Ernest Dempsey— Shivering outside in freezing temperatures in Flint, Michigan, the abandoned pit bull Faith would not have seen the eventful turns crossing her life. Picked up by the Genesee County Animal Control (GCAC), Faith’s life fell at risk because she is a pit bull—the dog breed that has been labeled “dangerous” in much of the Unite States; she faced possible killing by euthanasia at the animal control in case her owner didn’t show up soon to claim her and take her back home. Now, a new turn in the endangered dog’s life has not only sparked the hope of her survival, but possibly the start of a new phase for at-risk dogs—a prospect whereby breedist killings of dogs at animal control facilities will not be allowed.
The new development comes with The Lexus Project stepping into Faith’s case to save the dog from falling a victim to the control facility’s breedist dog-kill policy—the same as that which resulted in the widely-condemned killing of Ace, an abused pit bull put to death in Detroit in November last year. Colleen Murphy, an attorney working pro bono for the Lexus Project on Faith’s case, along with a fellow lawyer, Michelle Radloff, has obtained a restraining order from court, prohibiting the killing of Faith. The attorneys are working to make sure that Faith is placed in a loving, healthy, and safe forever home.
“We did our job on very short notice and were able to save Faith’s life while the details of her future are arranged,” says Murphy. On behalf of The Lexus Project, she looks forward to ending the lawsuit on two conditions: first, to place Faith at a rescue organization that agrees to properly care for Faith, seeing to her physical and psychological needs pending her adoption; and second, to have GCAC provide a written change in their policy regarding its evaluations of dogs for adoption. The new policy will evaluate each dog as an individual and NOT as a breed.
The second condition is indeed a landmark point for it means to ensure that there will no longer be breed-specific policies for killing dogs at the control facility. Murphy notes that these two conditions are non-negotiable; and they are both in the best interest of Faith and in the best interest of any animal that comes into GCAC in the future. This lawsuit by The Lexus Project is therefore the potential start of the victory over breedism that has caused numerous breed-specific killings and is a death warrant for any and every pit bull and its many mixed breeds should they happen to be found stray, abused, or abandoned like Faith and then “saved” by a control facility with breedist killing policy.
Faith’s life is not a single dog’s life; it is the life of countless dogs like her that are not safe from the breedist prejudice of man-made law that looms large and dark over so many animal control facilities in different counties in American states. Her release under the conditions put forth by The Lexus Project will mark a victory for every caring individual who believes in the applicability of justice to our canine companions. With The Lexus Project doing every bit to bring about this radical reform into a reality, public support is vital for making America a non-breedist country for its dogs.
Note: In their comments, one person has pointed to a petition that has been started to support the cause of changing the pit bull policy at the GCAC. Please sign the petition online. Thank you Mindy!
This is great! So nice when people pull together to help the animals. Does the Lexus Project or the lawyers know how dogs are temperament tested at this Animal Control?
There is simply no way to describe it except to say every dog has the odds stacked against it. Testing is done in the cage and includes kicking or hitting the front bars of the cage, yelling or screaming and lunging at the animal while in the cage and finally poking at the animal in the cage with a pencil or other object. This has been witnessed several times.
Any dog that does not react in a manner that the Director feels appropriate is killed.
So tell those lawyers to make sure that the person doing the evaluating on every individual dog uses something other than the crap that passes as an evaluation there now.
Great point, Sarah! I know that my dog would probably react violently to that type of “testing”.
Thank you, Colleen and Michelle, for taking on this project pro bono. I am eternally greatful for your efforts on behalf of those who cannot speak.
Us fighting for Faith have also produced a petition. Please sign and share.
http://www.change.org/petitions/the-governor-of-mi-change-genesee-county-animal-controls-pit-pull-policy
That’s great and I signed but it says “Pit Pull Policy” instead of Pit Bull Policy.
Thank You Lexus Project…..You are awesome!!
Thank you so much!! Praying that this will end the killing of hundreds and thousands of good loving animals at the Genesee county Animal Control. No more dragging someones beloved dog down the hall to die!!! No more pit puppies to die!!! This will be the most wonderful thing that could ever happen. Praying their crazy policy is changed.
Thank you so much for your wonderful work. Shared this on fb
Danielle G Johnson
A dog should not ever be judged or put to death, just because of the breed of dog they are. If ever a breed of any kind of dog is ever dangerous, instead of just blaming the dog, look at the owners. There is no such thing as a bad dog, only bad teachings, and owners! The dog only learns what it is taught. Sure they have instincts, but a dogs life’s goal, is to be a friend. To love and be loved in return. But what would you do, if you were starved in a cage, and let out only when it was time to fight? Think about it! I think people need to be more educated when it comes to animals in general, but especially dogs! I hope Faith gets the second chance she deserves. She isn’t a bad dog, she just got handed a crappy hand in life… but it can all turn around in one moment. All you need is a caring person, who wants nothing but to just love her!
*This is what I wrote to go along with my share on Facebook*
Thank you Lexus project for saving a helpless angel and many lives in the future. God bless you all.
I am just so worried and concerned for Faith. Please, please save her life and give her a chance to have a life. She has known nothing but heartache, torture and hunger. No animal or person should have to go through this. Now after she has gone through all of this we are go to put her to death? What is wrong with man? Sometimes I am ashamed of being one.