My Dog Votes Rally to SAVE SPENCER Today - 5 PM City Defends Right To Kill Pitbulls Run by Mayor Who Owns Pitbills
Join Amanda Kramer at the Mobile, Alabama Animal Shelter this afternoon at 5:01 PM at the My Dog Votes Save Spencer Rally to save him from a date with death. 5:01 PM is when Spencer's time runs out unless Amanda is able to file an appeal to stay Spencer's execution.
Amanda Kramer has stepped forward to rescue Spencer, but there's only one problem - the City of Mobile won't let her. Mobile, Alabama has policy of euthanizing pitbulls - categorizing all pitbulls as aggressive. Unfortunately for Spencer -it's a policy not based on science, but a policy based on ignorance. Breed sterotyping is akin to racial profiling - but for dogs - and is not based on factual evidence.
The CDC - Centers For Disease Control - will no longer allow their data to be taken out of context, as it has been incorrectly cited by municipalities and repeated by journalists as a means to justify breed specific policies.
At the My Dog Votes Rally, Amanda will send the City Of Mobile a message that fear, ignorance and urban myth that drives Mobile's breed-specific shelter adoption policy should and will not be tolerated by the citizens of Mobile.
Spencer's Law
Amanda plans to push for "Spencer's Law" - a law that would prohibit shelters and municipalities in Alabama from practicing breed discrimination - stopping them from killing healthy, adoptable dogs because they're the "wrong breed".
But get this - the same city that's defending its' right to kill pitbulls, is actually run by a man that owns pitbulls!
Is This Man A Killer?
At the same time the City Of Mobile is defending their right to kill Spencer The Pitbull, the City Of Mobile is actually run by a man who OWNS pitbulls! That's right - Mayor Sam Jones owns TWO pitbulls.
So the question is - can Mayor Sam Jones stand by and watch Spencer euthanized while there are people lined up to adopt him?
Can Mayor Sam Jones tell his family that he allowed Spencer to die because he's a pitbull? (I'm having visions of the judge's quandary in It's A Wonderful Life).
Will the dog-owning citizens of Mobile (Sam - that would be close to half of your city's households) lose faith in their new mayor if Spencer is allowed to die?
The Inside Scoop - Inconsistent!
While we're awaiting the court transcripts, it is clear from the get go that the story coming out of the Mobile Public Affairs Office is inconsistent with court records.
Dog Politics was told by a Mobile spokesperson Barbara Drummond that Ms. Kramer had not attempted to even visit Spencer. Ms. Kramer refutes that claim as she, along with her attorney, and a local veterinarian have all been denied access by the the man who runs the Mobile shelter, Mr. Fassberger.
The City of Mobile also stated that upon evaluation that Spencer -having once been pronounced stable, was now "aggressive". The court records state that the SPCA pronounced Spencer "aggressive" - but that a behavior evaluation was not conducted.
Amanda won't give up - she plans on appealing the court decision today - but she needs your help.
Message From Amanda
We asked Amanda Kramer what three things she would like the public to know about this whole 
mess. Here's what she had to say:
- Amanda wants people to know that there are good dogs in shelters -and they don't have much time - just hours or days before they're euthanized. If you are thinking about adopting - hurry on down - you may fall in love, and you'll save a life.
- Spread the word that breed discrimination is wrong - she's fighting for Spencer's life, and she wants you to help spread the word about Spencer's Law - a law that would prohibit Alabama from killing innocent dogs based on breed.
- Amanda need help from any dog lovers in Mobile to join her at the My Dog Votes Rally To Save Spencer in front of the Mobile Animal Shelter at 5 PM today
We hear a rumor that Linda Hunnicut and the Granny Warriors may even swing by to lend support! Turtle Moon Rescue and Best Friends are lending support but Spencer needs you today!
Dog Politics invites all of our readers to support Amanda - and get out there and let elected officials - YOUR elected officials -know exactly how you feel. The City Of Molbile is direcly accountable to the Citizens Of Mobile, according to this organizational chart.
Do it for Spencer -and do it for all of the good dogs in Alabama and elsewhere that deserve loving, responsible homes. And don't forget to tell them that come election time that
By the time I read this, poor Spencer has probably gone over the Rainbow Bridge! This type of stereotyping goes way back for centuries. It was wrong then and it is wrong today! Seems that we have not come out of our caves very far have we?! This is the 21st century. I will pray for this poor dog and will push for an end to this until the day that I die.
Posted by: Jan Dunlap | June 16, 2006 at 08:57 PM
Please save Spencer!!! I wish I could be there today but I live in Michigan and I have been following this story the entire way. All of Gods creatures deserve to live and also deserve love and respect....this poor baby was used to abuse, he deserves to be shown and feel what real true love is...God bless you Spencer!!!!
Posted by: Melissa Duncan | June 16, 2006 at 01:39 PM
For a city to stand behind a decision based on falsehoods and myth is unconscionable.
Spencer is a dog, first and foremost, and needs help-compassion and help. Not a death sentence because of the size of his forehead or the fact he has a close coat.
Mobile officials keep referencing "policy"...yet research shows NO policy. Research did find an Animal Control Board protocol in their city ordinances. But this is not followed, and this voter feels it is a defunct smokescreen...hiding a system full of hatred and prejudice based on media myth and hysteria regarding a breed of dog that is vilified in this so called free society of ours.
Spencer deserves what all dogs deserve. A forever, happy home.
Had Spencer's ears been an inch longer or his coat a bit fuzzier, Spencer would be show cased on the front adoption page in Mobile as a poor abused dog in desperate need of a home.
But Mobile has proven to this dog owner and registered voter that prejudice and hatred still take the place of compassion and caring. Strange, coming from an area that history shows lived the racial profiling and hatred game long ago.
I have crossed Mobile off my list of places to visit again, and have duly taken note of those officials who have not stood up for equality and fair treatment and utilized their common sense regarding a poor, abused, hungry dog who so deserves a chance at happiness.
Posted by: Leisa Boysen | June 16, 2006 at 11:38 AM
I am appalled at the City of Mobile. I was born in what I thought was the "wonderful city of Mobile" I'm so sad that a city would put to death a dog just because of it's breed. I noticed the Mayor was an African-American. Has it been so long ago that he does not remember people judging you by the color of your skin? Well the same applies to dogs. Why put them to death because they were born a Pit Bull? And talk about double standards! What if one of his Pit's were to get loose and be picked up in the city? Would the law apply to his dog as well? I probably think not!
I wish I were still in Mobile so I could help Amanda fight this fight! I am so opposed to BSL's!
Sandi Barrett
Posted by: Sandi Barrett | June 16, 2006 at 10:28 AM