money all the time look at there website and news letters , people offered Nora money and who people give their money to is up to them ... I will never ever give money to ODR but trust me I hope someone opens up a rescue close by I would help them in heart beat ... check out the tax receipts for this shelter and you will know that Jenell pays more for her car then she does for vet bills REALLY what a great rescue
The real story...
http://www.oregonlive.com/pets/index.ssf/2012/10/custody_dispute_over_obese_dac.html
@Not your real mom I've seen the court papers and I see that ODR DOES want money out of this so the story she's giving in the article you posted is a crock of BS. "special value of the dog".. Right. So we all know what this is really about.
@Aimee Chase
Please know that the civil action which ODR, Inc. filed against Ms. Vanatta is simply a formal legal proceeding to determine both what had happened to Obie and how to get him promptly returned to us. The relief sought has always been for his return, not for money damages, but until we held the initial hearing and were able to have Ms. Vanatta explain under oath about some of her actions, we were first required under the common law rules to initially allege that the dog had a certain value, just in case it turned out that he had actually been "converted", that is permanently compromised by her in a formal property sense. Based on the information learned at the recent hearing, we are now filing new pleadings confirming that his return to our care is and has been the only true goal of this action. Thank you for your concern and understanding during this difficult time. We need and count on your support and ask you to bear with us to understand that Obie's welfare is paramount to our organization, and that our legal rights to promote and attend to that welfare are important as well.
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*Copied from ODR Inc Facebook page
$5000.00 PLUS Legal Fees. There's NO WAY it cost $5000.00 to transport Obie to Nora and that is all that ODR has done up to this point for him. How is this not about money? lol
It seems to me that the  Oregon Dachshund Rescue owner Jenell Rangan has her nose out of joint because the dog has garnered so much attention and people have seen fit to donate to the caregiver for helping him. Vanatta took the dog without any assistance being offered by the resuce, but now that she is making progress with the dog, suddenly she is 'exploiting' it.
I don't think so. The 'rescue' only wants the $$$ being donated for the dogs care... LEAVE IT WITH NORA VANATTA!
If this so-called "rescue" (i.e. dog broker) is soooo needing $$$ donations, then why is she spending the urgently needed donors' money on courts and a lawyer to try to take possession of a dog that was never really hers and is well-place and thriving? A dog that is being treated very well by a person (Nora) with very strong academic and career credentials for caring for this dog...something that Jenell Rangan has NONE of. NONE whatsoever. The ONLY reason Rangan is spending the ODR "rescue" money that is needed for dog food, vaccines and vet bills on lawyers and court instead, is to try make LOTS more money by trying to get her hands on Obie's fund. Shame on her! She should just be glad that Obie is in a responsible home and well-cared-for. Isn't that the point of rescues?  She NEVER goes checking on the rest of the dogs she has adopted out like she is on this one which was never hers in the first place. Why? Because they are not worth any money to her! Give it up, Jenell. Quit blowing the donors' money MEANT FOR THE CARE OF DOGS on fake claims in court to assuage your ego and greed.
My first red flag from ODR's website was the required $100 minimum surrender fee to give up your dog. Really! oh that, and the dog should be clipped, bathed and have a supply of medicine. Sounds like a pet store to me. And anyone has a right to ask for donations, and if Nora asked for them, and people wanted to donate, so be it. She can use that money and no one else has a right to stick their nose into it. I set up a FB and account to help my Cousin with a lung transplant, I don't have to account to anyone for that. That being said, I have never seen a "non-profit" where someone wasn't making money.
@Msbiest there is a place that shows her tax forms you can see only 50% of the money goes to the rescue and she has a store front also....
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 @Michelle MacKenzie Morton with people working in it ( or have) that got paid under the table.
Non profits are required by the IRS to submit forms that is why they are granted non profit status. Which is public knowledge. If you knew anthing about it they don't make money. Their profits are not distributed to owners.
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The transaction of "donating" to those causes are not tax deductible. The majority of the people donating do not get that.
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I don't think you should knock ODR's requirements for surrendering a dog until you have worked in a rescue and had to hear all the lame a&& excuses for surrending.
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 @doxielvr "Non profits are required by the IRS to submit forms that is why they are granted non profit status. Which is public knowledge. If you knew anthing about it they don't make money. Their profits are not distributed to owners." .......I do know something about it: Profit is anything that is left after expenses, such as staff paychecks, rent, electricity, water, gas heat ect. If the rescue is out of her home, there you go. She may even get paid to be the administrator/ceo. Just because it's non-profit doesn't mean no one gets paid. Don't be so naive. And FYI, not everyone who donates for a cause is looking to get a tax deduction.
 @doxielvr Oh please. There are many other rescues around that will have nothing to do with ODR for a reason and actually operate ethically.
 @doxielvr If somebody wants to surrender a dog, it shouldn't matter what the excuse. Because if the dog isn't given to a rescue, the chances of the frustrated person dumping/abusing/killing the dog increases.
 @doxielvr Most rescues give vaccinations themselves, just like breeders. Most rescues have a discount deal with a veterinarian...like ODR does...for other issues. Many pets vetted before surrendering to a rescue have only cost their owners $50-$100 so how does ODR demand a lot more for a fee to surrender?
 @doxielvr Nope, I don't. I'm not against them asking for a surrendering fee. I just think your comment is wreckless. "until you have worked in a rescue and had to hear all the lame a&& excuses for surrending"
right so hence the reason that the rescue charges a fee for a surrender.....you think the rescue taking the dog to the vet to update shots etc. before an adoption is free....THINK ABOUT IT!!
let's think about this people...THINK!!Â
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first of all Nora set up a PayPal account and solicited for donations for Obie's care. 1.) Nora is NOT a non-profit so any money Nora gets..be it one penny or $10,000 goes into her pocket. So when she set up a facebook page for her Biggest Loser dachshund and started getting interest from people all over the world and they started donating money....let's THINK about where the money is going. Believe me I do not think it takes tens of thousands of dollars to "foster" Obie. 2.) If Nora wants to go from foster mom of the dog to owner then she should adopt the dog. 3.) I am familiar and volunteer with ODR and Janell and her efforts to save abused and surrendered DOXIES. So for a minute if NORA would think for a moment not about herself and the money she got from her PayPal account she would think about the DAMAGE she is doing to ODR AND THEIR RESCUE EFFORTS over something ridiculous. In the beginning Nora was interested in going on the media circuit to let everyone know what she was doing. I have an idea just take care of the DOG. Quietly.....and get it back to the health it should be in.....WOW WHAT AN IDEA!!
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I hate the mob mentality where people can't think through ANY situation on their own. They have to go on their social media websites and make A$$es out of themselves. GET A GRIP!!
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Let's ask NORA for an accounting of all the money she has received over this and how she has spent the money. WOW Obie might NEED A BRAND NEW HOUSE TOO!!!
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Janell rescues dogs and takes care of them....takes them to the vet.....gets them healthy....and then RESCUES MORE DOGS!!  Her rescue is damaged over this......
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PEOPLE GET OFF YOUR WITCHHUNT!! GET SOME REALITY......AND THE FULL STORY. TRY AND NOT REACT ON SOCIAL MEDIA WEBSITES BASED UPON YOUR EMOTION!Â
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 @doxielvr Umm, Patricia set up the paypal, Linda set up the FB account, and Nora never claimed to be a non profit.Â
Once Nora realized that she was getting so many donations and that there was a huge potential to educate and prevent, she realized that a non profit would be perfect. And, Jenell's accountant actually counseled her on how to go about doing this sort of.....
Patricia wanted to do the Ellen show and the Today show and when the networks came to Nora, Patricia was asked about whether to do it or not and Patricia was all for it. After all, she did get to spend her birthday in NY and meet Michael Strahan.Â
Sooo, how about you get the facts before you spread more rumors and take a hard look at the organization you so vehemently support.Â
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 @doxielvr perhaps Jenell should have thought of the damage she was doing when she started her own witch hunt ... obviously the people who donated the money are not concerned so why is she ... Obie is healthy and loosing weight is this not what the whole thing started off being about
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 @doxielvr Janell's rescue is damaged over this situation as she is taking a dog out of a GREAT home now that he is famous.
 @doxielvr The only damage Jenell is doing to her "rescue" is by her big jealous ego and by not staying out of what is NOT HER BUSINESS.
 @whirledworld  @doxielvr AGREE!
@doxielvr Why does Nora have to account for the money? She got it free and clear for Obie's care - if the people who donated want an accounting, they'll ask for it. It certainly is none of your business nor is it ODR's. And the fact that they never signed a written contract with Nora means they can't do squat, legally, to get him back.
@Dane Hoover She's going to have to report that money to the Feds and the state as INCOME next year. Maybe should put my daily needs on a PayPal/Facebook post and have my bills all paid by stupid although caring people that are too blind to see she's "playing" them. Your heart maybe in the right place but you all are being played by her. and now she needs MORE money, I got several dogs and I don't have food, toys, bedding, vet bills paid by anyone but me and my husband, she does need an accounting of where the money went and if you people don't get it or want it the government will, just saying. She is and has used Obie for her own gain period! And promoted herself as "poor sweet little me" being picked on, She chose to put Obie in this situation she made several poor choices that she should have never made
 @Marie Lauterbach  Wow a little bitter?  What bothers you most about Nora?  Is it that she is so much younger and more attractive then yourself?  Reading your comments, you seem to be projecting a bit.  Nora never set up the BLDE page.  ODR did that along with the paypal.  Nora has a full time job as a professional.  The director of ODR has what as income?  Your donations... So who is the fool?  Seriously get a life and stop posting fake photo's and comments all over the internet.  There is video of Obie at the meet and greet.  His skin was not dragging on the ground. If that was true why did you do nothing but sit there and take a photo?  What does that make you?  Your a liar!Â
@doxielvr Seriously, Jenell, it's in really poor taste to come out here and further your slander campaign under the guise of being one of your unnamed volunteers.
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You do not know how much money Nora has received in donations. People love to "Like" a page, or a post, or a photo. They line up to sign petitions. Opening their wallets is something else entirely. That aside, veterinary care is expensive. To say Obie will require more veterinary care than the average dog is an understatement. He may well eventually require surgery to remove the excess skin. It'd be a very kind and generous veterinarian who performed that surgery for free, or even cheap.
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I'm sure Nora will be glad to provide financial records. She's hidden nothing so far.
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You, er, Jenell, is the one who makes money from the exploitation of animals you claim to be caring for, and reports say that you, er, Jenell, does not provide quality care.
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From the reports I've read, the final collapse of ODR could be the best news for doxies in the Oregon / Washington area.
Ummmm yeah your wrong. Doxievr is not Janell. I work for a Foundation. So quit accusing Janell.
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Thanks!
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You are just another uneduacated person on this subject.
 @C B  @doxielvr CB, you are so wrong.  First off, Jenell has a volunteer do her craigslist posts.  If you knew anything about ODR you would know that.  She is too busy saving the lives of dogs to do a lot of the behind the scenes stuff.  That is why there are volunteers.
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Again, when you get your lazy ass off of the computer and put in 1/10 of the time to animal rescue that Jenell has then you have room to talk. Â In the mean time, you are just maliciously spreading accusations. Â What a sad person you must be.
@C B You're probaly right, I was suprised that she took my generic comment so seriously, and became so defensive. "IF I knew anything about it...". I think most people would agree that these kind of non-profits that are done by an individual out of their home are just a pet store scam or a hoarder out of control. All donors to ODR should ask for a review of ODR's finicial statement. I bet their administrative cost would rate them as a poorly run charity.
 @C B  @doxielvr Thank you for calling her out, so I didn't have to! I recognize the tone and the writing style from all her CL ads defending herself and promoting the adoptable dachshunds. So desperate to defend her shameful actions she can't even own up to being the person posting.Â
 @Melissa Stidham-Clary  @C B  @doxielvr This is really about all the doxies and of course the principle of the thing....unless of course the foster mom is willing to pay $5,000 for the value of this special dog (so described in the suit) and then suddenly the principle is not longer quite so important: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4wI4LsFwPfjVkl6cVhVYlVOSzQ/edit?pli=1
First World Problems.
Obie is getting GREAT care where he is. Leave him be!
It truly looks like Jenell is hiding behind the court system to gain access to the funds that have been accrued through Obie's web page. Did Jenell help, in any way, of helping Obie lose 15 pounds? Doesn't look like it, at all, from all the other reports I have read.Â
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I see jealousy being a factor here.Â
 @washcomom What amazes me is that she has donations go to HER paypal--jenellrangan@teleport.com--not through a monitored site, so god knows how the funds are accounted for and if they are going to the rescued dogs, at all. I think OHS and the IRS should pay her a little visit and see if her ducks are in a row...
 @Melissa Stidham-Clary  @washcomom Her ducks include having employees in her stores work under the table not paying taxes/FICA/etc. Then there is the taking of a family's dog against their will.
 @whirledworld  @Melissa Stidham-Clary  @washcomom Oversight of non-profits is taken very seriously.....issues such as these should be reported:  http://www.doj.state.or.us/charigroup/pages/complaint.aspx
Taking up court time for this crap when the justice system is overtaxed already is just an example of how far some peoples' priorities have gone astray.Â
One thing that a lot of people touting that they have adopted "rescue" dogs do not know that in the last 15 years or so "rescue" has become big business. People can adopt dogs from shelters for very little, turn around and sell them for a lot of money. Sure, some have issues and need more care, but overall it can be a very profitable business.
Does anyone know how I can get in contact with Vanatta. I would like to either email her or call her. I just had an experience with Janell and would like to tell her my story to help her.
You might try messaging Nora through Biggest Loser, Doxie Edition on Facebook. I know she is swamped with messages right now & needs to focus on Monday's court date.
 @None I believe the phone number Swimbad just gave is for the Janel at ODR. You might be able to send Nora a private message on Obie's FB page: " Biggest Loser~ Doxie Edition"