Mon May 12, 2014 at 9:24 PM PT: at 9:16am east coast time, there will be more information published on piper's story...
piper is still being held by penny sanderbeck and the central ohio sheltie rescue.
the cosr/sanderbeck website has reappeared this weekend with this public statement from her attorney - i am posting screenshots along with a link.
let me make two things perfectly clear: sanderbeck is the founder and director of a public 501c3 non-profit that is incorporated in the state of ohio she operates COSR as a registerd dog rescue in franklin county, columbus, ohio.
secondly, the letter that is shown below the fold is published under the title "PUBLIC STATEMENT" and has instructions on how future attempts to recover piper must follow. i am NOT posting copyrighted material as this letter and the website make it CLEAR that the letter is a "PUBLIC STATEMENT" addressing the issue of piper, the dog, in the possession still of central ohio sheltie rescue, inc (and penny sanderbeck, as director).
i welcome your reaction to that letter shown below the fold and i am holding off publishing the diary regarding this situation scheduled for today - instead, i am publishing the "public statement" released by central ohio sheltie rescue and written by penny sanderbeck's lawyer.
here are the screenshots of the public statement issued by cosr's attorney on the recently restored website:
link to page from which these screenshots were taken:
for a clear reading of this letter, again, it is posted here on the cosr/sanderbeck site. FYI: the points in that attorney's letter have been disputed vigorously by piper's owner and those who are familiar with covatch. furthermore, i cannot prove that any breakin did or did not occur, but multiple people searching the police records locally have found NO report of any breakin or police response to a call. extraordinary claims need extraordinary proof.
i find it legally incomprehensible that cosr would claim reason to keep piper until her critics turn in someone who allegedly broke into her home because of the internets... wow. just wow.
now, compare this story with another: Lost Sheltie, DRAKE
or this massive effort to recover another dog who was lost after an accident in the desert(thus sparking a group of people whose SOLE purpose is to find, trap and return home dogs gone missing).
or this story...
about takoda and eve another massive effort.
the points here - and they are important ones
- if you have your pet microchipped and think that will insure his/her safe return, don't be so sure of that any more.
- do YOU have sufficient "proof" that you own your pet? what is "sufficient" - what is "adequate" - covatch offered to pay for a dna test on piper to prove ownership - she still has her dam, too.
- what constitutes "proof" legally if a microchip is to be ignored?
- does this make you uncomfortable as a responsible pet owner to read that lawyer's letter and the circumstances of this incident?
- is the director of a public non-profit 501c3 immune from criticism for actions taken by that non-profit?
as for my OWN dog (and horse), i now will have everything catalogued and kept in multiple locations - not just on one computer that might break down - or one location that could be destroyed by fire - and i will keep files on ALL my animals to ensure there is NO doubt as to legal ownership!
i recommend tattooing the ear or belly now as well. i recommend immediate filing of police reports when "property" goes missing and how along with all information from chip number, description, pictures, ownership papers, licensing (even if from another state) and anything else short of leaving your two year old at the shelter to identify piper should he/she come in. i recommend calling every single shelter immediately within a 500 mile radius (dogs can be stolen and put into cars only to escape at a pit stop or when a door opens). post flyers at EVERY location people have to go - gas stations, grocery stores or where food or drink is sold, fast food restaurants, paper every telephone pole, prepare to print 1500 fliers and more (buy a staple gun and duct tape), call petfinder, adopt-a-pet, scour craig's list, call every rescue AHEAD of time and provide them documents showing your ownership - send certified mail to those organizations so you have a record.
if your pet DOES disappear, escape, is stolen, IMMEDIATELY contact each and every vet for a minimum of 100 to 150 miles surrounding the area piper escaped.
contact the media and give them pictures and copies - so that should a question arise, they have early proof.
take your camera with you - knock on doors or stop people in the street and distribute those fliers. MAKE IT KNOWN your animal is MISSING!
i recommend that you never be silent when a dog goes missing simply thinking he/she will SURELY come back!
but that may STILL not be enough to reclaim your lost friend...
even if you FIND your lost pet, if that pet has been passed off to a rescue organization that does not adher to returning that lost/stolen pet to his/her owner, that may STILL not be enough without animal rescue organizations being highly regulated. that is my next campaign, btw.
the diary i am not going to publish today covers the law regarding owner rights for lost pets under common law and under specific case law in multiple states, along with a much larger case for the return of this dog due to the wrongful release by the shelter and the rights of a "finder" or "third party" to hold that property - but i am waiting to give the covatch the opportunity to contact attorney bell and give proof that piper is, indeed, her dog.
i am concerned, due to the tone of the letter, that even with proof written on tablets from the mount, it will not be sufficient for cosr - but i HOPE i am wrong. i will wait again to see if this is resolved.
there are no winners by keeping piper - everyone wins if the pup comes home.