Well, I have finally finished my Great Dane National Specialty obligations. I offered to help with ad layout for the catalog, and didn’t account for HOW much interest there would be.
There’s lots going on in the legal wranglings of animal welfare these days. Mostly in terms of lots of ”innocent” people being unfairly, and possibly, intentionally… targeted. Because of the cost of financially defending yourself, MOST citizens cave in to the demands of the agency or agencies involved, meaning most surrender their animals in lieu of charges either being dropped or lessened. Even if not surrendered, the animals can be placed at the whim of a Justice of Peace at a hearing. A hearing is not a trial. A Justice of the Peace, needs no background in law. And a JP hearing does not occur in a court of “record”…meaning NO transcript or recording of the proceedings takes place. But a JP has the power in some states, (certainly here in Texas) to take your animals from you, and have a shelter or rescue place them permanently without a finding of “guilt” in a COURT OF LAW. A JP has the power to order your animals DESTROYED before you are found “guilty”. Animals are being seized and ownership legally being dissolved in venues all over our country, before a trial takes place, and before the owner is found guilty. I’m not sure what country we live in that can take something that belongs TO us without a finding of guilt. So…I’m adding a new links section which will have to do with legal cases, and most certainly their outcomes. Many of these, after resolution, are resulting in counter suits against the agencies which conducted the seizures. Also take note in these articles, that many seizures are taking place WITHOUT warrants, (yes, you read that right) are being obtained by falsifying information (yes, you read that right) and are conducted far outside the parameters of that warrant, if it does exist. A warrant SPECIFICALLY states WHAT is to be searched, and WHAT specifically is being searched for. Many citizens are asked to VACATE their property DURING the search and seizure WHICH IS ALSO UNCONSTITUTIONAL. We as citizens have rights, and they are being TRAMPLED and IGNORED completely. And for the state to be able to separate you from your pets without the burden of proving you guilty in a court of law, should frighten you deeply. How we have become a nation that protects our innocence ONLY if we have the finances to do so…is also deeply troubling. You might find this article interesting as well…http://humanewatch.org/index.php/site/post/hsus_wildlife_policy_guilty_until_proven_innocentThe fact that agencies or individuals can “prey” on those ill-equipped to financially protect themselves is a crime. That revenge or jealous attacks can be made on citizens through this process, and the citizen NOT protected by our laws, is also a crime. That misleading facts, or untrue facts, are used in reporting these cases is a crime. That the media jumps on these stories without the merest hint of fact-checking, is so lacking in responsibility as to be dangerous to the citizens they supposedly serve. So, I’m going to start adding this information to the website as well. If you have stories that are apropos…please send them to me, and if applicable…we’ll get them on the website. I’m hoping to be a bit more active on the site, now that things in my life have slowed a bit, so keep checking in for new “goodies”.