JUSTICE FOR BAMSE IN NORWAY, LET HIM LIVE!

  • by: -The Save Bamse Team
  • recipient: Prime Minister Erna Solberg, Minister of Justice Anders Anundsen, Sogn og Fjordane police department and the National Police Directorate (POD)

All collected signatures will be delivered to Prime Minister Erna Solberg, Minister of Justice Anders Anundsen, Sogn og Fjordane police department and the National Police Directorate (POD).

This is about the dog "Bamse" in Norway who is sentenced to death without having bitten anyone. We hope this petition will help direct attention at the injustice committed against Bamse and his owners - and others, on the basis of the dog-unfriendly "Law on Dog Keeping" (Law on Dogs), which in principle gives police the right to put a dog to death for dubious reasons.

We ask you to please sign, and by that tell both Prime Minister Erna Solberg, Minister of Justice Anders Anundsen, Sogn og Fjordane police department and the National Police Directorate (POD) that you demand justice for Bamse -let him live and come back home to his family!

Every dog and animal rights organisation fought to amend the Law on Dogs before it was adopted in 2003, fearing its consequences. Some of the suggested amendments were thankfully taken into account, but more than ten years later, the conclusion is that far too many dogs have been put to death in accordance with this hostile law. In practice, it has proved to be a very unpredictable law. Several people who have read the District Court's verdict in Bamse's case agree that it has little legal basis, but there is no guarantee that the appeal will be upheld in the Court of Appeal. However, Bamse's case might become a legal precedent, and it is therefore important that all dog and animal friends support his case. By signing you show your support to Bamse.

THE FULL STORY

Bamse is a kind family dog, born in 2011. He is a mix between a Rottweiler and German Shepherd dog, and we strongly believe that this fact has resulted in his unfair treatment by the police. With any other dog, we are convinced that this would NOT have happened.

On 18th August 2013, the owners went for a walk with Bamse from the farm where the family live. When crossing the highway at the end of the farmyard, they met a cabin tourist, waving his arms and shouting to keep the dog away. There was an incident which resulted in the cabin tourist getting an approximately five centimeter long rift on the underside of his arm.

There were NO bite marks on the upper side of the forearm, and in a later judgment by the District Court, it was established that this damage and scratching may NOT have occurred as a result of Bamse biting the arm of the cabin tourist. The incident happened very quickly, and there is some doubt and disagreement regarding the details of what happened. Bamse was secured in a leash during the incident.

We think it is just as likely that the rift was caused by one of Bamse's claws rather than a tooth.

The cabin tourist reported the incident to the police on 20th August 2013, and in a letter from 6th September, Sogn and Fjordane Police District sent Bamses owners an advance warning that Bamse would be put to death.

On 8th January, the decision was taken to put Bamse to death, but the decision was appealed to the National Police Directorate (POD), which decided on 24th February that our appeal would not be upheld.

On 28th April 2014, the owners brought a lawsuit against the Ministry of Justice and Public Security. The case was heard from 30th September to 1st October 2014, in Fjordane District Court in Førde. Ahead of the trial, the owners had Bamse mentally tested by a well regarded dog expert, who offered the following assesment:

"Bamse is a fine example of a dog. He has solid nerves, normal functions, and does not represent a risk in the future".

In the judgement on 4th November 2014, the District Court put little emphasis on the test result and the testimony of the dog expert, but chose to emphasise the testimony of the cabin tourist and his wife.

The Court concluded that continuing to keep Bamse "would lead to feelings of insecurity and an unacceptable risk of new attacks and/or incidences of injury".

The verdict stated: "Following an overrall assesment, the Court does not find it unreasonable to put Bamse to death. The Court consequently finds, according to the decision of the National Police Directorate, that the conditions for putting Bamse to death are present in accordance with the Law on Dogs, Chapter 7, § 24, letter f) and Chapter 6, § 18."

While deciding whether the verdict should be appealed further to the Court of Appeal, the owners agreed with the police to place Bamse in a "Dog Hotel" where he was well cared for and thrived. However, the Police Directorate later decided to move Bamse to a different location.

On 22th January 2015, the police moved Bamse to a place unknown to the owners, which also costs them twice as much per day. The family have not seen Bamse since January, and do not know where he is. They decided to appeal the District Court's verdict to the Court of Appeal, and the case will now be heard in Gulating Court of Appeal in Bergen from 20th to 21st August.

Please help us save Bamses life by signing and sharing this petition.

Best Regards, Bamses support group

All collected signatures will be delivered to Prime Minister Erna Solberg, Minister of Justice Anders Anundsen, Sogn og Fjordane police department and the National Police Directorate (POD).


This is about the dog "Bamse" in Norway who is sentenced to death without having bitten anyone. We hope this petition will help direct attention at the injustice committed against Bamse and his owners - and others, on the basis of the dog-unfriendly "Law on Dog Keeping" (Law on Dogs), which in principle gives police the right to put a dog to death for dubious reasons.


We ask you to please sign, and by that tell both Prime Minister Erna Solberg, Minister of Justice Anders Anundsen, Sogn og Fjordane police department and the National Police Directorate (POD) that you demand justice for Bamse -let him live and come back home to his family!


Every dog and animal rights organisation fought to amend the Law on Dogs before it was adopted in 2003, fearing its consequences. Some of the suggested amendments were thankfully taken into account, but more than ten years later, the conclusion is that far too many dogs have been put to death in accordance with this hostile law. In practice, it has proved to be a very unpredictable law. Several people who have read the District Court's verdict in Bamse's case agree that it has little legal basis, but there is no guarantee that the appeal will be upheld in the Court of Appeal. However, Bamse's case might become a legal precedent, and it is therefore important that all dog and animal friends support his case. By signing you show your support to Bamse.


THE FULL STORY


Bamse is a kind family dog, born in 2011. He is a mix between a Rottweiler and German Shepherd dog, and we strongly believe that this fact has resulted in his unfair treatment by the police. With any other dog, we are convinced that this would NOT have happened.


On 18th August 2013, the owners went for a walk with Bamse from the farm where the family live. When crossing the highway at the end of the farmyard, they met a cabin tourist, waving his arms and shouting to keep the dog away. There was an incident which resulted in the cabin tourist getting an approximately five centimeter long rift on the underside of his arm.


There were NO bite marks on the upper side of the forearm, and in a later judgment by the District Court, it was established that this damage and scratching may NOT have occurred as a result of Bamse biting the arm of the cabin tourist. The incident happened very quickly, and there is some doubt and disagreement regarding the details of what happened. Bamse was secured in a leash during the incident.


We think it is just as likely that the rift was caused by one of Bamse's claws rather than a tooth.


The cabin tourist reported the incident to the police on 20th August 2013, and in a letter from 6th September, Sogn and Fjordane Police District sent Bamses owners an advance warning that Bamse would be put to death.


On 8th January, the decision was taken to put Bamse to death, but the decision was appealed to the National Police Directorate (POD), which decided on 24th February that our appeal would not be upheld.


On 28th April 2014, the owners brought a lawsuit against the Ministry of Justice and Public Security. The case was heard from 30th September to 1st October 2014, in Fjordane District Court in Førde. Ahead of the trial, the owners had Bamse mentally tested by a well regarded dog expert, who offered the following assesment:


"Bamse is a fine example of a dog. He has solid nerves, normal functions, and does not represent a risk in the future".


In the judgement on 4th November 2014, the District Court put little emphasis on the test result and the testimony of the dog expert, but chose to emphasise the testimony of the cabin tourist and his wife.


The Court concluded that continuing to keep Bamse "would lead to feelings of insecurity and an unacceptable risk of new attacks and/or incidences of injury".


The verdict stated: "Following an overrall assesment, the Court does not find it unreasonable to put Bamse to death. The Court consequently finds, according to the decision of the National Police Directorate, that the conditions for putting Bamse to death are present in accordance with the Law on Dogs, Chapter 7, § 24, letter f) and Chapter 6, § 18."


While deciding whether the verdict should be appealed further to the Court of Appeal, the owners agreed with the police to place Bamse in a "Dog Hotel" where he was well cared for and thrived. However, the Police Directorate later decided to move Bamse to a different location.


On 22th January 2015, the police moved Bamse to a place unknown to the owners, which also costs them twice as much per day. The family have not seen Bamse since January, and do not know where he is. They decided to appeal the District Court's verdict to the Court of Appeal, and the case will now be heard in Gulating Court of Appeal in Bergen from 20th to 21st August.


Please help us save Bamses life by signing and sharing this petition.


Best Regards, Bamses support group

Update #18 years ago
Bamses owners still have not seen Bamse, and they still dont know where he is kept by the police. Today the 17.th, it will be helt a demonstrations for Bamse both in Oslo and in Bergen. The court case is the 20th and 21th of August in Bergen, and the petition will be closed midnight the 18th -Norwegian time.

Love, The Bamse Team
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