SAVE HEIDI'S LIFE

#84: Guest - Dog's have rights too! 

Thank you for taking the time to write this very informative comment and making readers aware of the Illinois Animal Control Act. The Act is a comprehensive, statutory, and specific structure of defining and determining dangerous dogs. Hawthorn Woods claims they do not have to follow the State Laws, and claims it can even make its own laws which directly conflict with the state laws.  This is patently false, and the reason we filed a complaint in district court in the first place.  Unlike Chicago, which is a home-ruled municipality, HW is non-home ruled, which means state laws preempt village ordinances, especially when they conflict. Contrary to your comments above, The State Animal Control Act goes to great lengths to protect owner's rights and prevent the euthanization of any dog by establishing specific procedures required to find a dog dangerous or viscious, and specific requirements for owners whose dogs are found viscious.  In fact, if you read the Law carefully, you will see that the only circumstances the government can order the kiling of a dog is if owners do not comply with viscious dog confinement requirements, and only then, if the dog cannot be adopted away from the irresponsible owner within a reasonable period.  

And to clarify: The individuals that were bit were on our property but were not there illegally or improperly.  Provocation is a sticky issue, because provocation should be from the dog's point of view (legal precedent exists). Since Heidi cannot talk, we can only surmise her motivations. Dogs protect their family and their property. Heidi was sometimes timid and afraid of sudden strangers, until she sniffed them and realized she and her home were not threatened (then her affection and copius licking were pretty relentless). We know this: Heidi never bit anyone and continued to pursue the person. She nipped, then retreated with her tail between her legs. 

Heidi is a 28 pound beagle-mix who has been living in a 4x10 cage for a year and 5 months  She is doing remarkably well-- full of energy and affection when we visit her.  But Heidi is on Death Row and doesn't deserve this inhumane treatment, nor the ultimate act of inhumanity-- death at the hands of a enigmatic village Board and a high-priced, hostile Chicago lawyer.