TO EVERYONE HERE
There is an urgent situation at Devore "Shelter" in California for a senor dog named Sheba. The document below summarizes the facts of the case. The phone list provides the main parties in this case.
Please consider calling the parties listed as they all have an important role.

IF YOU CALL, YOU MUST BE RESPECTFUL BUT SIMPLY EXPRESS YOUR OUTRAGE. ANY BEHAVIOR OTHER THAN THIS WILL CREATE ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS FOR SHEBA! 

Please pass this along to others in your networks and ask the same.
Thank you for your help.
 
THE STRUGGLE TO SAVE SHEBA
An elderly dog captive and inhumanely treated in Devore Shelter for more than a year and on death row

Sheba, a ten year old female GSD was let out of her home at least three times over a years’ time and got into trouble the second time by getting in a dog fight.  Getting loose the third time triggered the animal control department to confiscate her.  Sheba’s 81 year old owner was required to keep Sheba in a safe, secure home and he didn’t. There was a hearing in July, 2019 and the hearing officer sentenced Sheba to death because, he said, “Going back to the owner would represent a danger to the community.”  The problem is that, there was never a finding that Sheba was unadoptable thereby invalidating the rationale for the county desire to kill her.  Well wishers, hired an attorney for the owner.  

Little has happened in the past year and Sheba has lingered in a tiny cage, never let out for the entire time while court hearings and meetings dragged on. On September 19 the plaintiff attorney advanced a proposal to dismiss the case in exchange for the county releasing Sheba to a rescue organization out of state. This was communicated to the county attorney who has refused to even talk about it or anything else since then.  Final briefs have been filed and the final meeting of the attorneys and judge is scheduled for September 11, 2020. 

This case boils down to the following

 a.) The county used an incorrect assumption to justify their destruction of Sheba.

b.) The county knows this and to insulate themselves from having to justify it (because it is patently unjustifiable) and they have gone “underground” in terms of communications with anyone about this.

c.)Multiple attempts to discuss a typical humane and fair arrangement, the same that are offered to dogs regularly with frankly far worse behavior histories have been met with “This matter is in litigation and it is not appropriate to talk about it.”  There is a hidden agenda with this county and it has to do with getting even with an 81 year old Hispanic man who had become difficult to work with over a years’ time.  They have hunkered down and are hoping that their strategy to black out all communications will see them through this case while the clock runs down September 11 when they think they will win their case and be able to kill Sheba without being held accountable for their intransigent behavior.

The following are the individuals at fault by name and by title.

Brian Cronin
Chief , Animal Control
(909) 387-9152
Corwin Porter
Director of Public Health Department
(909) 387-9146
Gary McBride
Chief Executive of County
(909) 387-5417
Dawn Rowe
Board Member
(909) 387-4855
Janice Rutherford
Board Member
(909) 387-4833
Josie Gonzales
Board Member
(909) 387-4565
Curt Hagman
Chairman of the Board
(909) 387-4866
Robert Lovingood
Board Member
(909) 387-4830
Matthew Marnell
Deputy Legal Counsel (prosecuting Sheba)
(909) 387-5455 

Michelle Blakemore, County Chief Legal Counsel (909) 387-3841

Greg Beck, Hearing Officer and Program Manager for Animal Control, Department of Health (909) 382-3926