An Animal Control Update

Well, I heard that the Lizard Butte Kennel Club was going to be holding a meeting so people could talk about what they've been experiencing with Animal Control lately, how they can protect themselves, and what they can do about it.  Word quickly spread.  Since a very close friend of mine got cited and we hired a lawyer and successfully fought the charges, I figured I would put together a packet of all my notes and things.  In trying to navigate the Canyon County dog laws, I ran into websites that have information that conflicts with reality, people at many front desks who don't know their ass from a hole in the wall, and even those in positions of authority that needed to refer me to others because they "weren't sure."  There is not one place that the dog laws in Canyon County are set very clearly, either on the CC Animal Control website, nor on the Zoning and Planning website.  After dealing with this for what seemed like an eternity, I finally got some answers and put it in a very comprehensive post which I turned into a little packet to share yesterday afternoon.  I also checked with the surrounding counties to see how their dog laws work, and put that information in a packet also.  Now there was a real eye opener.

None of this information got used.  Why not?  Because the way the meeting turned out, no one ... and I mean no one ... was going to open up about their experience with Animal Control.  Why not?  Well, there's a woman whose name sounds like Boolie Jender in the area who thinks she works for Canyon County, who went through all of the steps to become compliant, buying herself a $2,000 Conditional Use Permit, and vaccinating all her dogs for rabies, and licensing them annually, and now feels holier than thou about it.  She took it upon herself to invite Animal Control to the meeting, thinking that both sides need fair representation.  Thank you, Boolie.  That wasn't the point of the meeting.  But you're very smart.  How'd you get that smart?  She sat there and answered questions that were clearly directed at the AC rep, and the rep just sat there and let her.  Quite the pair, aren't they? 

Why didn't the person who put the meeting together shut her down and "uninvite" Animal Control?  I have no idea.  But ... now we have Animal Control at the meeting.  Rather than figuring about what we can do from here, we sat there an listened to the chick from Animal Control justifying their ridiculous method of enforcing laws that have been on the books for a very long time.  I found out the other day that there was a rumor going around that the guy whose name that sounds like Jelly Sore was behind all of this, especially since his wife works at the shelter, but I would like to think that no one person has that kind of power in all of this.  I've been told, from the beginning, that that reason this was all happening was because the Canyon County Commissioners have placed some pressure on Animal Control to generate revenue.  So what has Animal Control done thus far?  What did the brain surgeons come up with as to how to handle all this?  They surf the internet, finding people's websites, and then sending them letters giving them 30 days to comply.  How many letters have they sent out since this all started?  A whopping 500.  (I sent 600 out in two hours the other day where I work.)  So what happens if you don't comply within the 30 days?  They come to your house.  Once they come to your house, do you have any idea what your rights are?  Probably not, and Animal Control is banking on that.

Do you have a gate at the end of your driveway?  If not, you should.  If the mailman or the UPS guy can walk straight up to your door, then so can Animal Control.  And whatever they can see from there can and will be used against you.  If they ask you if they can take a look around, the answer is no.  If the proceed to look around anyway (and they will), they have violated your rights.  What do you do about it?  Hire a lawyer, and have the lawyer file a Motion to Supress Evidence, as any evidence against you was now illegally sought.  And when you win, what does the Sheriff's Department send you?  An apology?  Oh heavens no.  Can I have some of what you're smoking?  They send you a letter that basically says that it's "not convenient" to prosecute this case at this time.  Yeah, you're right.  It's not.  Not until they go back to a judge and get a search warrant to legally enter your property.  And they will.  So if you're not in compliance, you'd better get yourself there.

All in the name of them "generating revenue."

It doesn't matter how you care for your dogs.

It doesn't matter that you do rescue and avoid dogs coming in to their shelter in the first place.

It doesn't matter that you feel the entire shelter is just a safety net for puppymills out there, and that the shelter shouldn't exist in the first place.

Check out this bullshit.  Have you seen this?  This is on the Canyon County Shelter website under Animal Control.

Benefits of Licensing

• Tells everyone that your dog is not a homeless stray, but a loved pet.
• Animal Control will call and/or send a letter if your lost dog comes to the shelter.
• Enables Animal Control to protect your neighborhood from dangerous animals and investigate animal bites.
• Helps pay for the care and adoption of homeless animals.
• Supports investigations of animal cruelty, neglect and abandonment.
• Supports educational programs covering humane ethics and animal safety.

1st Bullet:  I don't care what "everyone" thinks of my dogs.  They're my dogs.   I don't need you to like them ... or me ... for that matter.

2nd Bullet:  I microchip my dogs.  I don't need a license to make that happen.

3rd Bullet:  My tax dollars pay for that.

4th Bullet:  Put them down.  All of them.  Bullets are cheap.

5th Bullet:  My tax dollars pay for that.

6th Bullet:  I don't need programs like that.  There may be some dog owners that do, but I don't.

So really ... what am I paying for when registering my dogs?  Programs I don't believe in, and services I don't want or need.  Cool, eh?

What they don't say is that by registering your dogs, Big Brother can keep tabs on you.  You know what my tax dollars also pay for?  The two Animal Control Officers and the two Sheriff Deputies to show up at the doorstep and completely violate the rights of the unsuspecting homeowner.  Yup.  My tax dollars hard at work.

So where do we go from here?  Define "we."  I don't really care to drag around the dog collectors that are concerned about the $35 because the AKC requires their dogs to be intact in order to parade them around the ring and have a judge tell them how pretty they are so they can justify breeding the shit out of them.  As far as I am concerned, those types of people are the very reason these laws exist.  I don't really have any desire to fight this fight to be able to help people with Aussies who wouldn't know what to do with livestock if given a manual (yes, Boolie, talkin' 'bout you) or someone who has a bazillion Corgis who they try to pass off as "working" dogs who, in actuality, are about as useful as tits on a bull.  My fight is a tad different than yours.

I don't need a Conditional Use Permit.  I will never have enough dogs for that.  My dogs are registered with the County.  To my buddies at Animal Control, if you decide to show up at my doorstep, you will need a valid search warrant, so please save the gas money and just go see the judge first.  After you make your way over here, count noses, and match up all the paperwork, I'll give you a greeting card that I created that has an apology to me on it.  Please go back to your office and sign it and pop it in the self-addressed stamped envelope I will provide you with ... and then just drop it in the mail, wouldja?

Yeah, I didn't think so.

In the meantime, Boolie Jender, next time you drive by a shepherd with a huge flock of sheep who has a couple of GSDs in the flock, and several Border Collies to move the flock with, and that shepherd is being harassed by animal control because his dogs aren't registered with the county, and he has too many dogs or some stupid shit, please stop, get out of your car, and put your nose up the AC officer's ass.  They'll appreciate the support.

Jodi