[Diesel-and-Kira]

I got an email the other day..I guess the two dogs got out of the yard and were down the street. Someone got scared and called the police. They were about to shoot the dogs with automatic rifles!! when Rob (the dogs dad) ran down the street and got them. The city wants to charge them with several counts of housing vicious animals!

and when I wrote her back an email..it was more of a rant, as I was completely PO'd about the situation, and her reply as I suspected, was the person who called the police said it was two pitbulls at large.
Now the city wants to try them in a civil hearing to put them down, because someone thought they were pitbulls and got scared. The ignorance of some people really really infuriates me!

The first time we walked into their house, the dogs didn't even bark! they were all beans and wiggles! They didn't even jump on my daughter, and if I felt she was in any danger at all I would have run out of the house right away! This is just a completely unfair situation for them. I just hope that the statement I wrote, combined with statements from other people who know the dogs will have an impact.
My opening line was: I am writing this letter on the behalf of Freddie and Ginger, two boxers who are being accused of being vicious pitbull dogs.

I think they're in need of some good vibes. I will keep you guys updated.

 

[ChloeAndBrodisMa]

OMG! I can't even begin to say how mad I got just by reading your post. I can just imagine how you along with Freddie and Gingers parents feel. Sending tons of good vibes and pray everything turns out okay.

 

[southerngirls]

That is just f'd up!! obviously they are boxers not pits-i tihnk the person who should be getting in trouble is the idiot that called and FALSELY reported there being two viscious pits loose!! :aua:

 

[RottsnBox]

That's just awful, good grief!
Would a letter from a vet saying what breed they are help?
I can't believe all involved are that ignorant.  Once they learn what breed they actually are I'd think they'll feel damned silly about the whole thing. Just my two cents.

 

[Diesel-and-Kira]

That is just f'd up!! obviously they are boxers not pits-i tihnk the person who should be getting in trouble is the idiot that called and FALSELY reported there being two viscious pits loose!! :aua:

I so completely agree with you. That's the first thing I said to my husband when I told him. Grow a brain, It's not hard to tell a boxer and a pit apart. It's also not hard to understand that not every pitbull you see is going to come gnaw your leg off!

 

[TamiNChance]

OMGGGG i am so sorry!!! This makes me so mad....I really hope things work out the way they should!! I will be praying ALOT for this situation to get resolved in the RIGHT way!!! It makes me so mad when people call Chance a pit bull...grrrrrrrrr

 

[lillyzmomma]

Something else you may be able to do is if he is papered (ex: akc) and/ or has a pedigree then you can ask his breeder to write a statement and see if maybe the stud/sire's owner will do the same to attst to the fact that they are Boxer's.  You can also take the dog to the vet and have a genetic line test done on them that will specify their breed (not sure of the specific name, but its a form of DNA testing).  If you are working with an obedience trainer then you can have them write a statement.  Or you can have a behaviorist come out and "assess" them for aggressive behaviors that would justify euthanasia and then have them write a statemnt (the behaviorist thing is a good idea...ive done it before and kept 2 pitbulls from being put down just because they were pitbulls)...also see if the behaviorist would testify in court as to what she saw in the assessment and her professional opinion...

so much can be done to fight this...good luck and I'm praying for you!!!

Penny and Lilly sends kisses and hugs!!!

 

[Kate]

In your post it says that two dogs got out of the house and ran down the street and that their owner was able to get them before they were gunned down as vicious animals.... What law that says just because your pets get out they are automatically labeled vicious, misidentified as pitbulls (and even if they were pits how were they identified as vicious). The fact that there is to be a hearing means that they have been cited for violating some law and there will be a hearing.  Most cities do have laws that require a dog owner to keep animals under control at all times -- on a leash or secured in a yard.  They could be fined for "animals at large".  But I'd find an attorney for them to fight this.  If no one was harmed or no damage was done, an attorney would be the one to argue in defense of your friends and their dogs.  

I agree with everyone above, but I'd make sure my bases were covered and that I had someone to fight for me in court so they don't lose their pets.  

Make sure that they get a copy of the police or animal control report so they know exactly what they are being charged with.  Statements from neighbors could also be useful as well, as what Liz said.

It is outrageous, and I'm very sorry for your friends.  Keep us informed as to what happens.

 

[Lucylong]

Are pits against the law where this occurred?  I think the issue is not so much the breed but the behavior of the animal.  Kate is right.  Your neighbors need to get all of their facts together and consider getting representation.  I can't believe the ignorance of the officers that responded to the complaint.  Sounds to me like they were more of a threat brandishing automatic rifles than two boxers out on a romp.

Sending positive vibes and well wishes.

 

[Diesel-and-Kira]

I dont think pits are banned anywhere in michigan. But I'm not completely positive on that.

I passed on the help and ideas from everyone here, I sure hope everything turns out alright.

 

[amberto]

Here is the letter I'm considering sending:

I am of the firm belief that dogs should be judged by their temperament, not their breed.  However, in the case of Freddy & Ginger - two BOXERS confused as PIT BULLS - feel free to choose which criteria the court would like to judge them for.  While (to the untrained eye) boxers may resemble pit-bulls, they do not exhibit the aggressive, chaotic and uncontrollable behavior that the breed is unfortunately (and usually erroneously) known for.  I have met the two boxers in question on more than one occassion and can testify to their loving demeanor and, most importantly, controlled behavior.  In April 2007, I adopted a puppy from Erin & Rob.  This was my first time adopting a puppy, so I naturally had many questions.  Erin & Rob proved to me that not only did they know a lot about boxers in general, but that they had really spent a lot of time ensuring that their two boxers were well behaved, controlled animals.  The situation that occurred on [insert date here] is an unfortunate event that can happen to any pet-owner.  Sometimes a dog gets out even when all appropriate measures are taken to prevent this from occuring.  I'm sure that this shocked and frightened Erin & Rob, not because they were scared of what their dogs would do (in fact, I'm sure that was the least of their worries considering how unthreatening their dogs are), but as a pet owner - it's a scary thing to lose a pet.  What I'm hoping the court will take into account is the behavior and history of the animal.  I implore to the court to stop the persecution of these innocent animals by lumping them into the same category as pit-bulls, a breed they are NOT, and subsequently one of the most misunderstood, and mistreated breeds on the planet.  While it is highly unfortunate that these two boxers got out of their home, they should not be punished for acts that they did not commit, did not have any intention to commit and most importantly - for being a dog that they clearly are not.  In fact, these dogs are guilty of nothing more than exhibiting playful and ebullient charisma - which may have been mistaken for aggressive behavior.  Please don't punish these dogs for human error.

Pits are outlawed in Detroit - but this occured in Southfield.

 

[uridiscence]

That's terrible. When we were living on the other side of the state we had a neighbor call animal control about our dogs because they wondered into her yard and she said Guido was "scary" looking. He didn't bark or go near her, he was just scary looking.

The cop just said to keep an eye on them.

I hope they understand that your sweet babies aren't going to hurt anyone!

 

[deapee]

Oh geez...that's a shame.

Ares went over our back hill about 4 days ago to get his toy that rolled over it.  For about 2 minutes, I thought he was just digging through some weed looking for it because he didn't emerge.  I walked over to the hill, saw his toy in plain daylight, but not him.  I looked to my right and 4 houses down, he caught the corner of my eye running up the driveway.  I ran over, he saw me coming and dashed for the street...a cop was just driving up (cops never drive by my house), so I put up the hand "stop sign" so he wouldn't hit him lol...Ares ran back into the yards, and down 2 more houses.  The cop said "did you flag me down for something" I just said "no my dog got off his leash, I thought he was going to run infront of your car, sorry".  Then my neighbor with a husky called him over and he was between us and I just made him sit and grabbed him lol.

So anyway, we're all guilty of letting dogs of leashes and get away from time to time.  Heck, my brother's great dane got off twice, and when he would get off, he'd wonder a borough or two away...he showed up twice at home in the back of a cop car.  We never got a ticket or anything.

--

You need to tell the judge that if they fine you or your dogs then every singe time you see any dog running loose, you're going to call the police and you want the owner fined.  Because I know there are labs, and those other little furry dogs that run loose in everyone's neighborhoods.

 

[Barbs2Ks]

I think that is one the worst things I have ever heard, I can't believe the police were going to do that.  Police officers or any one who is allowed to shoot a dog should be trained to recognize dog behavior.  

We now have an ordinance that if your unlicensed dog is caught off leash on someone else's property there is a $250.00 fine.  They have really started enforcing this in the last year.  I know that several not so nice neighbors have called police on their neigbors dogs.  My nephew had a friend, whose neighbor called police on their dog when the fence gate had not closed properly.  That neighbor knew the dog since it was a puppy but still called the police.

 

[Kate]

That is why you get a copy of the police report and the Court's Complaint against your friends and read it thoroughly.  Make sure you (they) know what they are being charged with and why.  Until you know what the woman that called them in the first place told the officers, you don't know why they would have weapons drawn.  Police are not usually prone to want to take lethal action unless they believe that lives were in danger.  Police officers are pet owners too, so there must be more to this story and you need to find out what it is.  Two boxers romping and playing does not constitute agression.  What's wrong with this picture??????

 

[uridiscence]

Too often people mistake boxers with pitbulls and to me they don't look anything alike. Most people just assume that dogs are aggressive and will bite you so I can understand why they would call the police, but I think this situation just went too far.

Let us know what happens...