My name is Ardita Flamuri. Tomie and Karma were my two Belgian Shepherds — loyal, gentle animals who meant everything to me. In 2026, I lost them. Not to illness, not to old age, but through a legal and enforcement process I believe failed them, and failed me.

How it started

My dogs were declared "menacing" — not dangerous — under the Domestic Animals Act, following an alleged incident that I disputed. I had a rehearing application pending specifically because the facts behind that original declaration had never been properly tested in court. A rehearing means starting fresh, as if the first hearing never happened. That application was still active when everything that follows happened.

The seizure

Council officers attended my property alongside police detectives who were executing an arrest warrant for me. I have video of that day. In it, council officers state there is no water available for my dogs on the property. That claim was shown to be false in the moment. My dogs were seized anyway. I believe the animal welfare justification was a pretext to gain access to me, not a genuine, independent concern for the dogs.

Fighting to get them back

I immediately told the council I would comply with every requirement of the menacing dog declaration — registration, muzzling, leashing, secure enclosure. I offered to transfer them to be housed outside the council area if that's what it took. I applied to VCAT for an urgent injunction to stop their destruction while my case was heard.

What VCAT told me

VCAT itself confirmed something important: its power only extends to reviewing a menacing dog declaration. It has no power to review a veterinarian's decision to destroy a dog on humane grounds, or the actions taken based on that certification. By the time my urgent application reached them, I was told my dogs had already been destroyed.

The part that still doesn't sit right with me

I was told, separately, that the dogs' condition had become critical while impounded and that euthanasia was recommended on welfare grounds. I don't accept that this is the full picture. My dogs were healthy when they were taken from me. I want the public record — and the court — to properly examine how two healthy dogs ended up in that condition while in the council's and the shelter's custody, and why my urgent injunction application didn't reach a hearing in time.

Where things stand now

I have an ongoing court matter connected to all of this, and I am not walking away from it. This isn't only about what happened to Tomie and Karma anymore — it's about whether people going through crisis, family violence, and financial hardship get a fair, accountable process, or whether they get steamrolled by one.

What I'm asking for

I don't yet have legal representation — I'm seeking a lawyer, ideally one with animal law experience, to take this case forward. I need funds to secure that representation and cover court costs so this case gets the fair hearing it was denied the first time.

Where the money goes

My initial goal is $2,500, which covers:

Initial legal consultation and retainer

Court and filing fees

Document and evidence preparation

If costs turn out to be higher once I have proper legal advice, I will update this goal and explain why.

Thank you for reading this far, and thank you for standing with me and with the memory of Tomie and Karma.