This provocative post title is referring to the threat that Bob Ottenbrite reported to the papers, and the threats I am receiving on a daily basis, variously telling me to leave the country, that I'm a liar, that I'm breaking laws, that I will be surrounded in the courtroom by menacing faces, and generally, that my middle name is trouble. A few threats have been carried out. Thanks to a caller who later bragged about it online, the power company nearly cut my electricity last year, and my house was nearly condemned. Neither could happen, thanks to the fact that things are in order here. But both were pretty upsetting.
So I totally sympathize with Mr. Ottenbrite.
I wish nobody would send threatening messages to anybody. I usually prefer not to mention or post mine; why ruin everybody's day? Unlike others, I have no way to avoid getting more of them, for the simple reason that they can choose to walk off, but I am fighting to get my dog back alive.
Reading the papers here, one might get the impression that there are torchlit meetings of mobs who want Brindi to be let go, who then go off shooting notes to dog trainers using flaming arrows or something like that. What a joke. If only they knew that dedicated Brindi supporters are very busy living their lives, having biopsies on their lungs, or birthday dinners with their 79-year old mothers; looking for a new job, organizing charity functions, or about to have their first child. They are just not the threatening-letter types. Nobody has the energy to get hysterical. I don't know about the ones who send me threats, though; they seem to have endless energy!
This is not about threats, this is about love.
I love my dog, and she loves me. To me, that's where it begins and ends, really. A lot of people seem to feel Brindi coming home is important to them, and I believe that's just because it is how they feel about their dogs, and they are responding for this reason alone. That is their message: most people who love dogs feel that others who love dogs deserve to have those dogs with them if at all possible. I do agree with their point of view. Close to half of people in Halifax own pets, so that's got to be a lot of people with that point of view.
Legally speaking one might argue that people who love their dogs should have them, perhaps to the extent that the dogs do not present a danger to the public, let's say as a reasonable standard, relative to the top causes of accidental death and injury . Since lighting strikes cause approximately 16 times more fatalities on average than dogs cause (don't quote me; I've linked to this earlier), most people would not be at risk of authorities taking their dogs.
It would be so nice if dogs never bit people or other animals anywhere. But because they sometimes do, and humans are the ones ultimately held responsible for it, it's good there are laws and rules. I cringe at stories of any dogs chasing cyclists or jumping on kids or shaking kittens or worse. I am so glad for Sophie and Karen Short in New Brunswick, but the story behind it really takes me aback, wondering why a dog would behave that way.
I believe I have shown that Brindi is significantly different.
I am glad my photos and videos and stories helped people fall in love with her who never met her. Of those who have met her, I am glad so many spoke up. Now the SPCA is agreeing with them, even if they are spinning it their way, which is less nice (I spouted about this earlier...). The bottom line is that they are now saying what I tried to convince them of over a year and a half ago; they changed their official position from "we can't comment, we have no say," to "Brindi should go to a good home." She has a good home, with somebody who has stopped you from putting her down, and I'd like her back now, please! Yes, the SPCA have had her longer, and doesn't everybody now agree that this has been so needless?
So nobody is more pleased than I am that they like her.
Thank god Brindi really is such a nice dog, or what would they be saying now if she did have so many "issues"? I just am so frustrated all the same, because I don't understand why they couldn't have done right by her long ago and saw to it that she was returned - at any point: after seizure, after the supreme court case, etc. Instead, it was, after the supreme court ruling that they began agitating for her to be rehomed in letters to HRM.
Brindi is my family.
We walked, ate, and slept together for 13 months, with my Rudy and Amelia. She would not be alive today if I didn't love her so much. HRM is requesting to put Brindi down. It is my request to get her back. That's what the judge will hear from each side. Since so many are now saying she should not be put down, I'd think the job of saving her life should be easy. But that's no consolation.
What would it mean if HRM puts forward any alternative but "euthanization" (euphemization) in court?There is no viable compromise as far as their position is concerned. Even the mayor has vowed to get Brindi off the streets. If HRM suddenly shifts gears, it will have completely contradicted what it has been seeking all along - by their own admission on many occasions, including on the stand. Killing Brindi is the only reason why officials ever laid charges.
And what would it mean for HRM to contradict itself? It would mean it has wasted everybody's time, a lot of money, and a huge chunk of Brindi's life, for no reason at all.
In any case, if someone writes a letter to the Mayor expressing their feelings and opinions on the matter, it is because they have their own feelings and opinions to express. At the same time, I am grateful to those speaking on my behalf, provided they do so peacefully.
On the home front: it seems that the eastern shore has little time for concern about Brindi, if ever she was a concern. My neighbors tell me we've been overtaken by a band of wild coyotes for some months already. Walkers are accosted, cats are missing for months now, and a dog had to be put down after a coyote tore its face off. Calls have been made to HRM and the Ministry of Natural Resources.
It makes me worry about Amelia. I need my dog Brindi for protection... !!!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Outcome of March 9 court date
The judge agrees that she must hear from an expert on whether Brindi is dangerous and granted me extra time to arrange for a report. The first was positive but is a year old, so she agreed to the need for a new one.
The new hearing date is set for April 16. The judge may not make a decision that day, though; she likes to take time. I tried to avoid this extra delay by arranging for an assessment on Feb. 27, right after HRM gave permission. But the trainers were not allowed to see Brindi then, due to some mixup between HRM and the Animal Services department. The trainers were unavailable after that day for the rest of the month. I have now arranged for another trainer to see Brindi later this month.
The city will not be offering any assessment and says it is not calling any expert to the stand to argue that Brindi is dangerous. I do not know who it will be calling to the stand, if anyone.
Sad developments:
A reporter told me this morning that trainer Bob Ottenbrite says he received some sort of email threatening to steal Brindi or cause him or his business harm if he were to take her to his kennels, where he had offered to keep her for the rest of her life. Because of this he says he is taking back his offer.
This is the first I've heard of this. Anyone who would do such a thing is badly misguided.
I myself have been harassed and cyberstalked throughout this ordeal but I have chosen not to share it all with the press. But this month alone, I've gotten about twenty such messages. From time to time, I bring some of them to attention of the RCMP.
It's really regrettable that people are getting so carried away and emotional. I like to think that people who really love and understand dogs know that dogs love and forgive unconditionally, and out of respect for this, they are uninterested in engaging in violent or threatening behavior towards others.
Dogs are my role models. They are hard to emulate.
However, I did feel it was important to ask the Herald for a retraction of the unfortunate message they conveyed in an article published yesterday.
The new hearing date is set for April 16. The judge may not make a decision that day, though; she likes to take time. I tried to avoid this extra delay by arranging for an assessment on Feb. 27, right after HRM gave permission. But the trainers were not allowed to see Brindi then, due to some mixup between HRM and the Animal Services department. The trainers were unavailable after that day for the rest of the month. I have now arranged for another trainer to see Brindi later this month.
The city will not be offering any assessment and says it is not calling any expert to the stand to argue that Brindi is dangerous. I do not know who it will be calling to the stand, if anyone.
A few points to make:
1. Neither the Halifax by-law nor the provincial law require a dog to be put down solely because it is labeled "dangerous". The by-law allows "dangerous" dogs to be kept under certain conditions.
While Halifax does seem to put down a lot of dogs, all of them have caused serious harm to people or animals. Brindi is significantly different, and pre-emptive action is not called for.
While Halifax does seem to put down a lot of dogs, all of them have caused serious harm to people or animals. Brindi is significantly different, and pre-emptive action is not called for.
3. I am being asked about the "plan" to re-home Brindi that has been publicized by the SPCA and Bob Ottenbrite.
I heartily welcome the main message behind this plan, because it confirms is what I have been saying all along: that Brindi should not be killed. It supports the evidence I will present to convince the judge to keep her alive.
4. Under the law, and given the circumstances, to put my dog down can only be justified as an "additional penalty" for the charges, an unnecessary and needless waste of life.
I heartily welcome the main message behind this plan, because it confirms is what I have been saying all along: that Brindi should not be killed. It supports the evidence I will present to convince the judge to keep her alive.
4. Under the law, and given the circumstances, to put my dog down can only be justified as an "additional penalty" for the charges, an unnecessary and needless waste of life.
4. Halifax dog owners are commonly charged and fined without any question of losing their dogs because of it. I will be fined for charges due to one incident that did not involve an attack on a human or serious (or any proven) injuries to a dog. I am no different from scores of other dog owners whose dogs remain in their care.
As it seems all are now saying that Brindi is not a dangerous dog, why can't she just please go home?
Sad developments:
A reporter told me this morning that trainer Bob Ottenbrite says he received some sort of email threatening to steal Brindi or cause him or his business harm if he were to take her to his kennels, where he had offered to keep her for the rest of her life. Because of this he says he is taking back his offer.
This is the first I've heard of this. Anyone who would do such a thing is badly misguided.
I myself have been harassed and cyberstalked throughout this ordeal but I have chosen not to share it all with the press. But this month alone, I've gotten about twenty such messages. From time to time, I bring some of them to attention of the RCMP.
It's really regrettable that people are getting so carried away and emotional. I like to think that people who really love and understand dogs know that dogs love and forgive unconditionally, and out of respect for this, they are uninterested in engaging in violent or threatening behavior towards others.
Dogs are my role models. They are hard to emulate.
However, I did feel it was important to ask the Herald for a retraction of the unfortunate message they conveyed in an article published yesterday.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Another story: heart attack after dog seized
Every time something appears in the local paper, I seem to get another phone call from a stranger with a story to share. Yesterday, a woman left a message that made me hold my breath. She said she knows exactly how I feel and what I am going through: in fact, after her dog was taken away, she had a heart attack. The pain behind her voice was tangible.
"We are supposed to be kind to animals," she says on the message, "But we are not being kind when we take it away from the person they love. I would like to talk to you. I would like to support you to the highest."
This morning, I called her back and left a message. I'm hoping she'll phone tonight, though I almost dread hearing yet another painful and senseless story. I will share whatever she allows.
"We are supposed to be kind to animals," she says on the message, "But we are not being kind when we take it away from the person they love. I would like to talk to you. I would like to support you to the highest."
This morning, I called her back and left a message. I'm hoping she'll phone tonight, though I almost dread hearing yet another painful and senseless story. I will share whatever she allows.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Humane Halifax hits the streets for Brindi
"I am SO GLAD you are fighting to get your dog back!" said a blonde woman in a white ski jacket yesterday. "Please keep it up! I just think the city is really abusing their power to do this to you."
I was standing at the corner of South Park and Spring Garden Road, along with about ten members of Humane Halifax for Better Animal Control. About half of HH's members turned up, arriving before me and doing a valiant job. Veteran four-legged Brindi supporter Jessie the Chessie was there as always with her mom, Jenn Richardson, along with Peggy McIntyre, Bob Riley, Valerie Slaunwhite, Vidya Wang (who brought me tulips!!), longtime Truro SPCA volunteer Pat Mercer, and her friend (whose name I can't remember - my apologies; stress is bad for the short-term memory), both from Cole Harbour, and others, like a young mom named Brenda and her son, who saw the Facebook notice and decided to take along their pretty shepherd mix.
It was a sunny Saturday afternoon, with a cool wind to remind us that spring wasn't quite here yet. As Jenn says, "We're not really the protesting type, just people who love their dogs." So rather than march around, we stayed put for a few hours, while young and old, black and white, rich and poor, residents and tourists passing by paused to hear about Brindi. Scores of them asked for more information and how they could help.
A visitor from South Africa resting at the gates asked what it was about and apologized that she didn't think she could do much to help, being from out of town. Her surprised face beamed with pride, though, when I told her that one of the most fervent people out there fighting for Brindi right now is a woman from her country.
Trish Malkoff from Johannesburg has written and phoned Mayor Kelly several times, and last week she actually managed to speak to Mary Ellen Donovan, the head of the legal department. (Trish had the idea of recording the chat - no idea if this is legal or not, but it's interesting to hear.) I really admire her for not being easily put off. When Donovan claimed it's the police who are behind all of this, Malkoff asked, "Don't you mean the police of your city?" From then on, Donovan answered all questions with "No comment."
As the wind began to die down a little, things warmed up at the corner gates, and people were not in such a hurry to get wherever they were going. Over and over, I heard, "It's your dog!?!" alternating with "You're the lady on TV! When are you getting your dog back?" A pair of young girls who hadn't heard the story before opened their eyes wide at how long Brindi's been in the pound, and why. Seeing the birthday party photo from the SPCA, they promised to phone their HRM councilors on Monday.
A young couple who had left their rottweiler at home to go shopping expressed their concern to see Brindi go home and the law changed before one of their neighbors might get an idea. And so many people, from an elegantly attired lady laden with boutique purchases who nevertheless gladly accepted a flyer, to a tall woman with a friendly bull mastiff who kissed me on the lips (the dog, that is), said they've been following the story since the beginning and hoped things would turn out well.
Overall, it was a pretty encouraging experience. I got a lot of welcome hugs from humans and canines. HH even gained a few new members. Later, Jenn took flyers over to the Willow's pet store for Kyra Foster to give out at the counter. The Herald were kind enough to send over a reporter. We had no problems, although before I arrived, Bob noticed an HRM animal control van sitting across the street for a minute or two, but it didn't stick around long. Sometime later, we held our breath as a pair of patrolmen strolled over to the crosswalk, but they were apparently untroubled by the FREE BRINDI sign hanging on the park gates.
It was really great to get a chance to talk to Haligonians face to face. If I didn't live so far away from town, I'd be on that corner every weekend.
But as I drove all the way back to East Chezzetcook in the afternoon sunlight, I couldn't help feeling very angry at time and effort all this is costing, and all the harm it's done Brindi, when instead we could be going down to the beach for a nice, long walk together, enjoying the prime of our lives. That's all I want for us.
above photos: Robert Riley
I was standing at the corner of South Park and Spring Garden Road, along with about ten members of Humane Halifax for Better Animal Control. About half of HH's members turned up, arriving before me and doing a valiant job. Veteran four-legged Brindi supporter Jessie the Chessie was there as always with her mom, Jenn Richardson, along with Peggy McIntyre, Bob Riley, Valerie Slaunwhite, Vidya Wang (who brought me tulips!!), longtime Truro SPCA volunteer Pat Mercer, and her friend (whose name I can't remember - my apologies; stress is bad for the short-term memory), both from Cole Harbour, and others, like a young mom named Brenda and her son, who saw the Facebook notice and decided to take along their pretty shepherd mix.
It was a sunny Saturday afternoon, with a cool wind to remind us that spring wasn't quite here yet. As Jenn says, "We're not really the protesting type, just people who love their dogs." So rather than march around, we stayed put for a few hours, while young and old, black and white, rich and poor, residents and tourists passing by paused to hear about Brindi. Scores of them asked for more information and how they could help. A visitor from South Africa resting at the gates asked what it was about and apologized that she didn't think she could do much to help, being from out of town. Her surprised face beamed with pride, though, when I told her that one of the most fervent people out there fighting for Brindi right now is a woman from her country.
Trish Malkoff from Johannesburg has written and phoned Mayor Kelly several times, and last week she actually managed to speak to Mary Ellen Donovan, the head of the legal department. (Trish had the idea of recording the chat - no idea if this is legal or not, but it's interesting to hear.) I really admire her for not being easily put off. When Donovan claimed it's the police who are behind all of this, Malkoff asked, "Don't you mean the police of your city?" From then on, Donovan answered all questions with "No comment."
As the wind began to die down a little, things warmed up at the corner gates, and people were not in such a hurry to get wherever they were going. Over and over, I heard, "It's your dog!?!" alternating with "You're the lady on TV! When are you getting your dog back?" A pair of young girls who hadn't heard the story before opened their eyes wide at how long Brindi's been in the pound, and why. Seeing the birthday party photo from the SPCA, they promised to phone their HRM councilors on Monday.
A young couple who had left their rottweiler at home to go shopping expressed their concern to see Brindi go home and the law changed before one of their neighbors might get an idea. And so many people, from an elegantly attired lady laden with boutique purchases who nevertheless gladly accepted a flyer, to a tall woman with a friendly bull mastiff who kissed me on the lips (the dog, that is), said they've been following the story since the beginning and hoped things would turn out well.
Overall, it was a pretty encouraging experience. I got a lot of welcome hugs from humans and canines. HH even gained a few new members. Later, Jenn took flyers over to the Willow's pet store for Kyra Foster to give out at the counter. The Herald were kind enough to send over a reporter. We had no problems, although before I arrived, Bob noticed an HRM animal control van sitting across the street for a minute or two, but it didn't stick around long. Sometime later, we held our breath as a pair of patrolmen strolled over to the crosswalk, but they were apparently untroubled by the FREE BRINDI sign hanging on the park gates.It was really great to get a chance to talk to Haligonians face to face. If I didn't live so far away from town, I'd be on that corner every weekend.
But as I drove all the way back to East Chezzetcook in the afternoon sunlight, I couldn't help feeling very angry at time and effort all this is costing, and all the harm it's done Brindi, when instead we could be going down to the beach for a nice, long walk together, enjoying the prime of our lives. That's all I want for us.
above photos: Robert Riley
This is where Brindi and I belong on a sunny afternoon - her home and mine.
Ed.: On a secure lead with her muzzle, keeping a good distance from all dogs, if any turn up, and otherwise, behind a fence and with private lessons twice a week.
Ed.: On a secure lead with her muzzle, keeping a good distance from all dogs, if any turn up, and otherwise, behind a fence and with private lessons twice a week.
Friday, March 5, 2010
A new and welcome source of support
From Facebook...
Vin Diamond wrote
at 10:09pm yesterday
ABAS Society is a no kill society in Nova Scotia. We do not euthanize an animal unless this animal is in pain and suffering for the duration of its life. We support Brindi being returned to her owner with restrictions put in place for (life time leash while walking outdoors). We do not want to see Brindi euthanized. ABAS Society is presently advocating changes to Nova Scotia's Animal Welfare Laws. Our present Animal Protection Laws" are out dated." We feel that it is the fault of the province of Nova Scotia that the dog Brindi has been suffering in the SPCA shelter with lack of care. Many other animals are presently suffering in shelters across Nova Scotia. It is time to make these (family members) important. Nova Scotia needs to make the ammendments required to the existing Animal Protection Act Bill here in Nova Scotia , to further protect ALL animals from suffering. Sadly, it is not the fault of our animals. It is the fault of the people!
Our animals need these changes!
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
I guess it's not just people "from away" after all...
Some observers - especially those inclined towards a characterization of me as a marginal whacko - like to suggest that the bulk of support for Brindi and me lies disproportionately beyond the border. Well, it is true that there are many people around the world who do support us, and I am very lucky that so many have actively sustained their support for quite some time. I can't begin to count them, I just step aside and marvel. Now they've been joined by some very determined folks in Turkey, South Africa, Sweden, and as far away as Hong Kong, and they are doing some amazing things.
Some observers - especially those inclined towards a characterization of me as a marginal whacko - like to suggest that the bulk of support for Brindi and me lies disproportionately beyond the border. Well, it is true that there are many people around the world who do support us, and I am very lucky that so many have actively sustained their support for quite some time. I can't begin to count them, I just step aside and marvel. Now they've been joined by some very determined folks in Turkey, South Africa, Sweden, and as far away as Hong Kong, and they are doing some amazing things.
Because they are seen and heard a bit more by virtue of the internet, I can see how an observer might be inclined to believe that local support is relatively low. But that is not true at all. They may not have as much of a presence online, but there's no disputing the scores of people in Halifax and around Nova Scotia who want to see Brindi go home. Many have called me to let me know this, and report on all the letters and calls they've made to the government and the media. A lot of them never before engaged in writing letters to politicians and newspapers, let alone calling a stranger to let her know they're behind her. It's been an amazing experience in the midst of this mess.
By the way, if you ever want to get to know your neighbors and fellow provincial citizens well, have your dog seized. No sarcasm intended, I believe have learned more about and gotten to know more Nova Scotians in this past year and a half, than I'd be able to meet in twenty. Sadly, I did not leave my house for most of that time, and not by choice. Nevertheless, there have been many meaningful conversations with so many good souls. Many just picked up the phone after seeing something on TV. I hear the same words, "I wish I could help you get your dog back." Many of them did quite a bit more after that and continue on. I had no idea that so many truly generous and committed people were around, let alone that they would take something like this on with such ferocity.
Chronicle-Herald, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010
I suppose today that Peter Kelly and his council are smug in the wake of winning the court case against Francesca Rogier. I am angry because this court case was won for the mayor using my tax dollars.
I do not support the animal control laws as they stand, and I want them changed with input from pet owners and animal lovers. As far as I am concerned, this case is not about a crime committed by Francesca or her dog. Instead, it’s about the fact she challenged somebody’s authority.
And unfortunately, she depended on the justice system for help. I hope Nova Scotians will take notice that this could happen to you and your pet. We should have given Francesca more support in this terrible time as she tried to save her dog.
It is not too late. Protest this move and demand that Brindi be given back to Francesca. Brindi was kennelled for 19 months, Francesca has been financially devastated. This is abuse. What kind of society are we running anyway?
People of HRM, I beg you to vote this mayor and council out as quickly as possible and demand new laws to protect animals and pet owners, and select animal control officers with a stringent new hiring policy.
Olive Pastor, Caribou
I do not support the animal control laws as they stand, and I want them changed with input from pet owners and animal lovers. As far as I am concerned, this case is not about a crime committed by Francesca or her dog. Instead, it’s about the fact she challenged somebody’s authority.
And unfortunately, she depended on the justice system for help. I hope Nova Scotians will take notice that this could happen to you and your pet. We should have given Francesca more support in this terrible time as she tried to save her dog.
It is not too late. Protest this move and demand that Brindi be given back to Francesca. Brindi was kennelled for 19 months, Francesca has been financially devastated. This is abuse. What kind of society are we running anyway?
People of HRM, I beg you to vote this mayor and council out as quickly as possible and demand new laws to protect animals and pet owners, and select animal control officers with a stringent new hiring policy.
Olive Pastor, Caribou
Chronicle-Herald, Thursday, March 4, 2010
After reading her Feb. 28 letter "Brindi case a travesty," I have no option but to agree with Olive Pastor.
The mayor and city council have done nothing to help Francesca Rogier in her time of need.
Brindi is not a dangerous dog. The SPCA put a picture of Brindi’s birthday party on its website. Employees and their families were sitting around Brindi, who was not wearing a muzzle. They all looked very happy, including the toddler who was sitting a few feet away.
That picture tells a different story than what the city wants us to believe.
Because she challenged somebody’s authority, Ms. Rogier and Brindi must now suffer?
And to think that the city used our tax dollars to hire a private firm of lawyers to prosecute Ms. Rogier is ridicules (sic).
It’s time to turn back the clock, give Ms. Rogier the appropriate fines, and let her take her dog home, which should have been done as soon as Brindi was seized — which is what is done in 99 per cent of these types of cases.
If this can happen to Ms. Rogier and Brindi, it can happen to anyone who owns a pet. Do you want to be next?
Valerie Slaunwhite, Beaver Bank
Unpardonable sin
As an animal lover and citizen of HRM, I must agree with Olive Pastor’s comments in the Sunday Herald.
I am now eagerly awaiting the opportunity to cast my anti-incumbent vote in the next municipal election.
Ms. Rogier committed the unpardonable sin of fighting back against a bad law.
Little did she know that the vindictive pettiness of our elected council would do far more damage to the public interest than the actions of her dog.
This thuggery should be resisted by anyone professing concern for the rights of the governed.
Rick Crawford, Hubley
Callous treatment
Ms. Rogier committed the unpardonable sin of fighting back against a bad law.
Little did she know that the vindictive pettiness of our elected council would do far more damage to the public interest than the actions of her dog.
This thuggery should be resisted by anyone professing concern for the rights of the governed.
Rick Crawford, Hubley
Callous treatment
This letter is not the first time I have come to the defence of Francesca Rogier and her dog Brindi.
I still maintain that someone higher up is the instigator of this travesty. To keep an animal 19 months from its owner is callous and cruel! Would it be too crass to ask who is footing the bill for this dog’s incarceration?
As for the justice system: One judge says "give her back to her owner" and another judge says "no."
Now it is your chance to speak up.
Anne White, Truro
(To answer the question on the bill - ME!)
As for the justice system: One judge says "give her back to her owner" and another judge says "no."
Now it is your chance to speak up.
Anne White, Truro
(To answer the question on the bill - ME!)
**********************************************************
The True Value of Dogs and How People Feel About Them
I've been told by local legal beagles that dogs are not regarded by the courts as high-value property. Unless a dog is a guide dog, from a rare breed, or a greyhound that races, they're typically not considered worth much more than, say, fifty bucks. Hence the reluctance of lawyers to get involved when a lawsuit becomes necessary.
But dogs are clearly more valuable than that, when you consider that people spend billions on their dogs annually - food, toys, vet bills, clothes... - and we all know that Hollywood earns billions on doggy movies every Christmas and all year long, year after year. Who can accurately measure the savings in anti-depressants, alarm systems, and all the other things people would have to pay for, if they didn't own a dog as a companion animal?? These are all ignored by the current animal control laws in North America, which are in many ways at odds with animal cruelty laws.
People who like dogs usually like them without reservation, in contrast to their more cautious way of liking humans. Walking around with Brindi made it easier to get to know people in our community. I can say without any jealousy or resentment that they doubtless liked her more than me. This really struck me when it came time to ask for help to save her life and get her out of the pound. I was thankful she was so likeable, because it meant I had no trouble soliciting letters of support from 16 people in a fairly short time. Among them are several who who testified in court a year and a half later virtually without changing a word, and what is more, I always knew I could count on that. These people did not merely say they like Brindi, however; they gave testimony to what they saw and heard on many occasions.
I've been told by local legal beagles that dogs are not regarded by the courts as high-value property. Unless a dog is a guide dog, from a rare breed, or a greyhound that races, they're typically not considered worth much more than, say, fifty bucks. Hence the reluctance of lawyers to get involved when a lawsuit becomes necessary.
But dogs are clearly more valuable than that, when you consider that people spend billions on their dogs annually - food, toys, vet bills, clothes... - and we all know that Hollywood earns billions on doggy movies every Christmas and all year long, year after year. Who can accurately measure the savings in anti-depressants, alarm systems, and all the other things people would have to pay for, if they didn't own a dog as a companion animal?? These are all ignored by the current animal control laws in North America, which are in many ways at odds with animal cruelty laws.
People who like dogs usually like them without reservation, in contrast to their more cautious way of liking humans. Walking around with Brindi made it easier to get to know people in our community. I can say without any jealousy or resentment that they doubtless liked her more than me. This really struck me when it came time to ask for help to save her life and get her out of the pound. I was thankful she was so likeable, because it meant I had no trouble soliciting letters of support from 16 people in a fairly short time. Among them are several who who testified in court a year and a half later virtually without changing a word, and what is more, I always knew I could count on that. These people did not merely say they like Brindi, however; they gave testimony to what they saw and heard on many occasions.
As far as the untroubling contrast in popularity, the fact is that most people melt around dogs anyhow. To me, Brindi is no exception, though to me she's the best ever, but almost any dog will instantly affect human behavior on sight, and for most of us, for the good. Somewhere I found a study saying just one dog brought into a huge men's prison will instantly improve the behavior of everyone there towards one another, probably through relieving stress. Our ability to train dogs is nothing next to this profound ability to tame a prison full of testosterone! Think of the savings to be had in tranquilizers, weapons, alarms, gates, by simply replacing them with a dog or two from a shelter.
The attention devoted to Brindi was just fine with me. She deserves it all. I was long accustomed to being snubbed in favor of a dog; that's probably a given for all dog lovers. Howard, my boyfriend's elderly dog (who adopted me a few years back), was a very large black collie/setter mix with a fringy setter coat, ponytail and ears, a long collie-like snout, and a gait like a trotter. Howard elicited attention and affection from one and all, regardless of age or status, from which he remained aloof, though diplomatic. "Is that a horse?" kids would ask. Once, a bunch of tall, tattooed, quasi-menacing skinheads bore down us on a street corner in Lexington, KY. I couldn't dodge them when they came right at me. Then one pointed and said, "What kind of dog is that?" followed by, "He's beautiful." And so he was. Howard was the kind of dog that could grace any gathering just by lying down in the middle of it, much as he adorned the street that day.
Brindi was on her way to that status, and I dare say she graces the shelter, judging from the smiles on the staff when they speak of her. I know they want to see her happy and well-cared for almost as much as I do. Incidentally, in my last post about the SPCA, I ought to have differentiated between these folks, who do the daily grind, and the upper-level decision makers. One wishes the former had a greater say in certain matters.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
If I had listened to the SPCA in 2008 and obeyed Halifax's wishes...
...Brindi would be dead and gone at the tender age of 5.
Excuse me for saying, but obody should listen to the SPCA when it comes to what is best for my dog Brindi. I wonder whether - as a group - they can say what is best for any dog when it comes to the law. The SPCA never said a word in public about by-law A300 until two days before a judge ruled in my favor against HRM. Neither the timing nor the content was coincidental. Their statement only discussed section 8(2)d, which it deemed wrong all of a sudden. The SPCA kept silent about other similarly bad or unconstitutional portions, much as it keeps silent about the seal hunts. Yet the SPCA is entitled to lobby for better laws - in fact, that is part of its job for the province. Doing a responsible job?
In the last days of July, 2008, after HRM ripped Brindi out of my house, I asked the SPCA's chief investigator Roger Joyce to help me save her life. He promised to look into it and do all he could. Hearing nothing, I emailed him a day or two later, and he replied with the digital equivalent of a shrug and a brush-off.
A few months later, Sean Kelly, now SPCA president, greeted me and Brindi fan Bob Riley in a hotel meeting room just before the SPCA's big press conference. In that chat, which we noted later, he smiled unapologetically while patiently explaining to us that the SPCA simply could not take the risk of speaking up to Halifax about Brindi, just one dog, because of their contract. It was up in March (last year) and if they lost it, they would not be able to help any other dogs. It was Brindi or these other dogs...
He assured me then, and later in Facebook messages, that he spoke for the board of directors. It was hard to believe it until a former SPCA member later confirmed it. He had served briefly on the shelter committee that Sean created a few months later, and quit because of Brindi. He told me that he was upset that the board was willing to allow my beloved companion to die for the sake of a lot of other strays.
For the next six months, the SPCA repeatedly told the public that they had no say about Brindi. To protect themselves, their most vocal members went on blogs all over the internet to repeat the same message. Imagine, exonerating the only group in the province possessing the power and duty to protect protecting animal life, for refusing to help save an animal dog on death row.
As far as I know, the SPCA stuck to this position, but maybe it was different behind closed doors. For certain, their public position as of January 2009 was very different from behind-doors, after the supreme court case went badly for HRM. From then on, not only did they try very hard to influence HRM. They began sending email to HRM officials every few weeks, demanding they be allowed to "re-home" Brindi. They even wanted HRM to force me to begin paying them boarding costs for Brindi, which they insisted were higher than $25 a day. Note that by then, the SPCA was making close to half a million a year on the pound contract - unbelievable profit margin on a handful of cages inside their shelter building they call a pound. But they wanted even more money, and they wanted it from me, a person who had just spent tens of thousands on a successful case against the city, that did not even result in getting my dog back.
I never knew of these letters, of course - not until June, when an HRM councilor showed them to me in a chance encounter at a gas station. I saw about eight of these emails on his blackberry; he said he could not copy them to me. I was stunned. The SPCA was still telling the public they had no part in the outcome. Behind the scenes, they wanted to make sure I never got Brindi back. And knowing my circumstances, they wanted me to pay them for the pleasure, even when they must have known it was (is) illegal to continue impounding Brindi (technically, it was never legal, once the law was quashed).
Note that just two days before the court ruling announcement, the SPCA publicly criticized the very part of the animal control by-law that would be quashed. They posted a notice to this effect online, without mention of me, the case, or even Brindi. Yet, in the same statement, they were careful to repeat another other myth about the need for "confidentiality" - something they never observed, as I found out along the way.
I never knew of these letters, of course - not until June, when an HRM councilor showed them to me in a chance encounter at a gas station. I saw about eight of these emails on his blackberry; he said he could not copy them to me. I was stunned. The SPCA was still telling the public they had no part in the outcome. Behind the scenes, they wanted to make sure I never got Brindi back. And knowing my circumstances, they wanted me to pay them for the pleasure, even when they must have known it was (is) illegal to continue impounding Brindi (technically, it was never legal, once the law was quashed).
Note that just two days before the court ruling announcement, the SPCA publicly criticized the very part of the animal control by-law that would be quashed. They posted a notice to this effect online, without mention of me, the case, or even Brindi. Yet, in the same statement, they were careful to repeat another other myth about the need for "confidentiality" - something they never observed, as I found out along the way.
NOW - ages later, my dog's health forever compromised, the new Executive Director of the SPCA, Kristin Williams, is publicly asking HRM not to put Brindi down. Great! THe problem is, they still want to give her to somebody else.
"Sentencing Recommendation"
Superintendent Bill Moore
"Sentencing Recommendation"
Superintendent Bill Moore
Community Projects
Halifax Regional Police
February 12, 2010
Bill:
In follow up to our conversation yesterday, I would like to request that the Crown Attorney in
the Rogier/Brindi case make a further submission to the court to suggest an alternative
sentence to euthanasia.
The Nova Scotia SPCA would be willing to assist HRM in making alternative arrangements for
Brindi; such as adoption to home in which her needs could be met, and the community could be
assured of public safety.
It is the Society’s belief that Brindi could be safely placed. Brindi has demonstrated over the
last 18 months that she can live peacefully and happily with a responsible owner.
Please feel free to contact me directly to discuss further.
Best Regards,
Kristin Williams
Executive Director
Nova Scotia SPCA
Pardon my French, but what incredible BALLS these people have!! How would the SPCA know what a good home is, given what they did Brindi in exchange for money? They don't even walk her, to this day, though they walk the other shelter dogs. Why not? It is the request of HRM. It's not legal to hold her, and it is not good care for Brindi to prevent her from being properly exercised.
Excuse me for saying, but obody should listen to the SPCA when it comes to what is best for my dog Brindi. I wonder whether - as a group - they can say what is best for any dog when it comes to the law. The SPCA never said a word in public about by-law A300 until two days before a judge ruled in my favor against HRM. Neither the timing nor the content was coincidental. Their statement only discussed section 8(2)d, which it deemed wrong all of a sudden. The SPCA kept silent about other similarly bad or unconstitutional portions, much as it keeps silent about the seal hunts. Yet the SPCA is entitled to lobby for better laws - in fact, that is part of its job for the province. Doing a responsible job?
Remember also that Sean Kelly and gang, for all their smiles and shows of sympathy to my face at the press conference, would have greatly preferred if I had done nothing to save Brindi's life in the first place. They would have much preferred if I had just stood by and allowed them to inject my dog with poison on August 7, 2008, as HRM Animal Services ordered. By then, not one behavioral assessment had been done by anybody; HRM turned down my request that month with a simple no. Nobody gave them a problem about it, least of all the SPCA.
So, Brindi would be dead going on two years now, if I had not fought for her life - as it turns out, at great cost to me, financially, materially, emotionally, and any other way you can think of.
But the SPCA has no problem saying in public that I am not responsible enough to have her back.
How do they even know the meaning of the word "responsible"? Is Kristin Williams unaware of the enormous breach of trust that her organization is perpetuating? They have been operating with a huge conflict of interest that they simply denied existed, not once seeking ways to deal with it that could help dogs and owners - like, say, implementing a plan to have professional assessments to verify HRM's wisdom before they give the needle.
Does Williams not grasp that I saved Brindi from their clutches once before? Does she realize that had I not adopted her eight months earlier, the SPCA would have killed Brindi right after the Celtic Pets seizure? They did away with any and every animal they could in that deluge, and Brindi would have been that no-kill facility for well over two years - i.e., "unadoptable" in their book. Mind you, during the same period they were happy to continue tolerating the scores of gas-chamber "euthanizations" carried out by their own Cape Breton branch. I heard Kelly express the view that if the SPCA tried to stop the gas, the branch might secede from the SPCA. (Why that would bee worse than allowing gruesome killings in their name, nobody said. At least then the SPCA could have laid charges for cruelty!)
As far as how I am so certain they would have killed Brindi after that seizure? Simple. Sean Kelly told me himself as much in January 2009 when I commented on how poor Brindi's condition was, compared to how excellent it was when I adopted her after two years up there: "We never would have had her that long." Aha. They put down a lot of healthy, good dogs back then, and I read about them and shuddered - and assured Brindi she was safe and nobody would ever put her in a cage again. Boy, was I wrong.
And now that Brindi narrowly escaped death twice at their hands, the SPCA executives believe they have the right to weigh in on what is best for her? Really???
After they declined to help me at the start or anytime afterwards, and took issue with my efforts to save Brindi, the SPCA went on to punish me as much and as often and as cruelly as they could, forcing me to stay out in subzero temps, imposing manichean "conditions" on visits - that is, when they could deny my right to visit her no longer. They even accused me in public of issuing death threats, a very efficient way to discredit me in the public's eyes after my case did the job of correcting the worst part of a law they never bothered to think about, let alone try to change.
Death threats??? Based on Sean Kelly's sayso that he heard from friends who heard from their friends that somebody, me or others, may have uttered something about a death threat, none other than the RCMP started a criminal investigation. The RCMP had zero evidence, yet they questioned several people right away. They made one of my friends so nervous about this that he was afraid to tell me about it himself, and had a mutual friend call me with the message. He was the one that the SPCA shelter manager in the fall of 2008 had the same RCMP falsely arrest for "criminal harassment" - charges that they dropped themselves the very next morning.
You'd think that six months afterwards, the police would be a bit more skeptical when the SPCA cried wolf again. But there you go: it's the kind of institution that the public at large has a hard time believing is anything but pure and good. Ask Janice Bingley and her family about their experience, and it's suddenly not so hard to believe. Yet the public are sympathetic to the cause of protecting animals, and so naturally want to protect the SPCA against all threats, real or imagined. Generally speaking, that's a good impulse. Too bad the institution is not always worthy of it.
From the death threat hoax on, I found I could no longer get coverage in the media, regardless of what happened. I was now a criminal in their eyes - "too controversial" for the CBC to announce a benefit concert last August! Perhaps the media are uncomfortable or reluctant to make the SPCA look bad. But still - news is news. PETA writes a letter of support asking that Brindi be sent home? Who cares! Not one media outlet published it.Think what you like about PETA, but ask yourself, when is the last time they ever supported a case like this? Never. PETA is the world's largest animal welfare group; it has even argued against owning animals as pets! But when they come out in support of Brindi and me, it's not news in Nova Scotia.
To this day, the taint of the SPCA's death threat accusations linger, and a certain group of SPCA die-hards do all they can to keep it alive on the internet. Heck, Sean Kelly based his numerous restrictions on my half-hour weekly visits on the idea I might physically harm staff. Only after the cancer scare, when Brindi developed four cysts, was I able to get permission for regular visits - April, 2009. Biopsies proved the cysts harmless, which was a huge relief. But the vet said they were probably the result of blocked pores. Blocked pores = dirty coat. My concerns about her care were confirmed once again. One bath every six months is not enough in a shelter or at home, god knows how many times somebody brushed her, if ever. Over the course of the year, I had to request baths about four times. Once I asked if I could do it, and was politely declined.
Then there are the bones. Through all these painful horrible months, one of the only things I could console myself with was, at least Brindi gets to enjoy a good beef bone now and then. All year, I brought them regularly, reassuring me also that her teeth and gums would remain healthy. WRONG. I did not find out until mid-2009 that she didn't get the bones. By then the damage to her teeth was permanent and her gums bled any time she grabbed a ball. Still, their vet denied my urgent requests for teeth cleanings. In June or July, though, the word was "damaged enamel". But then the solution was only oral rinses and toothbrushing - no cleaning.
Why no bones? Answers varied. Not an appropriate treat (no substitute was given); they cause problems among the other dogs - ?? Brindi is supposed to be isolated from other dogs, right? ...They are forbidden as "high value items"... For a long time, I thought "high value" meant iPods or silk dresses - made no sense - but it turns out it means "high value to the dog". Yes, high value to her health. Which you have neglected irresponsibly and irreversibly. They could hardly be genuinely worried about Brindi becoming more aggressive with bones. Otherwise, the shelter manager would not have grabbed one out of Brindi's mouth last spring and dangled it over her head while she talked to me. You'd better be pretty sure of a dog's behavior before you take a bone away from it! Not a problem with Brindi. So what was the problem?
Why no bones? Answers varied. Not an appropriate treat (no substitute was given); they cause problems among the other dogs - ?? Brindi is supposed to be isolated from other dogs, right? ...They are forbidden as "high value items"... For a long time, I thought "high value" meant iPods or silk dresses - made no sense - but it turns out it means "high value to the dog". Yes, high value to her health. Which you have neglected irresponsibly and irreversibly. They could hardly be genuinely worried about Brindi becoming more aggressive with bones. Otherwise, the shelter manager would not have grabbed one out of Brindi's mouth last spring and dangled it over her head while she talked to me. You'd better be pretty sure of a dog's behavior before you take a bone away from it! Not a problem with Brindi. So what was the problem?
Let's not forget also the fundamental misdeed of continuing to keep Brindi in a short-term care shelter well past the maximum period of 30 days. If they really know what is best for Brindi, why did they never tell HRM, "Hey, we can no longer insure the health and well-being of this dog, so you'd better find a long-term kennel to take her on, or send her to a foster home - or better yet, GIVE HER BACK, because we know, though we are no experts, that THIS DOG IS NOT DANGEROUS, and certainly not too dangerous to live." Wouldn't that have been the responsible thing to do? They would not have lost a dime on that. Please! They haven't even renewed her vaccinations, and they refused to turn over her medical records when there was a cancer scare.
Then there is the issue of "training". Back in October 2008 Kelly let me know, as if to console me, that he and shelter staff (none of them real trainers) were "training" Brindi. This made me cringe forever, and as it turned out, for good reason, because in January, the first time I was able to visit Brindi, I found to my horror that she had been taught some really bad behavior by Sean himself.
Jumping on people is one of the behaviors that I made CERTAIN that Brindi NEVER did - or even knew about. In fact, she really didn't even know that she could. She jumped up a bit once or twice the day after I got her, and I quickly said no. She didn't need much more than that; I don't recall her ever trying to do it again, nor did I ever allow anybody else to encourage her to do it.
But there, in the freezing cold, was Sean Kelly right in front of my eyes, getting Brindi to jump up on him and giving her encouragement, praise, and treats! Later somebody sent me a youtube video showing him teaching another dog to jump on him. I heard that some real trainers stepped in to admonish against it. But who knows if he listened? This man now heads the SPCA.
That day, after the sixth time he did it, I could not stand it, and I had to ask him to stop, though I was careful to explain as patiently as I could. Doubtless my audacity provided grounds for the libelous letter from HRM a few days letter, claiming that I had behaved so rudely and horribly to the SPCA staff (he is not staff) that they did not want me there again and HRM could not force them to. Even for half a million dollars? But kill an innocent animal, no problem? (By the way, outside a courtroom not much later, I received a pretty sincere apology from Kishan Persaud for that letter, and he even volunteered to see about visits.)
Jumping on people is one of the behaviors that I made CERTAIN that Brindi NEVER did - or even knew about. In fact, she really didn't even know that she could. She jumped up a bit once or twice the day after I got her, and I quickly said no. She didn't need much more than that; I don't recall her ever trying to do it again, nor did I ever allow anybody else to encourage her to do it.
But there, in the freezing cold, was Sean Kelly right in front of my eyes, getting Brindi to jump up on him and giving her encouragement, praise, and treats! Later somebody sent me a youtube video showing him teaching another dog to jump on him. I heard that some real trainers stepped in to admonish against it. But who knows if he listened? This man now heads the SPCA.
That day, after the sixth time he did it, I could not stand it, and I had to ask him to stop, though I was careful to explain as patiently as I could. Doubtless my audacity provided grounds for the libelous letter from HRM a few days letter, claiming that I had behaved so rudely and horribly to the SPCA staff (he is not staff) that they did not want me there again and HRM could not force them to. Even for half a million dollars? But kill an innocent animal, no problem? (By the way, outside a courtroom not much later, I received a pretty sincere apology from Kishan Persaud for that letter, and he even volunteered to see about visits.)
In my humble, unprofessional opinion, Sean Kelly ruined Brindi forever when it comes to jumping. A very expert trainer told me that once a dog is praised for something, they believe they'll get praise again for the same behavior - bad or good - and they'll want to do it again. Yes, she obeys me now, and even in our short first two visits learned not to jump on me again (she knocked me down in January!), but just a month or two ago, I saw how she'd jump up on a staff member. The woman seemed at a loss. I was furious inside. The truth is, I can no longer be confident that she won't jump on a stranger or a child. Chances are, with consistent handling, she would not do it again, but there is always that possibility, whereas I really was totally sure before - she sat still for infants crawling on her, she sat still when male friends tried to get her to jump on them and roughhouse, etc. Thanks, Sean!
Yes, now I am guilty in the eyes of the court. But those charges were the result of a few accidental mishaps, not systematic treatment and training. I was as consistent as possible with Brindi's training. Living alone gave me the benefit of control; nobody to confuse her with different handling. I never worried about leaving my full plate of food on the bed with her while I went downstairs to get a glass of milk, taking my time. That plate was there when I got back, always. Am I bragging? Yes. Does she need to learn not to chase dogs on the property or feel threatened by them anywhere else? Yes, that is something that I need the help of a trainer to do. Still, she is a pretty good dog on the whole, and some of the nicer staff at the shelter noticed this. Believe me, Brindi didn't know any commands when I got her, and I followed everything I was taught in and out of classes.
But as somebody said - isn't it a bit like the fox watching the henhouse?
Yes, now I am guilty in the eyes of the court. But those charges were the result of a few accidental mishaps, not systematic treatment and training. I was as consistent as possible with Brindi's training. Living alone gave me the benefit of control; nobody to confuse her with different handling. I never worried about leaving my full plate of food on the bed with her while I went downstairs to get a glass of milk, taking my time. That plate was there when I got back, always. Am I bragging? Yes. Does she need to learn not to chase dogs on the property or feel threatened by them anywhere else? Yes, that is something that I need the help of a trainer to do. Still, she is a pretty good dog on the whole, and some of the nicer staff at the shelter noticed this. Believe me, Brindi didn't know any commands when I got her, and I followed everything I was taught in and out of classes.
:::::::::::::::
Let's imagine for a moment that, as some have claimed, I am all ego, and not at all able or willing to be a responsible dog owner/caregiver. Can the SPCA be trusted to find a good home for Brindi? Do they even know what a good home is? I am afraid I really don't care to find out. I do not want to risk what is left of Brindi's life. HRM has now dumped the SPCA contract. But is there any hope it will disregard their opinion on what is best for my dog? Hardly. Will a judge consider that they might have other reasons for "re-homing"? I wish...But as somebody said - isn't it a bit like the fox watching the henhouse?
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
"Let's Adopt! Canada" is on the case!
Like a well-coordinated Olympic hockey team, the savvy people at Let's Adopt! Canada and their huge international network devoted to adopting rescue dogs are taking the lead in spreading Brindi's story far and wide.
Here is one place it's turning up:
KC DOG BLOG
Sunday, February 28, 2010
A Fond and Loving Farewell in the Midst of Chaos and Fear
My beloved cat, Rudy, is no longer by my side. He was a true and valiant companion whom I loved and admired deeply. I cared for him for ten years. The kidney disease that began mid-2009 could not be cured and caused him to literally waste away. He put up a good fight and so did his vet and I. I am grateful that he was able to die with the dignity that marked his life. For this was a very dignified, intelligent, affectionate, and talented creature. The very best of cats.
I could write volumes about Rudy and my life with him on two continents and in various settings. His aerobatic exploits were known to many visiting academics and distinguished guests. He was my first real pet for me alone. As he comes from Berlin, his formal name was Prinz Rüdiger von Fleischfresser ab und zu Mausenjägerberg. (I sometimes got it wrong and he was kind to allow me to shorten it...)
I will say here that with regard to Brindi, it is a shame that the two did not have the last year and a half together. They were on their way from polite tolerance and acceptance to being fast friends when she was taken. Rudy was not a big fan of dogs but he was not a violent sort. He understood without rejoicing in it when I adopted Brindi. He was not quite as pleased about Howard, her predecessor, but he was not the kind of cat to either agitate or run away and hide. He was not afraid to stand his ground against strange dogs if needed, nevertheless. (Last night, I was miraculously able to immediately locate exactly the photos I wanted of him to scan and one of them illustrates this perfectly-I will post them, if only I could find the red envelope I put them in!)
Rudy sometimes accompanied us on walks. Amelia, my other cat and currently my only animal companion at home, did that more often, but Rudy was no stranger either. All of us enjoyed a snooze together on many a night. I considered it a key milestone when three months after I adopted Brindi - who hadn't been around cats at all in the shelter or probably before that - joined us in the family sleep.
I knew that Rudy would not last much longer, after his last full checkup in November, and January's visit showed it was rapidly winding down to a matter of months if not weeks. Meds, special food, and more could not stop him from shrinking him down beyond half his normal weight. My vet was so kind to spend the time with us in his last hours. I want to thank her here, but I will never be able to thank her enough. She gave him wonderful relief and comfort when he most needed it, and above all, respect for his needs. And the same for me, I must add. She patiently listened to a host of Rudy stories all Friday afternoon and then again on Saturday morning in her clinic. She is one of those rare individuals who understand and believe in the human-animal bond and views it on a par with human bonds when it comes to moments like this.
Rudy's last days were the chief focus of my attention and energy since the court ruling was announced last Tuesday, Feb. 23, and I am still working out the "final arrangements" as they say.
I still cannot write about the court; it was a terrible day and another followed and another since then, and though I form blog posts in my head several times a day, including about that, I have not been able to write one. And then something else would happen to supercede what came before. Anyway, observant friends were most surprised about the verdict on the charge of "owning a dog that attacks", as it had been established in court that there was no evidence for it. But now is not the time I can discuss it. I am also not able or willing to discuss the dismaying "discoveries" and comments that have erupted once again on Joan Sinden's blog. I have been attacked before and it won't be the last time, I'm sure. I also cannot afford the time and energy, not to mention the emotional cost, of dealing with it.
Many kind people are mounting a massive internet campaign directed at contacting the mayor and the council. I am grateful to them, and anyone responding to their calls to action. I get requests for information all the time and I cannot keep up with it - I have not kept up with it especially this week. I have taken the risk of posting videos taken of Brindi at the pound, to allow people the chance to see for themselves. But I regret to say that I do not entertain a lot of hope that the calls and letters will change anything, as the mayor has been fairly deluged for some time already. However, it goes without saying that I would be the first to sing their praises and never stop, should I be wrong about this latest campaign. May it work!! If anything, it would be nice if the council and mayor learned some key information about the case when there is still time to drop - if not the charges - the euthanization request. (Since HRM counsel forbade the politicians from publicly discussing the case, how can anybody keep them informed, let alone exercise their right to democratic participation?)
I have received about five calls from new strangers, one each day since Tuesday, each one concerned, upset for me and Brindi, and determined to help. Some with amazing information. I wish I could instantly write about them each time it happens.
But I do not have a lot of time to prepare for when the judge hears evidence about Brindi being dangerous or not - which take place on March 9. My growing list of calls to make and other things to do must come before all else. I am told that a very good lawyer is waiting to talk to me, as is a woman in New Brunswick who just got her dog's life spared even after it attacked and injured an elderly lady in her town. Maybe you heard of her dog - Sophie?
So I am not willing to use my time and energy by engaging with people inclined toward negativity of any kind.
What I can do is assure everyone, as I have from the start, that Brindi being returned to me will mean that she will be protected from harm and prevented from harm equally, with the help and guidance of a good trainer, a fence, keeping to the muzzle order as required, and anything else humanly possible. I will not hesitate to repeat that as often as I can.
I can also thank all those who have been working so hard to help me. I do know that the vast majority of people here and around the world are good-willed and understanding, and willing to help as much as they are able. A foremost example is Olive Pastor, whose letter was published today in the Chronicle-Herald:
Brindi case a travesty
I suppose today that Peter Kelly and his council are smug in the wake of winning the court case against Francesca Rogier. I am angry because this court case was won for the mayor using my tax dollars.
I do not support the animal control laws as they stand, and I want them changed with input from pet owners and animal lovers. As far as I am concerned, this case is not about a crime committed by Francesca or her dog. Instead, it’s about the fact she challenged somebody’s authority.
And unfortunately, she depended on the justice system for help. I hope Nova Scotians will take notice that this could happen to you and your pet. We should have given Francesca more support in this terrible time as she tried to save her dog.
It is not too late. Protest this move and demand that Brindi be given back to Francesca. Brindi was kennelled for 19 months, Francesca has been financially devastated. This is abuse. What kind of society are we running anyway?
People of HRM, I beg you to vote this mayor and council out as quickly as possible and demand new laws to protect animals and pet owners, and select animal control officers with a stringent new hiring policy.
Olive Pastor, Caribou
I wish Brindi and I could have some gold too - the golden love we share and the golden moments we enjoy together.
I could write volumes about Rudy and my life with him on two continents and in various settings. His aerobatic exploits were known to many visiting academics and distinguished guests. He was my first real pet for me alone. As he comes from Berlin, his formal name was Prinz Rüdiger von Fleischfresser ab und zu Mausenjägerberg. (I sometimes got it wrong and he was kind to allow me to shorten it...)
I will say here that with regard to Brindi, it is a shame that the two did not have the last year and a half together. They were on their way from polite tolerance and acceptance to being fast friends when she was taken. Rudy was not a big fan of dogs but he was not a violent sort. He understood without rejoicing in it when I adopted Brindi. He was not quite as pleased about Howard, her predecessor, but he was not the kind of cat to either agitate or run away and hide. He was not afraid to stand his ground against strange dogs if needed, nevertheless. (Last night, I was miraculously able to immediately locate exactly the photos I wanted of him to scan and one of them illustrates this perfectly-I will post them, if only I could find the red envelope I put them in!)
Rudy sometimes accompanied us on walks. Amelia, my other cat and currently my only animal companion at home, did that more often, but Rudy was no stranger either. All of us enjoyed a snooze together on many a night. I considered it a key milestone when three months after I adopted Brindi - who hadn't been around cats at all in the shelter or probably before that - joined us in the family sleep.
I knew that Rudy would not last much longer, after his last full checkup in November, and January's visit showed it was rapidly winding down to a matter of months if not weeks. Meds, special food, and more could not stop him from shrinking him down beyond half his normal weight. My vet was so kind to spend the time with us in his last hours. I want to thank her here, but I will never be able to thank her enough. She gave him wonderful relief and comfort when he most needed it, and above all, respect for his needs. And the same for me, I must add. She patiently listened to a host of Rudy stories all Friday afternoon and then again on Saturday morning in her clinic. She is one of those rare individuals who understand and believe in the human-animal bond and views it on a par with human bonds when it comes to moments like this.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Rudy's last days were the chief focus of my attention and energy since the court ruling was announced last Tuesday, Feb. 23, and I am still working out the "final arrangements" as they say.
I still cannot write about the court; it was a terrible day and another followed and another since then, and though I form blog posts in my head several times a day, including about that, I have not been able to write one. And then something else would happen to supercede what came before. Anyway, observant friends were most surprised about the verdict on the charge of "owning a dog that attacks", as it had been established in court that there was no evidence for it. But now is not the time I can discuss it. I am also not able or willing to discuss the dismaying "discoveries" and comments that have erupted once again on Joan Sinden's blog. I have been attacked before and it won't be the last time, I'm sure. I also cannot afford the time and energy, not to mention the emotional cost, of dealing with it.
Many kind people are mounting a massive internet campaign directed at contacting the mayor and the council. I am grateful to them, and anyone responding to their calls to action. I get requests for information all the time and I cannot keep up with it - I have not kept up with it especially this week. I have taken the risk of posting videos taken of Brindi at the pound, to allow people the chance to see for themselves. But I regret to say that I do not entertain a lot of hope that the calls and letters will change anything, as the mayor has been fairly deluged for some time already. However, it goes without saying that I would be the first to sing their praises and never stop, should I be wrong about this latest campaign. May it work!! If anything, it would be nice if the council and mayor learned some key information about the case when there is still time to drop - if not the charges - the euthanization request. (Since HRM counsel forbade the politicians from publicly discussing the case, how can anybody keep them informed, let alone exercise their right to democratic participation?)
I have received about five calls from new strangers, one each day since Tuesday, each one concerned, upset for me and Brindi, and determined to help. Some with amazing information. I wish I could instantly write about them each time it happens.
But I do not have a lot of time to prepare for when the judge hears evidence about Brindi being dangerous or not - which take place on March 9. My growing list of calls to make and other things to do must come before all else. I am told that a very good lawyer is waiting to talk to me, as is a woman in New Brunswick who just got her dog's life spared even after it attacked and injured an elderly lady in her town. Maybe you heard of her dog - Sophie?
So I am not willing to use my time and energy by engaging with people inclined toward negativity of any kind.
What I can do is assure everyone, as I have from the start, that Brindi being returned to me will mean that she will be protected from harm and prevented from harm equally, with the help and guidance of a good trainer, a fence, keeping to the muzzle order as required, and anything else humanly possible. I will not hesitate to repeat that as often as I can.
I can also thank all those who have been working so hard to help me. I do know that the vast majority of people here and around the world are good-willed and understanding, and willing to help as much as they are able. A foremost example is Olive Pastor, whose letter was published today in the Chronicle-Herald:
Brindi case a travesty
I suppose today that Peter Kelly and his council are smug in the wake of winning the court case against Francesca Rogier. I am angry because this court case was won for the mayor using my tax dollars.
I do not support the animal control laws as they stand, and I want them changed with input from pet owners and animal lovers. As far as I am concerned, this case is not about a crime committed by Francesca or her dog. Instead, it’s about the fact she challenged somebody’s authority.
And unfortunately, she depended on the justice system for help. I hope Nova Scotians will take notice that this could happen to you and your pet. We should have given Francesca more support in this terrible time as she tried to save her dog.
It is not too late. Protest this move and demand that Brindi be given back to Francesca. Brindi was kennelled for 19 months, Francesca has been financially devastated. This is abuse. What kind of society are we running anyway?
People of HRM, I beg you to vote this mayor and council out as quickly as possible and demand new laws to protect animals and pet owners, and select animal control officers with a stringent new hiring policy.
Olive Pastor, Caribou
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Tonight is a great Olympic victory for Canada's hockey lovers, and the country has won more gold than any other country. I congratulate them! I wish Brindi and I could have some gold too - the golden love we share and the golden moments we enjoy together.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
