Bruce did have a legal case pending, but was killed anyway.

OJAI VALLEY NEWS: BRUCE WAS KILLED BEFORE THE LEGAL PROCESS WAS OVER

Ojai Valley News reported on Bruce’s killing when it happened.

We are sharing it now because Dan Bolton, SPARC’s attorney, said what needed to be said.

Dan called Ventura County’s decision to kill Bruce a “shameful disrespect for Bruce’s life” and “truly sickening, particularly by someone in charge of caring for shelter animals.”

That person was Esteban Rodriguez.

And the point matters even more now.

Bruce was not killed because the case was over.

It was not over.

Bruce had an open and active appeal pending in the Ninth Circuit.

The Ninth Circuit had already opened the case and set a briefing schedule.

Counsel for the County was notified in writing and by telephone that emergency relief would be sought from the United States Supreme Court.

Counsel for the County was then served with the Supreme Court filing.

Ventura County was asked to stand still.

Ventura County was offered another lifesaving option.

VCAS’s own records called Bruce a “model citizen” in his kennel.

And Ventura County killed him anyway.

Ojai Valley News also reported VCAS Commissioner and Ojai Councilmember Leslie Rule’s warning before Bruce was killed: moving forward before emergency relief could be heard would “foreclose the appeal and the sanctuary placement” already arranged.

That is exactly what happened.

Ventura County did not wait.

VCAS did not pause.

Esteban Rodriguez did not preserve Bruce long enough for the court process he claimed to respect to mean anything.

They killed Bruce while appellate review was still active.

They killed Bruce after the Ninth Circuit had already set a briefing schedule.

They killed Bruce after Supreme Court emergency relief was pursued.

They killed Bruce after SPARC and counsel were still actively fighting for his life.

And now the public record is growing.

The New York Times.

People Magazine.

The Los Angeles Times.

The Independent.

ABC affiliates in New York, Chicago, Washington, and Los Angeles.

The Roggin Report on NBC Palm Springs.

Ojai Valley News.

Camarillo Acorn.

Thousand Oaks Acorn.

Ventura County Star.

Local media. National media. International media. Community members. Rescue advocates. Attorneys. Public officials.

People are watching.

People are asking why this happened.

People are asking why a dog VCAS called a “model citizen” was killed instead of preserved, transferred, or allowed to leave through a lawful rescue path.

People are asking why Ventura County claimed it “must now comply,” when Esteban Rodriguez later told the New York Times there was “no court order preventing the action.”

People are asking why legal authority was treated as necessity.

People are asking why the person in charge of caring for shelter animals made the choice to kill Bruce before every available legal and lifesaving option had been exhausted.

Esteban Rodriguez has a lot to answer for.

Ventura County has a lot to answer for.

Bruce’s name is not going away.