Please Help This Woman.......
- Thread starter Julie
- Start date
That video made me weepy and gave me chills. How can people do that to a living, breathing, feeling creature? I am beyond words. I will try to expose it to the media as much as possible.
F
I sent the article and the video of this to the local news station. They are really big into investigating issues like this. Hopefully they can give some advice on how to go about getting assistiance on how to get the media involved in this if they can't broadcast...I know it's a long shot but it's worth a try.
i'll probably be tarred and feathered for this, but you all actually support her stealing somebody's dog and not giving it back when ordered to do so by the cops? she broke the LAW, people. you can't just go stealing people's dogs, no matter how bad of condition they are in. yeah, it's horrible for the dog, but anybody doing humane work ESPECIALLY for an organization should freaking know better.
it makes me angry. all the money in donations that will now be going to fund her legal bills instead of being used to help animals. all the bad publicity that hardens hearts toward humane workers. because this woman can't follow the law.
how many dogs are going to continue to suffer now because of the lack of respect, the inability of the now quite tarnished organization to accomplish anything of merit, because this woman tried (and failed) to save one dog?
no i don't agree with what the owners were doing, but you know what? i don't agree with what a heckuva lot of owners are doing. that doesn't give me the right to steal their dogs.
when this all goes to court and the guy says "oh judge i knew he was suffering but i just didn't have the heart to take that final trip to the vet, i just was too upset to put her down" do you really think this trespassing dog theif is going to win her case? because i'm sure this guy'll be able to find other people who've had the same problems with her, and i really have a hard time seeing how she's going to come out of this looking credible.
it makes me angry. all the money in donations that will now be going to fund her legal bills instead of being used to help animals. all the bad publicity that hardens hearts toward humane workers. because this woman can't follow the law.
how many dogs are going to continue to suffer now because of the lack of respect, the inability of the now quite tarnished organization to accomplish anything of merit, because this woman tried (and failed) to save one dog?
no i don't agree with what the owners were doing, but you know what? i don't agree with what a heckuva lot of owners are doing. that doesn't give me the right to steal their dogs.
when this all goes to court and the guy says "oh judge i knew he was suffering but i just didn't have the heart to take that final trip to the vet, i just was too upset to put her down" do you really think this trespassing dog theif is going to win her case? because i'm sure this guy'll be able to find other people who've had the same problems with her, and i really have a hard time seeing how she's going to come out of this looking credible.
Got a pot of tar, feathers anyone?????
How can you possibly think of yourself as someone who is interested in the rescue of animals and say something like this? Collecting money for animal rescue is not enough; we need to actually make a stand as far as the protection of animals is concerned. What she did is a GOOD THING. She had no intent to commit a crime and, as such, no crime was committed. Legally, at least in my country, you need to prove intent to prove that a crime was committed. We should all rally and show support for her and, in so doing, for all the future rescuers of badly mistreated animals. By not standing behind her actions, we will put off any other person who would take the risk of saving an animal in future. Would your feelings be any different if it was a child's life she saved? Mine wouldn't.
Gillian
How can you possibly think of yourself as someone who is interested in the rescue of animals and say something like this? Collecting money for animal rescue is not enough; we need to actually make a stand as far as the protection of animals is concerned. What she did is a GOOD THING. She had no intent to commit a crime and, as such, no crime was committed. Legally, at least in my country, you need to prove intent to prove that a crime was committed. We should all rally and show support for her and, in so doing, for all the future rescuers of badly mistreated animals. By not standing behind her actions, we will put off any other person who would take the risk of saving an animal in future. Would your feelings be any different if it was a child's life she saved? Mine wouldn't.
Gillian
I support this woman in what she did. I myself haven "stolen" a dog and I would do it again!
It was a 10yr old little breed dog with cataracts. It was about 30 degrees F outside. The dog was allowed to roam my friend's neighborhood all the time, neglected, and uncared for. I picked up the dog and took her to the rescue. My friend told me that her owners never tried to find the dog either, they never put up posters or asked around. They never even cared. This dog is now in a loving home that treats her like the beautiful little creature she is. She went from a scared, cowering, unhappy little thing to a boisterious little dog with a wonderful spirit.
Of course, the difference in my situation was the dog was not on her owner's property and had no collar or tags. But oh well. I'm not sorry I did it and I would do it again!
It was a 10yr old little breed dog with cataracts. It was about 30 degrees F outside. The dog was allowed to roam my friend's neighborhood all the time, neglected, and uncared for. I picked up the dog and took her to the rescue. My friend told me that her owners never tried to find the dog either, they never put up posters or asked around. They never even cared. This dog is now in a loving home that treats her like the beautiful little creature she is. She went from a scared, cowering, unhappy little thing to a boisterious little dog with a wonderful spirit.
Of course, the difference in my situation was the dog was not on her owner's property and had no collar or tags. But oh well. I'm not sorry I did it and I would do it again!
I would steal a dog in a heartbeat.
As for getting the media's attention emails are often missed. Think your junkmail box is bad? Try ours where we get 'media releases' from all over the globe on issues that aren't vaguely related to our area or readers PLUS regular ole spam on top of that. It's very, very easy to miss it. However, it's a good story for the local media particularly because it comes with photos and videos (print and tv news) so call up or if you live in the area stop by. Find out who the editors are and ask for them by name and ask what you need to do to see that it gets printed. Ask if they like submitted stories and if it would help if you wrote one (should you be inclined). That community doesn't sound that big so it should be easy to get them to pay attention.
As for getting the media's attention emails are often missed. Think your junkmail box is bad? Try ours where we get 'media releases' from all over the globe on issues that aren't vaguely related to our area or readers PLUS regular ole spam on top of that. It's very, very easy to miss it. However, it's a good story for the local media particularly because it comes with photos and videos (print and tv news) so call up or if you live in the area stop by. Find out who the editors are and ask for them by name and ask what you need to do to see that it gets printed. Ask if they like submitted stories and if it would help if you wrote one (should you be inclined). That community doesn't sound that big so it should be easy to get them to pay attention.
A
I completely agree that the conditions that the dog was living in was simply deplorable. No dog should ever have to go through that. But she did not do a good deed as far as the law goes. She is a civilian, and had absolutely no right to take the dog. Take emotion out of the story. The law states she has absolutely no right to take the dog. She stole a dog - which is a crime.
She should have returned the dog (or better yet, never even taken it in the first place), and gone to the media and authorities with a complete account of her story and how the dog needs to be taken away from its owners. Instead she decided to steal the dog and refuse to give it back. That is a crime.
She should have returned the dog (or better yet, never even taken it in the first place), and gone to the media and authorities with a complete account of her story and how the dog needs to be taken away from its owners. Instead she decided to steal the dog and refuse to give it back. That is a crime.
A
She didn't intend to pick up the dog, place it in her car, and take it to her house without the permission of the owner? Interesting that you came to that conclusion.
Police Officer: You know why I pulled you over?
Driver: No Sir I don't.
Police Officer: You were traveling 90mph in a 35mph zone.
Driver: Well I Officer I didn't intend to go that fast.
Police Officer: Okay then - have a nice day.
Police Officer: You know why I pulled you over?
Driver: No Sir I don't.
Police Officer: You were traveling 90mph in a 35mph zone.
Driver: Well I Officer I didn't intend to go that fast.
Police Officer: Okay then - have a nice day.
A
If you witness a parent beating their child on the front lawn with a steel shovel, of course any person would step in to put an immediate halt to the abuse. But then you would call the authorities and let them handle it lawfully. You wouln't kidnap the child.
Taking the law into your own hands is never a good idea.
Taking the law into your own hands is never a good idea.
Elegy mentioned something that I think too many people are overlooking. This woman is not simply someone who acted with impulsive pity to help a hurt dog; the website says she's the founders of an anti-chaining group, Dogs Deserve Better. Her actions may be just, but her disregard for the known consequences (after all, she would know the law surrounding chaining) damages her and her group's credibility, and ultimately damage her cause. One major reason people burn out of trying to effect social change is that they often, in trying to change society, are faced with being the last people on earth who can help an individual. Activists against child abuse can't kidnap battered children, activists for the environment can't murder the CEOs of logging companies, and activists against dog abuse can't steal people's dog. Not without brutally damaging their cause, they can't. Activists work within the system. And being an outlaw is attractive, but it also has a price. You have to be very sure your actions are just, and that you're not simply reacting out of your own emotional needs for rescue. Nothing I've seen has indicated that she understands that she crossed over the line between advocate and thief. She seems to think she's so morally justified as a thief that she can still be regarded as a wronged activist. And what's even more disturbing, she doesn't offer much background on the dog. The photos of the dog's state are a good start, but she gives no evidence that the Arnolds had no excuse for their behavior. My heart goes out to the dog too, but she and her defenders give no account of an effort to contact the owners for their version of how the dog ended up so bad.
Personally, I find the dog's condition shocking and suspect that the dog was neglected beyond reason. But I wish this woman had just hired a local kid to steal the dog for an afternoon when she was out doing something very public. Grandstanding on a mistake like this is incredibly selfish. She screwed up to publicly grab the dog, because many people, including those not in rural areas with lots of chained dogs, remain wary of anyone who purports to be out to 'protect' their dependents. People armed with the ultimate defense that they're rescuing a helpless innocent are very powerful, and while the abuse of children and animals is a horrific thing, you can't fight it effectively if you trigger the fears of parents and pet owners that some faceless, self-righteous organization will swoop in and grab your kids/dogs/etc.
Personally, I find the dog's condition shocking and suspect that the dog was neglected beyond reason. But I wish this woman had just hired a local kid to steal the dog for an afternoon when she was out doing something very public. Grandstanding on a mistake like this is incredibly selfish. She screwed up to publicly grab the dog, because many people, including those not in rural areas with lots of chained dogs, remain wary of anyone who purports to be out to 'protect' their dependents. People armed with the ultimate defense that they're rescuing a helpless innocent are very powerful, and while the abuse of children and animals is a horrific thing, you can't fight it effectively if you trigger the fears of parents and pet owners that some faceless, self-righteous organization will swoop in and grab your kids/dogs/etc.
A person involved in rescue is always looking at what condition an animal is in. Every time I see a dog chained I look to see if it has food, water and shelter. It's just natural. She did not just "grab" the dog because it was on a chain. It was suffering and no one was home. Hardly a swoop and grab scenario.
The problem is when you are involved with rescue you know more of the whole picture. You know any calls for help will come days later. You know that the laws against animal cruelty are hardly effective.
Would you follow every law to a T, just because it is the law, regardless of what is right or wrong? I won't. I will not let a dog suffer because of the law. Plain and simple. Anybody who would has no compassion IMO. A dogs life and well being means more to me than some law imposed by man. That is not to say I am a lawbreaking type, but in some situations, you gotta do what you gotta do.