OHIO -- With exuberant, slobbery kisses and hardly able to contain his excitement, a dog in the middle of a tense bite case in Fulton County is free.
The Lucas County Pit Crew on Friday picked up Bosco, a gray-and-white “pit bull” mix, from the county pound where he had been in quarantine. He was seized by the Fulton County sheriff’s office on Dec. 30.
Bosco immediately recognized volunteers with the “pit bull” rescue, who struggled to snap a collar around his neck as he wiggled wildly and slathered their faces with kisses.
Wow, could Toledo Blade reporter Alexandra Mester make this any more of a puff piece? I'm surprised she didn't reference Bosco as being the original nanny dog!
“He’s a little overwhelmed, but he’ll settle back in,” said Jean Keating, executive director of the “pit bull” rescue.
Bosco was adopted Dec. 23 by Gwen and Matt Boughton, who signed the dog over to the Pit Crew at the pound. The couple declined to comment to The Blade.
Bosco is alleged to have bitten Mr. Boughton on Dec. 26 at a relative’s house, causing a minor injury needing two stitches. A Pit Crew volunteer picked the dog up that day, and took him to be quarantined in a Fulton County foster home.
When the rescue resisted authorities’ attempts to take him to the pound, a warrant was issued.
Brian Banister, Fulton County dog warden, is seeking to designate Bosco as a dangerous dog under Ohio law. The Pit Crew on Wednesday filed for an appeal on the designation in Fulton County Western District Court, and a hearing date is to be determined.
Bosco was whisked into Lucas County after his release, and he will stay in a foster home with the rescue while legal proceedings continue.
“We’ll keep him safe, give him a couple of weeks to decompress from the experience and get back to his old self,” Ms. Keating said.
The rescue had feared Bosco would be killed at the pound because Ms. Keating and others in the organization have been actively involved in grass roots efforts to investigate the operations of the pound and the county’s policy toward “pit bulls.”
Advocates alerted the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy of violations at the county pound. The complaints were verified by the state, and later corrected by the county.
Lt. Max Nofziger of the sheriff’s office said in a written statement Friday that the county had to quarantine Bosco at the pound to fulfill requirements for the county health department.
“There was never any intentions of euthanizing Bosco,” he said.
Bosco’s story has spread across the nation through social media. It garnered attention from well-known groups such as Best Friends Animal Society in Utah.
As part of the case, a number of criminal charges were filed Tuesday. The Pit Crew as an organization and Ms. Keating individually are each facing two misdemeanor charges of obstructing official business and violating a rabies quarantine.
Two Pit Crew volunteers also face similar charges.
Kevin Bauer of Pike Township, from whose home Bosco was seized, and Andrea Walters of Swan Creek Township, who picked Bosco up from his adopters and took him to Mr. Bauer’s home the day of the alleged bite, have been charged with violating a rabies quarantine.
Ms. Walters was additionally charged with obstructing official business.
This wasn't a horrific attack on a person. I think authorities are trying to make a point with these people that laws are laws and they should not have interfered with the bite quarantine procedures.
Initial hearings for all the criminal charges are scheduled for Feb. 9.
A Jan. 2 petition for Bosco at Change.org titled “Release Bosco to the Lucas County Pit Crew Immediately!” garnered more than 3,700 signatures as of Friday evening.
The rescue raised more than $3,000 in an initial online fund-raiser to be used toward legal fees to defend Bosco.
A second fund-raiser at gofundme.com called “Bosco needs your help NOW!” — created after criminal charges were filed — has raised more than $2,700 as of Friday evening.
(Toledo Blade - Jan 9, 2016)
Earlier:
"What's interesting in all of the stories about this pit bull is that the media refers to the pit bull as a 'pit bull' with quotations, even when they refer to the rescue, they call it a "'pit bull' rescue"... why?"
ReplyDeleteGOOD QUESTION!
the most likely answer: THE nutter friendly TOLEDO BLADE