Online Petition Creates Change For Dog Euthnization Law

More than $1,500 hundred people signed an online petition to change the rules requiring animals be put down when something violent happens, regardless of whether that violence is toward another animal, or toward a person.

Darlene Casey told KCOY/KEYT/KKFX’s Cory James that “euthanizing is not the answer, not for a dog that is perfectly teachable to behave a certain way.”

Casey said “If an animal shows aggression to another animal but not people, they should not all be mixed into the same pool.”

Peggy Henning and her husband, Kevin, started the petition a couple of months ago. The couple did it to save the their two dogs, Daisy and Duke, who are currently in the Santa Maria animal shelter for getting out of the back yard home and killing two neighborhood cats.

Kevin Henning says this whole ordeal has been tough on his family, and he hopes their story can make a difference and change the way system operates

“I go visit them every week my wife goes several times a week … they’ve been stuck in that little kennel for four months now… it’s kinda heartbreaking but at last they are alive.”

Changes to the law have been in the works for a while now, and it might mean Duke and Daisy are saved.

Jan Glick, animal services director for Santa Barbara County, says the county is “looking at are options that will protect public safety but possibly allow the animal to be returned to the owner or taken into a rescue or rehabilitation organization.”

The county is hosting two public forum meetings to collect feedback and suggestions on language to be used for the revised law. The meetings will take place Wednesday, Sept. 3 at 5:30 p.m. at 300 North San Antonio Road; Thursday, Sept. 4 at 4:30 p.m. in Santa Maria at 548 West Foster Road.

Anyone who can’t attend the meetings can provide electronic feedback by emailing sklein@sbcphd.org and jglick@sbcphd.org.