False Accusation hurting Preg. Lab/Pit - HELP

[bwilliams0623]

My name is Brandy Williams and I need your help. On November 2nd, 2006 I came across and email asking to save the life of the Pit Bull/Lab Mix who was very pregnant or she would be put down on November 5th. I immediately called down to the King William Pound in Virginia and spoke with the receptionist. She informed me that those details were correct.
Here is the Pounds ad on PetFinder.com:
“Notes: KW6526- This is a VERY PREGNANT pitbull/lab mix girl. She is shy, and about ready to POP! She is about 50lbs and 2yrs old. She will need a rescue by Nov. 5th. We would love for her to be released early, so that she can have her puppies in a nice warm home. These puppies are coming any day now. Please call the King William Veterinary Clinic to rescue this girl and her puppies at 804-769-3200.”
At that time I spoke with my sister, Brit Basham, who has contacts at the SPCANova and various rescue groups in the area, and told her we needed to help. My husband and I called back Friday, Nov. 3rd and spoke to “Whitney”. We said we wanted the dog and would be there Saturday to pick her up. At that time we paid the $25.00 adoption fee so that no one else could take the dog before we got there. She said that I just had to pick her up by 12:00pm on Saturday. We then went and spent $200 on supplies for the mom and the birth. We also had already talked to a No-Kill adoption shelter that was going to help us place the pups once they were weaned.
When we arrived at the King William pound on Saturday around 11:45 the receptionist greeted us and when I told her who I was she started talking about someone else calling and picking up the dog. She excused herself and Dr. John Haile came into the waiting room and said “We are not releasing her to you!!!” Of course myself, my husband and my sister asked why and he said “Because we had a series of calls saying that you are involved in dog fighting.” At that point we were in shock and asked the who, why and what is going on. Dr. Haile became extremely rude and abrasive and kept repeating over and over that we were involved in dog fighting. He had no proof and wouldn’t say who had told him this or even give us a chance to defend ourselves. He then begin flaleing his arms in the air and saying “you aren’t getting the dog”. He kept saying that he didn’t owe us any explanation and he wouldn’t be investigating anything. Still stunned, hurt and humiliated we left. Besides being slammed with these alegations, the worst part is that now she is laying in a cold cage, scared and about to give birth to puppies all alone when she could be in a warm comfortable home being monitored and assisted in any way necessary.
As I type this I received an email letting me know more about this issue. Someone apparently called the clinic and reported us, then reposted an emergency rescue for this girl. My sister and I have written emails to this person Dana, who works at the clinic, as well as the other people she sent the email to accusing of us being with a dog fighting ring. My sister and I have received a few emails already defending our position. It seems as though there are dog watchers out there that try and prevent people from adopting dogs out for fear that they will use to them for fighting. My problem is that they are descriminating against us without giving us a chance to defend ourselves. They have put mine and my sisters name out there with false information attached to it. My sister has adopted/rescued two American Bulldogs and Rottweilers, so she has a love for the misunderstood breeds. She would rescue every animal if she could, but she’s one person. Now her name is out there, as well as our families name, and we may never be able to save another animal again.
What are we to do now? I’m reaching out to everyone of you to offer some type of advice on what we can do now? What steps can we take? We still would like to help this dog, if she hasn’t already been euthanized.
Please help us and her!

 

[AnimalLoverCatRescuer]

Oh my goodness that is awful! I was recently accused of neglecting a dog which I found completely humiliating and infuriating. I took a great little dog out of a neglectful home (unneutered, blind in one eye, etc) and found him a new home. A good one so I thought. I was merely a go-between. I saw a craigslist post where a woman said something to the order of "Free Free get these animals out of my house now! Come and get them!" and I did just that. I went there to pick up all her cats. There was this little dog there too. She was about to throw him outside. I asked her to hang on, went home and posted an ad on the internet. Got many many responses. Replied to the best sounding one and took the dog there within a few days. I told them I don't know a whole lot about him, I just wanted him out of the bad place. I gave them all the dogs purebred papers, shot records, microchip papers, etc. I told them about this dog site to visit, I only asked that if there were any problems that they call me back and I will come and pick him up. They agreed, adopted him from me and I left.

Well a week later i see a craigslist post for this very dog. I called the family I adopted him to and asked what was going on. They said I cannot have him back because they don't want him in a bad situaion with me again and then they hung up on me. Won't return my calls, or reply to emails, etc... The post on craigslist said that the person they got him from abused him, neglected him, lied to them about where he came from and cut his hair so that it covered his blind eye or something like that... rrgg!

Not quite as bad as your story but I know how you must feel.

Anyways, could you get a friend to go and adopt him and then they can bring him to you? I don't know anyway you could find out who did it or anything. You could post an ad on craigslist saying what happened and that now the dog is going to have her pups in the cold cage since you weren't able to bring her home. You will probably get flagged but maybe some people will see it.

 

[Zoom]

How would those accustations even have gotten started? Did you make a huge deal to your neighbors about adopting this dog?

Not accusing you or siding with the naysayers by any means, just curious as to how the rumors would have gotten started. I think it's great you wanted to foster a pregnant dog. I'd like to do it myself some day.

 

[bwilliams0623]

Don't know

I wish I knew how they got started, I practicaly begged the vet to tell me something so I could clear this up, I thought maybe it was just a mistake. Maybe someone with a similar name was on the do not adopt list but since I am being treated like a criminal no one will give me any information. My family is heartbroken, my children are upset and its not fair to make the accusations without giving the person a chance to prove otherwise.

 

[Zoom]

That sucks. We (as a board) have had to deal with another member of ours being stonewalled from adopting a dog, and despite our best efforts, "they" won anyway.

 

[bwilliams0623]

Update

I just got an email from the girl at the poubd, she said that an "anonymous" caller called and said my boyfriend was a dog fighter. Ok, 1st - I am married, no boyfriend and my husband is a member of PETA. And 2nd, why would they take the word of an anonymous caller, if I knew someone was dog foghting I wouldn't call anonymously I would want to get the word out there. Doesnt make any sense.

 

[Zoom]

I would guess for fear of retaliation if they accusations were true. It's also possible that your husbands involvement in PETA is working against the two of you here, since it's well know that PETA is gunning for the extermination of all pit bulls.

 

[bwilliams0623]

Really?

I didn't know that abuot PETA and I will look into that. My husband just sends them money whenever they ask. I am worried about the dog at the shelter, I can't get any info on her and she was scheduled to be euth. today. Do you think they would still do that with all the uproar surrounding the dog?

 

[Brattina88]

I would think that they wouldn't euthanize the dog do to all of the attention being brought to the situation... If they do, the media would be all over it, no?
Will the pound release the dog to another shelter or rescue? Perhaps by contacting rescues to pull the dog you will be updated on the dogs condition... The only thing I can think of is to get somebody involved with the law looking into it, which may cause more problems - I'm not sure.
I'm sorry this is happening to you. Unfortunately false accusations when your involved in rescue seems to be a pretty common thing. I only foster dogs through other agencies and sometimes on my own... People have a way of twisting words for their benefit.

I do have to say, however, that it could just be someone who had a slight suspicion and truly was concerned for the dog's welfare when they made the call.... hopefully . . .

Please keep us updated on this if you can ~

 

[bwilliams0623]

Media..

I contacted the sherriff and he advised me to call the magistrate which I have also done. I also contacted the Richmond Times and Washington Post with a complete account of everything. I will keep you posted. And yes I am trying to get the no-kill shelter that I have been dealing with to just get her out and then I can foster her if that is what needs to happen.

 

[Brattina88]

I'll keep you and the dog in my thoughts! Fingers crossed [here] for you...

 

[Doberluv]

That's awful. I'd sue for defamation of character or something. Can you get an attorney to help you? And contact the media....get it out there. These people have no right to do this with no proof whatsoever. I feel for you and that poor dog.

 

[juliefurry]

I would be picketing that place if it was me. I would stand out there and demand information and wouldn't leave until they gave me what I wanted to know. You said you already paid the fee? Maybe they forgot and adopted out the dog before you could come and pick her up? I had a shelter do that to us. We went in there and were looking at a puppy but they insisted we bring our other puppy to meet this one. So they said they would hold the puppy while we drove home (which they knew was an hour drive there and back). So we went got our puppy and came back and they brought our puppy out to meet our lab and the guy at the counter said "if that's the female puppy these people are adopting her right now" and there was another couple standing there filling out an application! We had already paid the adoption fee as well! I would make sure that the dog is even still at the shelter they may have accidentally adopted it out and just said something to make you go away.

 

[AnimalLoverCatRescuer]

Not to bring up an older thread but...

juliefurry: did you get to adopt the dog then since you already paid the fee?

bwilliams0623: has there been any update?

 

[Chemikal]

Has anyone heard what ultimately has happened? I hope this was resolved in a good way. I love pets and hope nothing has happened to her. All animals should have a right to love reguardless of pregnancy or not! Remember animals are like humans, they have feelings too

 

[LuvinBullies]

I just got an email from the girl at the poubd, she said that an "anonymous" caller called and said my boyfriend was a dog fighter. Ok, 1st - I am married, no boyfriend and my husband is a member of PETA. And 2nd, why would they take the word of an anonymous caller, if I knew someone was dog foghting I wouldn't call anonymously I would want to get the word out there. Doesnt make any sense.

I really do not enjoy saying this for two reasons:

1-What I am about to say will surely break your heart because you -like so many others- have always thought you were helping animals by joining PETA

2-This topic really upsets me and gets my blood boiling


Let me first start off by saying I am so so sorry this happened to you. PETA has directly been responsible for many cases such as yours. They have been putting heat on shelters which adopt out Pit Bulls- and I am willing to bet they keep a database of these shelters. They have already succeeded for the most part with convincing all Humane Societies to cease adopting out Pit Bulls, and they do not inform people who drop off Pit Bulls (often thinking they are doing a good deed) that they just signed the dog's death certificate. Here is a quote from Ingrid Newkirk herself:


Ingrid Newkirk
Wednesday, June 8, 2005

Most people have no idea that at many animal shelters across the country, any pit bull that comes through the front door doesn't go out the back door alive. From California to New York, many shelters have enacted policies requiring the automatic destruction of the huge and ever-growing number of "pits" they encounter. This news shocks and outrages the compassionate dog-lover.

Here's another shocker: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, the very organization that is trying to get you to denounce the killing of chickens for the table, foxes for fur or frogs for dissection, supports the shelters' pit-bull policy, albeit with reluctance. We further encourage a ban on breeding pit bulls.

the link: http://www.nokillnow.com/PETAkillPitbulls.php

 

[muggsies16]

Sorry too hear about your troubles. poor dog too. I will say this much, and I do not want too hurt your feelings at all. But all it takes is one complaint, and your done. Some one has sure brought it upon themselfs to do that. Remember they too will get theirs in the end. Good luck

 

[mrose_s]

mmm. once the council rang us. and told us someone had complained that we were neglectin gour horses. our 2 horses are both rescues. one is 23 and we got her from a station were she would have otherwise been shot, her gums were receded right down and several times the vets said she would die. so we spent 1000's of dollars on a horse we can't ride, plus she's almost completley blind and very dominant. but we keep her because otherwise she would just get killed.
the other pony we got from a woman who "lent" her to us. we walked the 3 km's from the paddock, got her from a yard in town full of old cars and scrap metal. walked her all the way back to her home and now she lives. there. the woman that actually owns her has not rung us or talked to us once since we got misty about three years ago.
bindi has a lot of problems, when its too hot her face got really sunburnt and she lost a lot of fur. we had to go down everyday and rub cream and zinc all over this horse that wanted to bite and kick us, we built shelters and we had to pay to fix misty's leg when she cut it.

i love these horses but we can't actually work with them

 

[makenzie71]

What happened is that the dog was already put down and they were covering themselves. I'd put money on it.

 

[squirtsmom]

The whole thing comes down to PETA, I will bet money on it. And I think she is right, they probably have euthanized the dog already, and don't want to admit it. In St. Louis, any APBT that come in, are immediately euth'd. No adopting out, or chance for a h ome. They will tell you to call pitbull rescue, but I have never been able to get ahold of them.