First the story of Stitch at the hands of OC Animal Care went viral worldwide. Then the story of Karma at the hands of OCAC went viral worldwide. Now Leeloo’s story at the hands of OCAC is going viral worldwide.
We have had comments and the petition to save Leeloo from the hands of OC Animal Care signed by people in France, Belgium, Canada, Italy, UK, South Africa, Japan, Germany, Philippines, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, Netherlands, Romania and Greece.
OC Animal Care is on a Wolf Hunt again!
Do you all remember KARMA, the beautiful Siberian Husky that OC County Animal Care also wanted to kill?
We saved her and now we need to save Leeloo.
Looks like Jennifer Hawkins the head “Veterinarian” is wanting to go down the same path she took with Karma the dog — she tried to have designated as a dangerous and viscious “Wolf Dog” — with this dog LeeLoo, who has now been impounded for 38 days at OCAC.
OCAC has seized another Husky from its Family without due process, has held the Husky at OCAC for 35 days without a 1st Hearing and is awaiting a DNA Test to see which percentage wolf the Husky will come back as?
LeeLoo, a beautiful German Shepherd/Husky mix, is the newest victim of Orange County Animal Care who has a history of desiring to kill animals who appear to have wolf heritage in them.
We all might be familiar with the case of Karma, wherein Orange County had her on death row for her alleged wolf content despite the fact that proof of 7 generations of purebred Siberian Huskies for Karma were filed with the Court. We received 360,000 signatures to save Karma and she got worldwide media and we need this for LeeLoo too!
Luckily, Karma was saved and allowed to go to rescue, but today Orange County is at it again.
“I see this as an endemic of the failure of Orange County Animal Care and Control to truly understand what exactly is a wolf hybrid” says animal attorney Christine Garcia. “Despite explanation of the Karma DNA test from UC Davis, Orange County still wouldn’t admit, ‘okay she’s a dog.’”
Today, the target is LeeLoo, a 3 year old German Shepherd and Husky family dog raised with a loving responsible family.
She was rescued as a pup. She has a history of being known as “princess of the hill” at the dog park and loves going on hikes and family bike rides.
“LeeLoo grew up with my son and has no issues with kids, she is just a big goofy, playful, and often clumsy girl,” says owner Kara Brundage.
On June 7, 2016, LeeLoo was taken for a walk out on some trails with a horse and friends. Leeloo was being playful with a little girl,
The incident does not meet County or City criteria for “severe bite” The bite was not severe enough to get a dangerous animal designation. Nonetheless, on June 10th, 2016 two OC animal control vehicles and two police officers showed up on LeeLoo’s family’s doorstep.
Orange County still has not served the family with a Notice of why they are holding LeeLoo still over one month after seizing LeeLoo without a warrant. “We were told that LeeLoo would be held 10 days for quarantine based on OC laws, and that there would be an investigation,” says owner Jeremy Clover.
It is now July 15th, 2016 and LeeLoo still has not been released from OC Animal Care’s hands. To date the county has not released any written statements about a hearing or release for Leeloo. The family has also asked for public records from OC Animal Care in regards to all cases involving similar circumstances as LeeLoo’s.
“LeeLoo is being labeled and treated as a convict, but has not even had one hearing to be proven guilty,” Says Clover “She is held without any evidence whatsoever of any wrong doing. She is being held merely because she is a shepherd husky.”
The County says they will not do anything until their investigation is complete with the DNA results.
LeeLoo’s family has been to the shelter twice a week to drop off food, toys, chewies and clothes that smell like her family (to let her know her loved ones are fighting). They are unable to have any access or contact with her.
“We just want her out and safe. We want our dog home with her family but will do what we have to, to just get her safe and in a place that will care for her physical and mental needs.“ says Brundage.
Orange County Animal Care currently holds multiple complaints for neglect and abuse to the animals in their custody, high kill rate, 5 Grand Jury Reports and a 24 page lawsuit forcing OCAC to comply with The Hayden Act, CA and federal laws.
This needs to stop happening by getting Jennifer Hawkins, removed from her position as the Director of Orange County Animal Care. She has proven through these types of tactics that she does not care for animals and the person in charge of Animal Control needs to care about them.
We are also asking for the removal of Sgt. Juan Orozco whom you might remember was accused of barbarically cutting a deer’s throat without anesthesia and was fired due to public backlash but was later reinstated after the public backlash died down, Why was he reinstated? Was this kept a secret from the people of Orange County?
Sergeant Juan Orozco is currently one of the ACO’s working on Leeloo’s case.
Scott Weldy, a veterinarian familiar with wildlife, was asked by OC Animal Care to do an independent review of the buck’s death. Weldy described the officers’ actions as “barbaric.”
“According to American Veterinary Medical Association guidelines, you can’t cut an animal’s throat and let it bleed out unless it is under anesthesia. That’s what makes it inhumane and unbearable,” he said.
The people running Orange County Animal Care obviously do not have any concern for animals lives and they need to be stopped!
Orange County Animal Care is well known for their poor leadership, horrid conditions, killing dogs when they have over a hundred empty kennels and overall bad treatment of animals who are feeling living beings reported by the public, by the staff and even from your own Grand Jury!
There are 5 grand jury reports against Orange County Animal Care and a 24 page lawsuit to force OCAC to comply with the Hayden Act and with CA and Federal State Laws which they still do not comply with. They think the laws don’t apply to them?
We demand that those of you in charge, TAKE ACTION NOW!
Sharon Logan has been involved with Animal Rescue for the last seven years and is the founder of Paw Protectors Rescue.
Opinions expressed in editorials belong to the authors and not Voice of OC.
Voice of OC is interested in hearing different perspectives and voices. If you want to weigh in on this issue or others please contact Voice of OC Involvement Editor Theresa Sears at TSears@voiceofoc.org