Date: Fri, 22 May 2009 17:36:40 -0300
To: Frank Beazley
Subject: RE: HAPPY BIRTHDAY RALLY for BRINDI: Halifax North Common, 1 PM
SATURDAY MAY 23/09
Hello Everyone:
Not a very pleasant way to mark one's birthday ... neither for Brindi & Francesca Rogier both.
But I must express my gratitude that she is at least allowed to have a weekly scheduled visit with her beloved pet. Finally some common sense has surfaced. Perhaps we can graduate to an off-site park or beach where they can have more room to relax and play.
This situation has become untenable to the point of mere frustration and futility. How much have we (HRM) spend to date on lawyers and impound fees? And how much has it cost Francesca Rogier, both financially and spirituality, to fight Animal Control and defend for her pet's life. For God's sake, this dog is not dangerous as it has been portrayed. HRM and the SPCA has lost a lot of credibility over this issue. And Ms. Rogier wanted to immigrate here ? This has not been a very welcoming reception ! Nor does it bode well for our Economic Strategy for immigration attraction and retention. I won't even mention our lost national & international Tourism opportunities because of the exposure this "Brindi" Case has gotten. Halifax has put itself into a very dim and dismal position with the greater animal loving audience worldwide.
There has got to be a better exit strategy than waiting for the outcome of a much delayed court hearing and ruling. We need to revamp our Animal Control Bylaw whereby appeals can be heard by a sub-committee of HRM Council. It should be modeled much like our current process for Taxi License Appeals, Variance Appeals, Dangerous and Unsightly orders and the like. Why is it our Animal Control Bylaw must involve an expensive judicial process. Our courts should be dealing with much more important things that things such as this. The Municipal Government Act and/or our Municipal Charter may need to be modified to have a more streamlined - Council led process for matters such as this.
I plead for everyone to be reasonable ...please !
I remain, respectfully yours ;
David Andrew Hendsbee
DEPUTY MAYOR
HRM Councillor District 3 :
Preston - Lawrencetown - Chezzetcook
Tel #: 829-2465
Fax #: 829-3620
Cell #: 483-0705
E-Mail: david.hendsbee@halifax.ca
E-mail: david@hendsbee.ns.ca
Web-site: www.halifax.ca/district3
web-site: www.hendsbee.ns.ca
-----Forwarded Message
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
WITHOUT REPRIEVE, BRINDI SPENDS HER SIXTH BIRTHDAY BEHIND BARS.
SPECIAL RALLY ON HALIFAX NORTH COMMON 1 PM MAY 23
(HALIFAX, NS: FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2009) Tomorrow at 1 pm on the North Common in Halifax, dog lovers will commemorate the sixth birthday of Brindi, a dog deemed "dangerous" by HRM Animal Services.
Brindi is still waiting to get off death row in the Metro Shelter's pound for ten months. Seized after three incidents with other dogs were reported, two without injury, she has never bitten a human. A Supreme Court justice quashed the city¹s euthanization order last January. But instead of releasing her, it kept her behind bars and immediately charged her owner, Francesca Rogier, with three by-law violations. HRM is using these first charges it ever laid against Rogier as a basis to seek a new euthanization order from a judge in June trial slated for June.
With Brindi¹s fate still hanging in the balance, May 22 will be a somber day for Rogier, who has been fighting since last July for her safe return. When she adopted Brindi in 2007, a vet clinic listed the four-year old mutt's birthday as May 22 to match her own. The real date is unknown.
At Saturday¹s event on the North Common, which is open to the public, humans and canines are invited to blow out candles on two birthday cakes, one for each species, and make a wish for Brindi to come home soon. The "celebration" underscores the love many owners have for their dogs as true family members. The law has yet to acknowledge this factor, or its positive contributions to society, such as the many ways dogs benefit human health and the economic boost of billions spent on them annually.
The birthday event is sponsored by Humane Halifax, a group of concerned HRM citizens in favor of improved animal control, which it says is arbitrary and often ineffective. Humane Halifax advocates the immediate release of Brindi to her owner as the first step in reaching its goal of reforming the city's animal policies.
Brindi recently left her cell in the pound to undergo surgery to remove four cysts from her back. Rogier paid for the procedure so it could be done by her own vet HRM said it would have covered the cost only if done by an SPCA vet. Fortunately, the cysts tested negative for cancer. The health scare was a further source of stress for Rogier, who despite many setbacks is determined to bring her dog back home.
On a more positive note, as of this week, Rogier will be permitted one 30-minute visit a week with her dog at the SPCA pound.
END
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