MURPHYSBORO (WSIL) -- Wyatt is a dog that has captured hearts across the region throughout 2020.
Now advocates say should spark a change in how potential cases of animal abuse are handled.
On Saturday, in Murphysboro held a meet and greet with Wyatt and his new owner. It comes just a few months after Wyatt first came to St. Francis.
In early January, veterinarian Kay Creese found bands around Wyatt's mouth. It took two and half hours of surgery to remove those bands.
Wyatt's new owners say he's doing great and has gained three pounds since the surgery.
"He's the life of the party. He's got lots of energy. He's at my side 24/7 pretty much, when I'm not at work. He's a good boy," said Rodney Jarvis.
Jarvis hopes Wyatt's story inspires many others in the community to adopt pets who need forever homes.
Saturday's event also included a press conference where advocates called for "Justice for Wyatt."
Leaders at St. Francis believe someone should be held responsible for Wyatt's injuries.
Jackson County State's Attorney Mike Carr that no charges would be filed.
Carr explained his reasons in a
Investigators believe a seven-year-old may have accidentally put on the bands while playing with the dog.
Carr says he has written statements from an animal control officer and workers at the Humane Society of Southern Illinois, who had Wyatt in their care before he went to St. Francis, that state Wyatt's fur was so long they never saw the bands.
Carr says it is impossible to prove the owner "knew about---and did nothing about" the bands on Wyatt's mouth.
Diane Daugherty, the president of St. Francis CARE, said nobody from her agency is asking for the seven-year-old child to be held solely responsible.
But she believes more should have been done to hold Wyatt's original owners more accountable.
"It is our belief that the parents must teach their children that animals should never be abused and parents should be held accountable for failing to recognize signs of abuse -- whether by their hand. or their child," Daugherty said.
She went on to say something needs to change going forward in similar cases.
"Wyatt is a poster child for a system that failed. It must be examined how he fell through the cracks and was allowed to suffer needlessly," Daugherty said.
multiple points in Carr's press release from late January were inaccurate.
Including details about when the Humane Society of Southern Illinois originally called about Wyatt. Daugherty also says a call from Wyatt's original owner asking for help never happened.
Carr tells News 3 he has sworn statements from an animal control officer who says the original owner told him about that call.
Daugherty says she has turned phone records over to investigators, but Carr tells News 3 he's not received any additional information.
Carr says social media has fueled a fire of inaccuracies about this case and there is no way for a prosecutor to prove Wyatt was intentionally abused.
