I saw this article on Life with Dogs, a blog I LOVE LOVE LOVE… and once again, innocent dogs to be euthanized TODAY… oh no, not another Lennox, Wicca story…
http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/2012/09/veterans-dogs-to-be-euthanized-by-the-town-of-yucca-valley/
except the town is Yucca Valley, which made it more personal to me since I used to live/work in 29 Palms, 20 minutes from there… so I thought I’d snoop around and find out what was going on and if I could possibly do ANYTHING to save these dogs and innocent puppies…
“Yucca Valley is a small town in the California’s Mojave Desert and located a half-hour’s drive north of Palm Springs. Its residents consist of a mix of military families stationed at the base in neighboring Twentynine Palms, retirees who can’t quite afford Palm Springs real estate but want to live near by, and those adventurists who prefer to trade paved roads, postage stamp-sized lots and street lights for wide-open spaces, clear blue skies by day and a billion stars at night and being lulled to sleep by the sound of a howling coyote.”
http://www.examiner.com/article/town-of-yucca-valley-to-euthanize-veteran-s-dogs
Went to Hi-Desert Star newspaper page and there was NO STORY about this there today so I called them up and spoke to a reporter there.
Courtney told me that they did a story about it a month ago and she had talked to Animal Control folks earlier today. She said they told her that there was NOT going to be any dogs put to sleep today. And she gave me the Animal Control folks phone number so I could speak to them myself.
http://www.hidesertstar.com/opinion/article_0748a79a-ec2b-11e1-8368-0019bb2963f4.html
I spoke to Melanie and she told me that the puppies were born LAST WEEK (the article said last night) and that there are NO plans to euthanize the dogs or puppies. She also told me to talk to the Town of Yucca Valley for the whole scoop.
I asked both Melanie and Jim why the dogs Dakota and Blaze were not spayed/neutered and they said that the dogs are considered the owner’s property and that they are not allowed to spay and neuter them. I said that the town can confiscate them but not spay/neuter them? Jim said that would have been an additional cost, too. I said that since the dogs were considered dangerous that a BIG factor in dogs biting and attacking is being intact. He reiterated that the city could not spay/neuter the dogs since they are the property of the owner.
Jim Schooler said that the dogs are considered dangerous and not adoptable since they attacked an elderly woman. However, the dogs and puppies can be returned to the owner as soon as the owner becomes in compliance.
To be in compliance, the owner, JR Lovell, needs to reimburse the town for all of the fees incurred and maintaining the dogs, a bill of about $3,800…
and show proof of an enclosure, dogs must be leashed, and he must obtain insurance for the dogs.
According to the Judge’s order issued on August 22nd, the owner had 14 days, which would be today, September 5th to come into compliance.
However, there is no plan in the works to euthanize the dogs YET.
Legally, once the dogs become the property of the town to do what is necessary, because they’re considered dangerous, they will be euthanized if the owner does not comply with the terms. However, the town is concerned about the puppies and do not want to be accused of killing the puppies. And the puppies will need to be weaned from the mother. He said that they are also willing to talk to dog experts, such as Cesar Millan if they would be willing to take care of the fees and/or take the dogs away from Yucca Valley.
It would seem to me that someone(s) need to STEP UP and help this veteran get his dogs out of doggie jail, including the puppies. All of the dogs need to be spayed/neutered.
Just found this…
The Yucca Valley Animal Shelter has extended their action for ten days upon review of the insurance requirements placed on the owners for the condition to release the pets. I have written to the Town Manager and legal staff offering to pay for the spay and neuter one of the pets. A citizen of Yucca Valley, after reading of the plight of this family to have their pets returned, has stepped forward as a guarantor of any installment payment plan to resolve this situation.
http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/39580?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=town-of-yucca-valley-to-euthanize-veterans-pets-dakota-blaze
For more info on this situation, contact the Hi-Desert Star…
http://www.hidesertstar.com/site/contact_the_hi-desert_star.html
(760) 365-3315
or
Jim Schooler at :
760-369-7211
Animal control… 760-365-3111
