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JusticeForJaxon         I'm a pet owner, just like many of you. My dog is not just a pet, he is my family,  my best friend. He brightens up my life and fills it with happiness. The saying "man's best friend" rings true for me as Jaxon has been the most loyal companion I've ever known. When Jaxon was stolen they also stole all the love, laughs and light that come with being his momma. Over the course of 6 years together Jaxon and I built an unbreakable bond and that bond is why I'm writing this today.  When I got Jaxon, I had just got an apartment and was living on my own for the first time. I was afraid being on my own for the first time that I'd mess up or get lonely and want to go back home, but Even on the hardest days Jaxon made me feel like everything would be okay, that he'd always be by my side and he never let me feel alone.   Now six years later Jaxon has been stolen and I can't stand the thought of him wondering why I'm not by his side right now when he's scared. I implore each and every person who reads this to please sign and share it so we can bring Jaxon home.  This is not just about us - If there is no consequence for breaking laws and keeping pets from their loving owners then this could happen to anyone. 

 

 

 

 Please read our story below. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

        Despite having identification tags and a collar, he was not microchipped - for which I have accepted my share of blame.  This fact has been used against me by the private shelter that now holds his location captive, blaming me for his theft. They argue that had he been microch

 

ipped, this would not have happened. But what difference would a microchip have made when they ignored every other piece of evidence pointing to his true ownership? 

 

      The law requires shelters to actively seek out original owners before rehoming pets - a law that was blatantly disregarded. They turned a deaf ear when their business partner informed them Jaxon was stolen property; they dismissed it when a police officer confirmed he belonged to me. 

       The question begs itself - would having had a microchip changed anything? Would it have made them care more about their legal obligations or ethical responsibilities? 

        My dog, Jaxon, a loyal companion for 6 years, was stolen from my famiy's home in Oklahoma. He was driven 25 miles away and abandoned in a parking lot.  A stranger picked him up and took him to his home in Arkansas for a few weeks.  However, Jaxon ran off and ended up at a government shelter, the Lester C Howick Shelter. 

    The director of this shelter claimed she had heard rumors that my dog was neglected and allowed to run wild on a farm that I supposedly owned - a farm that was allegedly on the brink of financial ruin. This couldn't be further from the truth; I don't even own a farm. 

     Despite not knowing any mutual acquaintances who could have provided such false information, she chose to believe these accusations - unfounded accusations that have torn my world apart.  Despite legal requirements for shelters to make every effort to reunite lost pets with their owners, this did not happen in my case. No effort was made. The director justified her actions by stating that I didn't deserve Jaxon back - but it's not her job to decide who is deserving. 

       According to American Humane Society statistics, only 15-20% of lost dogs are returned to their owners. This low percentage can be attributed in part due to shelters like Lester C Howick failing in their duty towards these innocent animals and their distraught owners.

     After receiving backlash from the public for their actions, the director offered a half-hearted solution - she called the shelter where my dog was transferred and told them that Jaxons owner wanted him back and was willing to pay for his transport fees. 

       The director said she had called several times and the out of stater shelter would not return Jaxon.  

     Due to the fact I'm not a resident of Arkansas, I asked the man who took my dog there to submit a Freedom of Information request to find what shelter Jaxon had been sent to. He had been sent to Wayside Waifs, a private shelter in Kansas City, Missouri. 

     Private shelters operate outside the reach of Freedom of Information requests which makes it  nearly impossible for owners like myself to trace our lost pets' whereabouts or adopters' information.  When contacted by police, Wayside Waifs claimed they never received the calls from their business partner asking for Jaxons return and had let someone adopt him.  Wayside Waifs was unwilling to contact the person who had adopted my dog only a short time prior. They were also unwillingly to give the officer the adopters information. 

     Due to the gross misconduct of these animal shelters the last few weeks have been some of the loneliest and most challenging of my life. The immense sadness I've been wrestling with since Jaxon was taken can be overwhelming, yet both shelters remain unaffected. 

      We demand that my dog be returned immediately without any conditions or excuses. Furthermore, this is a call-to-action to enact  stricter regulations on animal shelters who are seemingly operating above the law with impunity.   Personal bias should never negate civil rights. 

        Please sign this petition if you believe every pet deserves a safe home with its rightful owner; if you believe shelters should uphold laws designed for animal welfare instead of breaking them; if you believe no one should have the power or audacity to separate a loving pet from its family based on hearsay alone or if you believe justice should be served and Jaxon should come home! 

     Let's ensure that no pet owner has to go through this heartbreaking experience ever again