Justice for Cinder and her Humans!

This is Cinder.

Cinder was born and raised with children, other dogs, farm animals, etc. She is one and a half years old. She is very sweet and dearly loved by her humans.

Cinder has been falsely accused by our neighbors of being "potentially dangerous." The neighbors work for our local government, and misappropriated their place of employment by using the government letterhead for their statement to animal control, which they sent on August 26th.

Here is what the neighbors claimed in their statement: On Wednesday, August 18th, while the wife was making supper, Cinder was on their property with their gray barn cat in her mouth. They threw something at her (a cast iron pan, I think they said), she dropped the cat, and she proceeded to "growl and lunge at them." When I asked them how they got away from a lunging dog, the husband stumbled and said "Well it didn't happen quite like that, she growled and ran away." That is quite different.

I asked if they indeed own ONE gray barn cat. The wife confirmed YES. When I asked if the barn cat just hung like an opossum in Cinder's mouth, the wife said "No, the cat was shaken violently." When I asked what the cat did when the dog let go, the wife said the cat ran away. I asked if the cat was harmed, the wife said no. Tell me.... HOW is a cat shaken violently and not at all harmed? Not to mention, I saw the cat the very next day (this whole event was completely unknown to me at the time). The cat was sitting at the base of a fence post, and then leapt to the very top of the fence post. There were zero injuries to the cat. Then I asked what time the wife makes supper. She said between 4 and 6pm. Well, I was gone on Wednesday, August 18th from 1:30 until almost 8pm. Cinder was locked in her crate when I left, and was locked in her crate when I returned home. She never could have left my home or property. And she never had any wounds to her face or body. No scratches, bites, blood, or even any drool. The neighbors also said that they had seen Cinder on their property multiple times over the last six months, however I have no idea WHEN that could have happened. I asked why they never spoke to me about any of the trespasses, and the husband said "because he didn't want to cause a rift with a neighbor." He actually had multiple opportunities to speak to me, and never once mentioned any concerns or trespasses. Cinder is not let out unsupervised! We may not have a solid dog fence, but Cinder is either inside with us, crated, or outside with us. I don't want to believe that these neighbors are lying about everything, but I truly do not know when Cinder had ever gone missing off of our property. She would go down into our creek, through our ten acres of pastures, in the brush, but she does not have the propensity to roam. Let alone to hunt/kill/maim other animals.

The neighbors not only work for our local government, but they apparently have enough "friends on the inside" to get their way without any actual proof. I appealed the order, and met before the board in a hearing. When I walked into the room, there was obvious familiarity between these neighbors and some of the board members, as well as with the police officer present. I already knew I had lost at that point. However, I made my case, submitted all of the statements I had collected to vouch for Cinder's character, I had a professional Canine Behaviorist evaluate Cinder and submitted the statement that there were no reasons to ever suspect that Cinder displayed dangerous/threatening behavior toward humans or other animals. The board would not accept the statements. They skimmed over the behavioral evaluation, but didn't give it any thought. I pointed out the discrepancies in the statement that the neighbors submitted, especially the fact that the date was impossible and I could give proof that I was not home at that time and that Cinder was secured to her crate during those hours. The board would not hear any of it, aside from one. That one board member said "I cannot, in good conscience, label this dog as potentially dangerous without evidence." The other board members out-voted him. So, Cinder is currently labeled as "potentially dangerous," it was advised I not take her to any public places, she must wear a basket muzzle, she can be shot on sight if she is ever seen without a leash, and she would have to live in a designated enclosure. Even the animal control officer that issued the order, who had met Cinder in person, said in the hearing that she did not consider Cinder to be dangerous. And yet the board still did not listen.

Cinder is a GOOD DOG. She will bark at people that are new, but quickly warms up. She is still young and needs proper socialization to continue. This order would stop all socialization off-property. These neighbors clearly have a vendetta against me, or are accusing the wrong dog entirely. They need to learn that they should get their facts right before taking legal action towards someone. And that there are ramifications for misappropriation.

My second and final attempt at having my appeal granted is to have the case heard before a judge. I cannot do that without legal representation, I just don't have the confidence. I was already ignored once, when I entered the hearing fully prepared and with statements/evidence to support my claim that Cinder is NOT dangerous and that she could not have left my property on Wednesday, August 18th. This second appeal needs to be made within the next couple of days, and the whole thing is terrifying and wrong on every level.

I am a middle-class mother, stretched financially thin. I have reached out to attorneys and the retainer fees are terrifying. People that need legal help should be able to get it without using every penny they have. The case should be very straight forward, but is by no means a slam dunk. There are loopholes to just about everything. And it would require the neighbors to be very honest, which they have already shown to NOT have the "honesty gene." I NEED legal representation, but am completely overwhelmed in how to make it happen. This appeal needs the very best opportunity I can give for it to be granted. Whatever funds wind up being in excess will go towards building and expanding an impenetrable dog fence with hopefully some kind of security cameras on my ten acres. These neighbors are dangerous, not Cinder, and they need to be stopped. It is not just a lie, not just an injustice toward a dog, but it is an injustice to my whole family and it drags my character through the mud. I need the best attorney I can get to present my case and hopefully take the steps to shut these neighbors up once and for all. After this appeal, regardless of the outcome, I will look into a restraining order to keep them as far away from me, my kids, and my dog as possible.

This is my best attempt to protect my tribe, both human and animal. If you cannot donate, I beg of you to send positive thoughts and prayers that we will be able to rise above this, forgive the neighbors even though they haven't asked for it, and for Cinder to live the life she deserves. She does NOT deserve to be locked away and muzzled for the rest of her life. Cinder did nothing wrong.

From the bottom of my heart, and on behalf of my pup and my children, I thank you for whatever help you can offer.