Holyoke woman, sick with cancer, arrested on warrant issued after she failed to renew dog license

Masslive.com ^ | March 25, 2014 | Patrick Johnson

[woodbutcher1963]

Up until the time police put her in handcuffs and loaded her into a cruiser, Ann Musser was not expecting to be arrested.

“I just wished that at least for my first time getting arrested, I had something interesting to say about what I had done wrong,” said Musser, a Holyoke resident.

Musser was arrested at her home Friday night on an outstanding arrest warrant issued by Holyoke District Court for failing to appear in court. The court appearance was scheduled last September because Musser had failed to comply with repeated requests from the city of Holyoke in June for her to renew the license for Pumpkin, her 14-year-old family dog.

Musser, 41, admits failing to pay the $5 renewal fee was an oversight on her part, but she had a lot on her mind at the time. The main thing was the diagnosis for advanced ovarian cancer and having to undergo major surgery.

[woodbutcher1963]

Sometimes, you can not just make this stuff up.

[MeshugeMikey]

clearly.....CLEARLY shes was a hardened criminal in DEEP COVER..as this photo illustrates

[WayneS]

Good thing Holyoke doesn’t have any robbers, rapists, burglars, murderers or other serious criminals to arrest.....

[punknpuss]

At least they didn’t shoot the dog this time. /s

[woodbutcher1963]

“Holyoke City Clerk Brenna McGee said Tuesday that, strictly speaking, Musser was not arrested for failing to renew her dog license. The warrant was issued because Musser was ordered to appear before a judge but never showed, McGee said.”

If I lived near Holyoke, Brenna’s house would be getting the bag of dog doddie on fire on the doorstep.

[Free Vulcan]

Not yet anyway.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

“Did you really think we want those laws observed?" said Dr. Ferris. "We want them to be broken. You'd better get it straight that it's not a bunch of boy scouts you're up against... We're after power and we mean it... There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What's there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced or objectively interpreted – and you create a nation of law-breakers – and then you cash in on guilt. Now that's the system, Mr. Reardon, that's the game, and once you understand it, you'll be much easier to deal with.”

― Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged, 1957

[MeshugeMikey]

for an expired DOG LICENSE.?

sorry this sort of treatment of civil citizens is way over the edge.

[ZULU]

Another dangerous felon apprehended by the Boys in Blue.
I feel so much safer.

[glorgau]

This arrest is going to get her put on the TSA no-fly list.

[Mark17]

Good thing Holyoke doesn’t have any robbers, rapists, burglars, murderers or other serious criminals to arrest.....

They do, but it can be more dangerous to arrest them, than to arrest a woman over a dog license. Remember, as long as they all go home safely, they are happy. /s

[ZOOKER]

If the city had any brains they would release her immediately, eat the fine and shred all documentation.

With her in custody the city is now responsible for her health, right?

Treatment for advanced ovarian cancer might run into the millions.

Failing to treat her makes the city liable for her wrongful death, civil lawsuits in the millions...

[spodefly]

Us and Them ...

[Clean_Sweep]

The judge ordered her to court for a $5.00 dog license. Even if she didn’t get one for the whole 14 years for the dog at $70.00 they want to bring you in to court?

[latina4dubya]

the scary thing is that there are loads of comments under the article from people who support the arrest! saying, “she should have paid her bill... etc., etc... “ omgosh—i know there are liberals... but heck... these people—in Massachusetts no less—have no understanding... no concept of the founding of the United States of America! it is like they are begging to be enslaved!

[terycarl]

ccommunities are short of funds and they pi** away money on something like this???

[DannyTN]

Kind of ridiculous to have to pay a dog license in the first place. The council members that voted for that should be run out of town.

[peeps36]

At least the cops made it home safely. What a brave bunch of donut eaters.

[GOPJ]

I’m speechless - I assumed this would be a Florida story...