FL Service Dog to be Executed-Your Help Needed Now!

[Ginich]

This is so ridiculous that I found myself calling the Govenor today to Pardon the dog!

For the Property Tax debacle, I haven't called him but for this dog, Zeus, I did. Such a bad ruling. This judge had options and she CHOSE to have the dog put down when he was in his own house perceiving that he was protecting his family. Even the Verizon guy didn't want the dog to die-he barely broke the skin. Tomorrow there is going to be a Sit-in at Animal Services. The whole community is on the dog's side-everybody except the judge!

Read this and listen to the video. Please send an email or call the governor-This is just plain wrong and a bad decision on this Judge's part.

For a video and the latest update: WWSB ABC 7 - Sarasota, Florida

The Gov.'s Email is on the website-It doesn't matter where you live-please call, fax or email!

Here's more!
Zeus: Sarasota Dog Case

Sarasota in Defense of Animals (SDA) has received hundreds of e-mails and telephone calls after we shared the sad story of the injustice rendered to a German Shepherd dog, named Zeus, and the dogs care-giver, Mr. Gilbert Otero, a veteran suffering with 70% disabilities from post traumatic stress disorder. Judge Phyllis Gallen ruled that Zeus must be put to death because of an incident where Zeus was charged under Florida Statutes 767.13 with seriously injuring a Verizon telephone repairman at the Oteros home in March 2007. We shared the story with all the news media and the story about Zeus was aired on Tampa Bay News Channel 10 which showed the minor injuries to the victim that did not require any stitches and also showed film of Zeus wi

According to Mrs. Ana Otero, Lt Kasper, Director of Sarasota Co. Animal Services, has agreed to allow Ana to visit Zeus before they kill him. As of this moment, Ana has not received any information as to when they plan to put Zeus to death.

The Sheriffs Animal Services has refused to admit that they made a mistake and did not follow the proper procedure and that Florida Statute 767.12 should have been used regarding the classification of a dog as dangerous as has been correctly done in the case of 44 other dogs in Sarasota County. Instead Zeus was confiscated and charged under FS 767.13.

When this case came before Judge Gallen, after objection by the Sarasota County Attorney, she declined to hear all the evidence including the testimony of our canine behaviorlists, the film of Zeus taken during evaluation, and to hear any arguments referring to the other dangerous dog law FS 767.12.

Another factor that the authorities refuse to consider is that Zeus was in fact a therapy dog to a U. S. Army veteran with 70% disabilities, Mr. Otero, and by law a therapy dog cannot be destroyed.

Despite all of the pleas to Sheriff Balkwill to spare Zeuss life and to admit that a mistake was made and that Zeus should have been prosecuted under FS 767.12 instead of FS 767.13 and pleas to Judge Gallen to consider FS 767.12, the order still stands to kill Zeus. At this point, our only hope is to contact Governor Charlie Crist and ask him to PARDON Zeus.
Please contact Gov. Crist no matter who you are or where you live and urge him to intercede before it is too late.
Phone: 850-488-7146
Fax: 850-487-0801
Mailing Address:
Office of the Governor
The Capitol
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
7 For individuals with hearing loss or speech disability:
1-850-922-7795 (TTY)
OR
711 (Florida Telecommunication Relay)

[Tinna]

Pardon the language here but this man is a bleeping retard as is the officers that took the dogs away. He's woefully disregarding the other parts of the law just to kill a gosh dang dog? And one that cost thousands of dollars just to TRAIN?!.....what is he smoking?

[Star]

Things like this MAKE ME SO MAD!! GR..I totally agree with Tinna. I am just speechless, I don't know what else to say.

[Ginich]

I got this Update this morning:

Re-Hearing Date for Zeus, The German Shepherd A request for a rehearing has been filed with the courts on behalf of Gilbert and Ana Otero for Zeus, the German Shepherd, that has been ordered to be put to death in Sarasota County, Florida. Sarasota in Defense of Animals (SDA), which has taken on all the Otero’s legal and impound fees since March, has been officially notified that the rehearing date has been set for July 6th, 2007, at the Courthouse in Venice. Unfortunately, Zeus has been incarcerated for over 90 days already. As most people know, it is detrimental to any dog's behavioral and physical health to be kept in an approximate 6x3 foot cage without being walked outside for 90 days, plus now another 14 days in the kennel. Hopefully, Judge Galen will humanely allow Zeus to be returned to the Oteros with instructions for training and safety restrictions under Florida Statute 767.12. Initially, back in March when SDA agreed to help the Otero's get Zeus back, we did not imagine that the case would still be unsettled. At this point, we in SDA are incurring many more expenses (i.e., legal fees and impoundment fees @$10 per day for Zeus at the Sarasota County Animal Shelter) than we anticipated. SDA has no paid administrative staff and relies on contributions to operate our sanctuary, provide daily care for 300 animals, and help pets and families like Zeus and the Oteros. Sarasota Defense Of Animals - Welcome To The SDA or by mail to SDA, PO Box 15653, Sarasota, FL 34277-1653. We, and especially the Otero’s and Zeus, really appreciate all you are doing to help right this situation. Whatever you do, please continue to focus attention on this issue and continue to contact those who have the power to fix this. Thank you for caring, "I am in favor of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of a whole human being." -- Abraham Lincoln Elise M. Matthes President Sarasota in Defense of Animals (SDA) PO Box 15653 Sarasota, FL 34277-1653 Telephone: 941 924 2505 Fax: 941 925 8388 E:mail: smatthes@aol.com Http://www.sdasarasota.com SDA is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) Corporation registered with the State of Florida.

[Ginich]

Thanks to everyone that either called the Gov, the media or passed this on to raise awareness! Zues went home today with his family!



Friday, July 27, 2007, 3:20 pm

By STAFF REPORT


Zeus is a 90-pound German shepherd. (SNN NEWS 6)
Dog Zeus is freed, declared 'dangerous'

SARASOTA COUNTY -- A judge has freed Zeus, a 90-pound German shepherd, that attacked a phone repairman in March.

County Judge Phyllis Galen overruled a previous court order to have Zeus destroyed. Instead, he will be classified as a "dangerous dog" and will be given back to his owners, Ana and Gilbert Otero.

The Oteros also have to enroll Zeus in a obedience training program within 14 days, the judge ordered.

Zeus, had been ordered killed by a judge after it attacked a Verizon installer doing work in Otero's home.

That attack occurred after Otero had the Verizon employee pet the dog.