The initial fight is over! On March 25, Municipal Court Judge Deborah Griffin spared Mickey the pit bull’s life and has ordered him to not be euthanized.
Exciting news, right? Well, I was very happy to hear of the outcome and had posted my excitement to social media. Many of my friends were in agreement with me, but many were not. I had yet to review Griffin's orders, and several comments encouraged me to do so. What do these people mean, Mickey’s life is still over?
Griffin had ordered Mickey to be microchipped, have his canines removed, neutered and to never be eligible for adoption. Griffin has given Mickey’s representative 30 days to find an appropriate animal rehabilitation facility for Mickey to spend the rest of his life.
She had pointed out that because Mickey was chained and had a “Beware of dog” sign, it was obvious the owners knew he could respond viciously. I believe there is much more to this situation than we realize. My biggest thought is that Mickey was protecting his environment and was abused by neglect.
Samantha Kabbel, an animal behavioral expert, was hired by the defense team to evaluate Mickey. She had stated that Mickey showed predatory behavior along with signs of abuse and gave specific examples of Mickey being subjected to corporal punishment. Thankfully, this was acknowledged by the court and helped spare Mickey’s life.
The first part of this fight is over. Mickey will not live in Animal Control’s care. Animal control, by the way, was also excited about the verdict. He gets a chance to rehabilitate and feel love and care from this new facility. The facility has yet to be chosen, but in my research, I haven’t found one that would scare me. Despite my social group’s viewpoints, Mickey was saved.
What about Kevin, the 4-year-old boy who was mauled? Griffin made a very strong remark during the court hearing, saying, "This is a tragedy. This is just horrible for this child, oh my goodness. But I think there are a lot of adults responsible.” There is a new petition that is now floating around for supporters to sign to get the legal system to look at the babysitter who had neglected Kevin long enough to make his way into the neighbor’s yard.
I am hopeful that, with the international attention that this local case has caught, corrective action will take place against the humans who are also responsible for this tragedy. I will sure be following it.
Reach the columnist at ceacret@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter at @chelsieeacret
Editor's note: The opinion presented in this column is the author's and does not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
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