Monday, August 23, 2010

Gentle Great Pyrenees gunned down in Kentucky by Animal Control PLEASE SIGN PETITION

I took some photos over the weekend that I wanted to share with you but today the death of this sweet dog is front and center. PLEASE take a couple of minutes and sign the petition. He was gunned down as a citizen was begging to adopt him. What kind of a world do we live in? What kind of example do we give to our children and what has happened to our sense of goodness and morality?



Breanna Rhoades says the dog called Bugsy - the name on his collar - befriended her and other workers around the Whitley Pharmacy. When it rained recently, they saw him hunched near a dumpster for cover, so they called animal control, assuming the officer would take the dog to the shelter. Instead, Rhoades says the officer pulled out a .22 rifle, then shot the dog twice, killing it.

KYT.com When a stray dog befriended workers at some Williamsburg businesses, the animal lovers thought they were doing the dog a favor by calling animal control. They never thought their new friend would be gunned down with a shotgun by the man they called to help, but they say that's exactly what happened.

Bugsy needed a home. For days workers at the Whitley Pharmacy and surrounding businesses gave him food, but they decided the county's animal control officer could get Bugsy the help he needed. "In my mind, I'm thinking, he needs a home," Rhonda Rains, one of the workers who befriended Bugsy said, "They'll rescue him, take him to the shelter, clean him up, adopt him out. That's what I had envisioned happening."

But workers say when the animal control officer arrived, it was clear that wasn't going to be Bugsy's fate. That's when Breanna Rhoades says she pleaded with a police officer to let her have the dog. "He was like, well if you do that, you have to pay the fine because in city limits you have to have it on a chain or in a cage," Rhoades said, "I was like, well that's fine, whatever I need to do. Just don't kill the dog. Well when he's over here talking to me, the animal control guy was pulled here and shot the dog."

Williamsburg Police say they were concerned about potential danger after receiving calls that Bugsy had almost caused car crashes. "That dog was not going to hurt anybody. It was gentle, sweet as it could be. It was just scared to death," Rhoades said.

"I would never call our animal control ever again," Rains said, "Honest to God I wouldn't because I would be afraid this would happen, and I'm afraid that it's happened many times before that nobody knows about."

Rains and others who cared for Bugsy say since the his death, many have told them they would have adopted the dog if they had known he was in danger. Now some hope Bugsy's death will encourage more adoptions and animal control reforms. "I'd like to see an animal control that would actually rescue the dog, take it to the shelter. Let's try to get these dogs adopted out. Don't kill them in cold blood. That's not even humane. If you have to euthanize them because they're overpopulated, that's sad, and I hate that, but at least it's a humane way. I understand they may not can adopt every dog out, but at least give it a chance," Rains said

NEWSFIRST tried to contact the animal control officer involved in Bugsy's death, but he did not return our calls.

23 comments:

Suzanne said...

I'm sorry about how this sounds...but the officer is an animal and maybe animal control needs to take a look at him...and show him how they treat strays. Horrifying!!! I signed the petition and would 1000 times if I could.

Maggie Mae and Max said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Maggie Mae and Max said...

My mom signed the petition, thanks for letting us know 'bouts this.
We agree with your furiend Suzanne too!

Woofs and Licks,
Maggie Mae

♥I am Holly♥ said...

OMG. I will sign the petition. Definitely. That is so horrible. Having a few run in with Animal control here was bad but at least they didn't shoot my puppy. We rescued one of those dogs last year and it was the most gentle giant dog. There was nothing about it that would cause anyone in their right mind to want to shoot it. Over to sign the petition now....horrible. That really makes me mad. Lots of love, Debbie and Holly

3 doxies said...

I don't think I even have the words to respond to this insanity. But, I will try! Personally I feel the Animal Control acted in a most INHUMANE way and for an officer to stand by and let it happen makes me even more made...aren't they suppose to uphold the law? I thought to kill an animal in cold blood was against the law???????? Not sure what the laws are where this happened.
I know our Animal Control euthanizes after a few days so we don't call them...besides, you can't ever get a hold of them anyway.

Puddles
PEES: I'm off to sign

♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥ said...

Horrible, horrible, horrible.

We are going to sign too.

Woos ~ Phantom, Thunder, and Ciara

the magic sleigh said...

Wooos!~Another case of human stupidity, this makes Mom very mad.... we will go sign the petition~
-Kira The BeaWootiful and her Mom

TimberLove said...

It seems the humans are all too egar to shoot us K9s...I am thankful to have met one of the good ones, soft husky woooos tonight for them all,

RA

Sagira said...

That is just horrible! What is wrong with people????

Golden Woofs! SUGAR said...

Woof! Woof! Why is this happening? it's making many people (animal lovers) very sad. It is just not right ... totally wrong to carry weapons that dangerous. Hoping there should be NEW Laws ... Thanks for sharing. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar

RILEY AND STAR MY MALTESEKIDS said...

Oh my gosh! That is a horrible story! Thank you for making us aware of it.

We have been gone for a while and have missed you guys a lot!

Luv ya, Riley and Star.

Teddy Bear said...

We are on our way over to sign the petition. Some people just are too cruel.:(

Love,
Teddy Bear

Anonymous said...

Maybe the officer was muslim. Muslims hate dogs. I pray to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob the holy punishment is rained down from Heaven on this officer and his family.

Anonymous said...

Just your tax dollars hard at work.

houndstooth said...

What a travesty! I can't believe that with people there saying they were willing to take the dog that he wouldn't have let that happen. Our county is so strapped for money that they'd have gladly welcomed the fine money into the coffers!

I'm off to sign, too!

Two French Bulldogs said...

we sure will sign that thing
Benny & Lily

Tweedles -- that's me said...

They are Cold Blooded Killers.
This makes us sick.
Why does it make them feel so important to do something like this? Kill for no reason.
It is not right,,,,, but anymore it seems the law enforcers are out of control and gun happy.
Off we go to sign,,,,

love
tweedles

JacksDad said...

I'm confused as to why they would shoot the dog when someone was asking for him. Some people just amaze me, and not in a good way!

Angus said...

Simply horrible.

dArtagnan Rumblepurr/Diego Hamlet Moonfur said...

We're just sick hearing stories like this and poor Bear Bear.

RIP sweet puppy.

The Oceanside Animals said...

What?! I've met some Great Pyrenees and they were the sweetest, softest dogs in the world.

Molly the Airedale said...

This is just too upsetting for words! We're off to sign.

Love ya lots,
Maggie and Mitch

NAK and The Residents of The Khottage Now With KhattleDog! said...

When will it stop????????