Faith battles for life in Michigan

Ernest Dempsey — Once again in Michigan, another dog has been thrown into a life-threatening situation because somebody, ironically, wanted to help her. The dog, named Faith, is a pit bull that was found abandoned outside a church in Flint. Faith’s story was reported on WNEM, showing her as a humble thing with injured paws resting on bedclothes on ground where she had been left tied outside the Greater Bible Way Church in freezing temperatures.

As if to repeat the horror tale of Ace and the tragic fate of Toby, the caller—apparently some “concerned” person from the respective neighborhood—called the Genesee County Animal Control (GCAC) to come up and help the dog. This led to Faith’s current state of captivity at the control facility. There is now the concern that Faith will be killed by the GCAC since she, like Ace and Toby, happens to be a pit bull.

Inside sources told the Journal of Humanitarian Affairs that Faith is doing fine at the control facility. She is currently being kept in a cage in the isolation ward where she receives food and water. The abrasions on her front paw were found to be relatively minor and did not require treatment. Currently, Faith is on a stray hold. And this invokes concern from animal rights activist and supporters since, in accordance with law, GCAC will be entitled to euthanize her unless her owner steps forward and claims her.

As the information source reveals, faith has been found a friendly dog with a good temperament. Though the caller reporting Faith’s need to be helped is said to have asked GCAC, after unsuccessfully trying to reach The Genesee County Humane Society—because they didn’t open until noon—the call may cost faith her very life. She may have survived the frozen temperature, hunger and thirst, and loneliness. But coming into human captivity at an animal control facility means “end of life” if the abused dog is a pit bull or any mix of that breed. The “breedist” law in many states in the US has already cost many dogs their lives, most of which were victims of abuse or neglect. Faith is the next potential victim of this law.

Faith now struggles for her life because, and she doesn’t even know this, she has been assigned a breed by humans who are “educated”, “civilized”, and have “rules”—though all these lying subservient to stereotypes and biases. So who can help her against the madness disguised as law?

Only limited chances for the victimized Faith now: either her owner shows up and claims her within a week; or caring people urge on the Commissioner, that is the Chair of the Animal Control Sub Committee, to move the committee toward sparing Faith’s life and adopt her out to a dog rescue. A third alternative, of course, will be to get legal intervention from a dog-friendly organization like The Lexus Project that have previously saved troubled pit bulls in Michigan from death as caring souls donated generously to the project for meeting the expenses of the legal intervention and securing a safe spot for the troubled dogs.

The next 5 days are crucial to Faith’s life. It is the time when people’s faith in compassion and reason either lives or is euthanized. Indeed, it is time to act now and save our Faith from becoming the next Ace or Toby.

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