Free Strong Heart from his cell and drop the charges!
- by: Save Strong Heart
- recipient: Judge Joseph T Carter and Paul Hicks, Mayor, Hastings MN
Strong Heart is one of a pair of near feral Huskies which came out of Ohio to Braveheart Rescue in Hastings MN. He was originally named Cagney, and his twin sister Lacey.
On October 24, 2011, Lacey, while muzzled, escaped from the rescue. Thomas Cole became involved, via personal phone call from Robin Romano, Kennel Manager, to help track and trap this dog. He successfully trapped her on 11-21-11 and returned her to Braveheart.
See the video where she is unmuzzled here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOqivnY_NWg&list=UUg_Uz0ckX-V7eT7evyb462A&index=6&feature=plcp
Beginning in early November, well before Lacey was caught, people were reporting to Thomas Cole that they were seeing a second white husky, unmuzzled, running loose. Thomas made several inquiries as to wether Braveheart had actually lost BOTH dogs, but was assured they had not. They were asked many times, and always maintained the stance that the dog was in their posession. They even claimed that Cagney was so unsocialized and vicious, he was being kept at the Directors home rather than the shelter. They however would not post photos for anyone who asked for proof. Meanwhile, sightings of this second husky continued.
Braveheart adamantly refused to admit the dog was missing, and refused three separate times to place flyers in an attempt locate the dog. Flyers were created by local townsfolk, and placed around town. Tips from locals began coming in, and Thomas was able to trap the white husky fairly quickly on 12-7-11. Several Hastings Police Officers and a couple citizens helped Thomas load the trap and husky into his van. And helped push it out of the snow where it had become stuck!
On 12-8-11, Braveheart representatives had the local Sheriff deliver adoption/release forms to Thomas. They signed over both Cagney AND Lacey to the care of Thomas. One clause in the document stated he had to cease making any derogatory comments about their "rescue". Thomas crossed that section out, initialed it, signed the document, and returned it to Braveheart.
On 12/20/11, six Sheriff's, one with a gun or taser drawn, entered Thomas Cole's home, physically removed the dog, and arrested him for theft. The dog was taken to Animal Humane Society in Golden valley MN, where he remains in confinement as "evidence".
Placing a near feral dog in confinement is not conducive to any rehab! If he must be held as evidence, then he needs to be placed in the care of a reputable rescue with someone qualified to work with this dog and continue his rehab while the bogus theft charges are worked out in court. Cagney, now known as Strong Heart, is NOT an inanimate object and should not be treated as such! The shelter he has been placed in is a kill shelter. How soon before he becomes "aggressive" and they are throwing about the "kill card" because no one on staff is trained to deal with dogs like this?
We demand he be moved to a more suitable, and thus safer location, until this is sorted out. We also demand that these ridiiculous theft charges be dropped. You cannot steal something that isn't missing! We are apalled that governemnt agencies would treat a veteran, who gave for his country, in such a despicable manner. By insisting that Cagney aka Strong Heart was in the Directors home the entire time, the moment Braveheart sent those contracts to Thomas, they effectively sealed an admission that they had indeed abandoned that dog to the elements.
Video Links
Shelter Abandons Dog to Die: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_Jl3yTnCIQ
Cagney Trapped: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF1tRslLLKQ
Cagney's medical Exam: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BweGtcECvTA&list=UUg_Uz0ckX-V7eT7evyb462A&index=3&feature=plcp
News Articles:
Examiner: http://www.examiner.com/american-pit-bull-in-national/rescuer-threatened-with-jail-for-saving-dog-s-lives
Hastings Star Gazette: http://mobile.hastingsstargazette.com/page/article/id/26471/
Please join the Save Strong Heart Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/groups/SaveStrongHeart/
On October 24, 2011, Lacey, while muzzled, escaped from the rescue. Thomas Cole became involved, via personal phone call from Robin Romano, Kennel Manager, to help track and trap this dog. He successfully trapped her on 11-21-11 and returned her to Braveheart.
See the video where she is unmuzzled here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOqivnY_NWg&list=UUg_Uz0ckX-V7eT7evyb462A&index=6&feature=plcp
Beginning in early November, well before Lacey was caught, people were reporting to Thomas Cole that they were seeing a second white husky, unmuzzled, running loose. Thomas made several inquiries as to wether Braveheart had actually lost BOTH dogs, but was assured they had not. They were asked many times, and always maintained the stance that the dog was in their posession. They even claimed that Cagney was so unsocialized and vicious, he was being kept at the Directors home rather than the shelter. They however would not post photos for anyone who asked for proof. Meanwhile, sightings of this second husky continued.
Braveheart adamantly refused to admit the dog was missing, and refused three separate times to place flyers in an attempt locate the dog. Flyers were created by local townsfolk, and placed around town. Tips from locals began coming in, and Thomas was able to trap the white husky fairly quickly on 12-7-11. Several Hastings Police Officers and a couple citizens helped Thomas load the trap and husky into his van. And helped push it out of the snow where it had become stuck!
On 12-8-11, Braveheart representatives had the local Sheriff deliver adoption/release forms to Thomas. They signed over both Cagney AND Lacey to the care of Thomas. One clause in the document stated he had to cease making any derogatory comments about their "rescue". Thomas crossed that section out, initialed it, signed the document, and returned it to Braveheart.
On 12/20/11, six Sheriff's, one with a gun or taser drawn, entered Thomas Cole's home, physically removed the dog, and arrested him for theft. The dog was taken to Animal Humane Society in Golden valley MN, where he remains in confinement as "evidence".
Placing a near feral dog in confinement is not conducive to any rehab! If he must be held as evidence, then he needs to be placed in the care of a reputable rescue with someone qualified to work with this dog and continue his rehab while the bogus theft charges are worked out in court. Cagney, now known as Strong Heart, is NOT an inanimate object and should not be treated as such! The shelter he has been placed in is a kill shelter. How soon before he becomes "aggressive" and they are throwing about the "kill card" because no one on staff is trained to deal with dogs like this?
We demand he be moved to a more suitable, and thus safer location, until this is sorted out. We also demand that these ridiiculous theft charges be dropped. You cannot steal something that isn't missing! We are apalled that governemnt agencies would treat a veteran, who gave for his country, in such a despicable manner. By insisting that Cagney aka Strong Heart was in the Directors home the entire time, the moment Braveheart sent those contracts to Thomas, they effectively sealed an admission that they had indeed abandoned that dog to the elements.
Video Links
Shelter Abandons Dog to Die: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_Jl3yTnCIQ
Cagney Trapped: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF1tRslLLKQ
Cagney's medical Exam: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BweGtcECvTA&list=UUg_Uz0ckX-V7eT7evyb462A&index=3&feature=plcp
News Articles:
Examiner: http://www.examiner.com/american-pit-bull-in-national/rescuer-threatened-with-jail-for-saving-dog-s-lives
Hastings Star Gazette: http://mobile.hastingsstargazette.com/page/article/id/26471/
Please join the Save Strong Heart Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/groups/SaveStrongHeart/
We the undersigned, do hereby respectfully request that the dog known as Cagney and/or Strong Heart, being held in lockup as "evidence" at the Animal Humane Society in Golden Valley, Minnesota, be returned to Thomas Cole, and these theft charges dropped. You cannot steal something that is not missing.
While all "theft" cases involve property, it is prudent to understand that Cagney aka Strong Heart is not an inanimate object. He had made great strides in socialization under the care of Thomas Cole. Ripping him from that setting, and placing him in a cage, with no interaction and training from a behaviorist will only lead him to regress.
We implore you to return him to Thomas Cole, so that his rehab and socialization can continue. And his sister Lacey, being held at braveheart Rescue, needs to go along also, as they are a bonded pair.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sign PetitionSign PetitionWhile all "theft" cases involve property, it is prudent to understand that Cagney aka Strong Heart is not an inanimate object. He had made great strides in socialization under the care of Thomas Cole. Ripping him from that setting, and placing him in a cage, with no interaction and training from a behaviorist will only lead him to regress.
We implore you to return him to Thomas Cole, so that his rehab and socialization can continue. And his sister Lacey, being held at braveheart Rescue, needs to go along also, as they are a bonded pair.
Thank you for your consideration.
See more petitions:
You have JavaScript disabled. Without it, our site might not function properly.
By signing, you accept Care2's Terms of Service.
You can unsub at any time here.
Having problems signing this? Let us know.