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I am Mama to Arnie (an almost 5 yr old rescue Great Dane/Mastiff), and have been his primary caregiver for nearly 4 years. When my ex and I split early 2019, we agreed to co-parent Arnie, but Arnie has spent the majority of his life with me at my home. I have undertaken responsibilities for Arnie’s care, including scheduling veterinary visits and covering bills, paying for daily food and needed medicines, planning and attending socialization and training sessions, and conducting daily exercise and enrichment activities. I have made every effort to prioritize Arnie’s well-being and behavioral rehabilitation to ensure a happy and safe life for him. Being his “hoomom” has brought great joy to his and my lives.
In mid-June, 2020, my ex said he was having difficulties socializing Arnie with the new woman in his life. He asked for more time with Arnie to work on the socialization concern. While in their care Arnie attacked a dog, resulting in the dog requiring veterinary care and an Animal Control report. Disturbed and upset by this news, I made an appointment with a Veterinary Behaviorist to work on Arnie’s anxiety and aggression in an effort to ensure a repeat offense wouldn’t occur. Many localities don’t tolerate multiple offenses. I did not want to risk receiving an order that Arnie be euthanized.
Then, on September 1, 2020, my ex overdosed on non-prescription Fentanyl while Arnie was in his care. Because he and his now wife were heading to a hospital, I was called to come take and care for Arnie. After his hospital discharge, my ex asked for Arnie’s return. When I expressed hesitation to return him to such a volatile living situation, and urged him to focus on his recovery and sobriety, my ex became volatile and threatening. Within days of his overdose he was insisting he was “better” and sober. He was also insisting that the dog sharing agreement was not working: it was upsetting his new wife.
I have since learned that after his overdose, and while no longer having Arnie in his possession, my ex attempted to remove me from all of Arnie’s medical records and, on September 8, 2020, even registered Arnie—a Great Dane/Mastiff—as his “Companion Animal.” Thereafter, my ex filed a lawsuit alleging we had never been in a romantic relationship and had never agreed to share Arnie (even though he knew I paid for half of Arnie’s care after our split). Instead, exploiting my former work as a pet care professional, my ex said he had merely hired me as one of Arnie’s dog walkers and that I stole Arnie when my ex was in the hospital undergoing treatment for a concussion!
During the six months Arnie spent solely with me after the overdose, Arnie thrived. We had moved to a quieter mountain community with significantly fewer stressors. I helped to rebuild his confidence; allowing him to be at ease and calm during our daily activities. Arnie was also far less of a danger to others due to the population density in my new home being a fraction of density of the nation’s capital. Very rarely did he exhibit signs of anxiety and had no reactivity incidents, unlike in D.C. where he was regularly struggling. My greatest fear is after excelling under my care during those past 6 months, Arnie, now in the care of my ex and his wife, will regress significantly in behavior, as well as decline in health. This increases his risk for incidents, as well as, reduces his quality of life, which will shorten his already very short life span.
At this point the legal fees needed to enforce our joint custody agreement have become overwhelming. In order to continue to fight for my boy and ensure his safety and quality of life, I am humbly asking for help to cover some of these fees. There is no official trial date yet, but it looks like it will not occur before 2022! Anyone who knows me personally knows how much I’ve dedicated my life to my big boy and his happiness. After taking measures to protect him, the idea of losing him based on a false narrative, and purely finances, is devastating. So, I am kindly asking you to consider a donation, or sharing our story to help in the fight to seek justice and bring Arnie home to his Mama. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!!!!
In mid-June, 2020, my ex said he was having difficulties socializing Arnie with the new woman in his life. He asked for more time with Arnie to work on the socialization concern. While in their care Arnie attacked a dog, resulting in the dog requiring veterinary care and an Animal Control report. Disturbed and upset by this news, I made an appointment with a Veterinary Behaviorist to work on Arnie’s anxiety and aggression in an effort to ensure a repeat offense wouldn’t occur. Many localities don’t tolerate multiple offenses. I did not want to risk receiving an order that Arnie be euthanized.
Then, on September 1, 2020, my ex overdosed on non-prescription Fentanyl while Arnie was in his care. Because he and his now wife were heading to a hospital, I was called to come take and care for Arnie. After his hospital discharge, my ex asked for Arnie’s return. When I expressed hesitation to return him to such a volatile living situation, and urged him to focus on his recovery and sobriety, my ex became volatile and threatening. Within days of his overdose he was insisting he was “better” and sober. He was also insisting that the dog sharing agreement was not working: it was upsetting his new wife.
I have since learned that after his overdose, and while no longer having Arnie in his possession, my ex attempted to remove me from all of Arnie’s medical records and, on September 8, 2020, even registered Arnie—a Great Dane/Mastiff—as his “Companion Animal.” Thereafter, my ex filed a lawsuit alleging we had never been in a romantic relationship and had never agreed to share Arnie (even though he knew I paid for half of Arnie’s care after our split). Instead, exploiting my former work as a pet care professional, my ex said he had merely hired me as one of Arnie’s dog walkers and that I stole Arnie when my ex was in the hospital undergoing treatment for a concussion!
During the six months Arnie spent solely with me after the overdose, Arnie thrived. We had moved to a quieter mountain community with significantly fewer stressors. I helped to rebuild his confidence; allowing him to be at ease and calm during our daily activities. Arnie was also far less of a danger to others due to the population density in my new home being a fraction of density of the nation’s capital. Very rarely did he exhibit signs of anxiety and had no reactivity incidents, unlike in D.C. where he was regularly struggling. My greatest fear is after excelling under my care during those past 6 months, Arnie, now in the care of my ex and his wife, will regress significantly in behavior, as well as decline in health. This increases his risk for incidents, as well as, reduces his quality of life, which will shorten his already very short life span.
At this point the legal fees needed to enforce our joint custody agreement have become overwhelming. In order to continue to fight for my boy and ensure his safety and quality of life, I am humbly asking for help to cover some of these fees. There is no official trial date yet, but it looks like it will not occur before 2022! Anyone who knows me personally knows how much I’ve dedicated my life to my big boy and his happiness. After taking measures to protect him, the idea of losing him based on a false narrative, and purely finances, is devastating. So, I am kindly asking you to consider a donation, or sharing our story to help in the fight to seek justice and bring Arnie home to his Mama. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!!!!