Posted on 12/11/2009 4:39:38 PM PST by Domandred
MUD LAKE - "The one person who ends up in jail is the one person who is trying to help an animal who is laying in the snow dying," says Troy Jackson, the Executive Director of Northwest Animal Companions out of Boise
He heard that Barbie the dog had been hit by car and jumped to her rescue.
"I drove down their, knocked on the owners door, and said can we help?" he says.
The owner agreed and helped Jackson load up the puppies and Barbie into his car and they were sent to Ada County Veterinary Hospital. Barbie suffered a broken left front leg, and a broken back hip, and both would require surgery.
Here's how the story spiraled out of control. The tip that Barbie and her puppies were being neglected got immediate attention from the Humane Society.
"I don't see how the animals would've survived. I said we just can't leave her there. I said what are our options here," says Andi Elliot, Director of the Upper Valley Humane Society.
She was charged with trespassing by Jefferson County Sheriff Blair Olson, whose now charging Jackson for stealing the animals. Dogs that the owner gave him to treat. With all the confusion Jackson calls the owner.
"I asked him, did you want to throw me in jail? I mean, am I not doing what you wanted me to do? He said, the Sheriff keeps calling me. He keeps asking me when are you going to bring my dogs back. I said as soon as I can," says Jackson.
Jackson placed several phone calls to the Sheriff, which were never answered. Neither were ours.
The dogs were taken from this very home behind me. We tried contacting the owners, but were told if we set foot on their property, we'd be charged with trespassing.
A charge not even comparable to Jackson's.
"As it stands now, Jefferson County wants me to come down right before Christmas to answer to charges of felony grand theft," says Jackson.
"I'm applaud. I'm surprised, I don't understand. I don't think this is the response of a reasonable person," says Elliot.
"Our main objective was to get the treatment for a dog that had been laying with her puppies out of the snow, that was it," says Jackson.
Barbie and her puppies are doing well. As for Jackson, he posted bond for $25,000 dollars If he is convicted he could face up to 14 years in prison.
This story has stirred up controversy across the state. We want to know what your thoughts. Please email us at yourturn@kidk dot com.
The city council will meet on December 14th at the Jefferson County Courthouse at 11am. They're asking for anyone with a comment to join.
Don’t mind the gross misspellings in the news article. This is a copy paste...I didn’t do it.
The reporting is up to standard journalistic standards. In other words, about half of it is unintelligible. That said, it sounds like at least the sherrif has his head serious where the sun doesn’t shine.
This seems to be an obvious cover under the good Samaritan type laws. If so, would also serve as a basis for a lawsuit against the Sheriff’s office
Links to local coverage:
http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/1004811.html
Link to story Dec 1 - prior to the arrest
http://www.2news.tv/news/78275592.html
the video from Wed:
http://www.2news.tv/
The latest article:
http://www.kidk.com/news/78941282.html
Another article about the shelter worker in jefferson county (she is also charged with trespassing)
http://www.idahofallstoday.com/2009/12/04/breaking-a-lower-law/
The truth is out there, but, you find only bits and pieces of it in the article. I hesitate to even try to conjure up a time line of this animal rescue gone wrong.
Something is not being told. Did this humane society threaten to have the dogs taken away from the owner (who appears to have been unaware of the dog’s injury)? I can see why the owner would want to turn the law on the humane society to keep that from happening.
"Jackson said he got involved in trying to help the injured dog a couple of weeks ago, after an another animal welfare advocate from the Upper Valley Humane Society was charged with trespass when she tried to talk to the owner of the dog. He said a neighbor had reported that the dog was howling from pain because she'd been hit by a car at least once, possibly twice. The dog and her pups were living outside in the yard."
A peeing contest appears to be taking place. Why hadn’t the dog died?
The article says that they knocked on the owner’s door, and asked if they could help - getting the owner’s PERMISSION....!!!! IF this is the case, then where the HECK are felony grand theft charges coming from?
The whole report is confusing, but it sounds like someone is accusing some one else of dog abuse, probably trying to get some one in trouble, as that is easy to do in this socialist mentality.
The owner gets mad and accuses them of stealing the animals
The county justice system is so short on crime that they have to make it look bigger than it really is in order for the goverment to keep getting bigger and more important.
Socialism ( the perfect goverment job insurance )
So the county sheriff has to start arresting people or else he is not doing his job.
Damed if you do, and damed if you don,t.
If i had any dogs thats where they would be, ( outside )
Unaware of a broken leg and broken hip, for perhaps four days?
Oh, and I read your tag line: don't expect a Christmas card.
Who writes this stuff. Hell, I could be a “journalist” and run circles around these guys. I can’t even understand the story.
I feel very sorry for the dogs and for Troy Jackson, but this is a horribly written story. Yikes.
No Christian should get a Christmas card then (in the world but not of it)
I’m applaud. I’m surprised, I don’t understand.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.