Protect Neglected Dog in Mono County

A long-time animal advocate, Brian Vincent, could face jail time and a hefty fine for trying to rescue a horribly neglected dog in Chalfant, California -- a tiny hamlet near the resort town of Mammoth Lakes in the Eastern Sierras. Brian was arrested February 8 by Mono and Inyo County law enforcement when he was found with the dog while driving outside of Chalfant. He acknowledged taking the dog from the residence because the dog’s guardian refused to provide proper shelter and care and because local animal control officials, who had received numerous complaints about the animal’s condition, had repeatedly failed to enforce animal cruelty laws to protect the dog. Brian was charged with petty theft then incarcerated for three days in the Inyo County Jail in Independence. He was released on $5,000 bail. His trial begins this month in Mono County. Unfortunately, the arresting officers returned the dog, a terrier mix who resembles the Hollywood canine Benji, to the guardian.

Brian has defended his actions because the dog was suffering from terrible neglect that Mono County Animal Control, the agency responsible for enforcing animal cruelty statutes, had largely ignored. For example, the dog’s shelter consists of a cardboard box with no insulation from the cold. In addition, the dog is always kept outside on a very short chain even during inclement weather and at night. According to the guardian’s own admission, the dog is not allowed inside. She indicated the dog is taken for a walk about once every two weeks, otherwise he is left on the chain. The guardian also admitted that for an entire year she kept him penned underneath a trampoline encircled with netting. Brian, who has been monitoring the dog’s situation for over two months, also discovered that the dog rarely had water available, the dog’s fur was matted with feces, and the yard was littered with garbage including sharp objects and chemicals that pose a hazard to the dog. Brian, along with other local residents, reported these incidents to Animal Control. Despite such complaints, the agency has failed to act promptly or adequately. According to Animal Control officials, the department has been “working with the owner for a year” to improve the dog’s situation. Yet, the dog has remained in deplorable conditions for a year.

Brian said he is prepared to go to jail because he believes trying to save the dog was his moral responsibility. His only regret is that the dog was returned to the guardians who so neglected him. He is urging Animal Control to remove the dog from the premises and to place him with a family who will care for him. In addition, he has called on Mono County authorities to fire Animal Control Director Nancy Boardman and Control Officer Angelle Nolan for their failure to enforce the law.