Can criminal dogs go to prison?
By Jennifer Stoeckl, MAT - Dire Wolf Project CEO, July 26, 2024
Human owners are responsible for their dog’s behavior.
So humans are tried in a court if their dog breaks the law.
But yes.
Dogs can go to prison.
In fact, this canine prison, typically a 10’ x 20’ concrete cell, is often equivalent to being on death row.
In the U.S., animal control is the law enforcement branch of the animal world.
Dogs held in isolated captivity by the animal control pending a court trial may simply be euthanized.
A trial is supposed to come first, however, that doesn’t always happen.
Corruption, prejudice, power, and dog breed bias play a HUGE roll in what happens to a particular dog who lands on death row in an animal control facility.
This is EXACTLY what happened to Smokey, a DireWolf Dog, that was euthanized by Animal Control in Rhode Island in 2018 ONE DAY before his court date.
At the time, there was no explanation for the murder of his innocent life at the hands of animal control.
It appears to me that the officials didn’t think they were required to give an explanation at all.
But they didn’t know the extend of the wrath they had unleashed from Smokey’s owner, Adam, who eventually became a lawyer in his state to fight this corruption and win JUSTICE FOR SMOKEY!
Adam now tells me that his persistent work to finally receive answers and justice for his beloved DireWolf Dog, Smokey, over the last six years has now resulted in changed state laws.
On July 16, 2024, Adam posted on his Facebook page:
“6 years ago today was the last time i saw him alive. He was taken from me…. 6 years ago today, PAC [Providence Animal Control] made the biggest mistake of their lives. They tried to harass me, defame me, silence me and shut me up… and i became an ESQ [Esquire; title of courtesy for a lawyer]… And I won’t ever stop fighting!”
And on that VERY SAME DAY, I received a call from Jesse March about his wolf dog, Briccs, that is awaiting the same fate as our DireWolf Dog, Smokey, received six years ago.
Who knows how many other countless dogs and wolf dogs have been murdered by animal control after being VIOLENTLY taken from their owners.
Owning a wolf dog, such a Briccs, comes with serious risks.
One of those risks is local law enforcement.
Wolf dogs have a reputation for being human killing machines.
To be fair, this reputation isn’t always unwarranted.
There are many wolf dogs EVERY YEAR that seriously maim or kill other dogs and humans.
But not all wolf dogs are killers.
When wolf dogs are raised and housed properly being mindful of their unique and special needs, wolf dog owners swear they are the most intelligent, intuitive creatures they have ever had the pleasure of owning.
(Although we know that DireWolf Dogs are just as intelligent and intuitive without the wild wolf parts getting in the way, but I digress.)
Briccs has been in isolation for almost 365 days!
It is time to take action.
You may initially be tempted to turn away from supporting a wolf dog owner, but the truth is that many DireWolf Dogs look very similar to wolf dogs and are treated as such.
Smokey was mistaken for a wolf dog, which is one of the major reasons he was confiscated and euthanized by animal control in the first place.
Dog legislation in our counties and states need reform if we are to keep our beloved animals safe from the prejudice and misunderstanding out there.
- NO DOG should be kept in isolation for almost a year pending trial. Only the most hardened human criminals are placed in solitary confinement with a 15 day limit!! Almost 365 days in isolation is unacceptable!
- The 6th amendment guarantees the right of the accused to a speedy public trial.
- There needs to be justice for the person who was attacked, Laeann, as quickly as possible. This includes learning the TRUTH behind the actual canine attacker. The only way to do this is to SHOW THE DISCOVERY and GO TO TRIAL!
Regardless if Briccs is guilty or not of this heinous attack, the horrific facts in this case aren’t isolated to this one dog.
Her desperate owners simply want the truth to be told and to have their wolf dog returned to their loving home.
So many wolf dogs are abandoned, euthanized, killed, or given over to rescues bursting at the seams with unwanted animals.
The way our country treats wolf dogs is criminal.
That is why the Dire Wolf Project is a strong advocate for strict uniform wolf dog breeding and ownership regulation reform across the entire country, not just state by state.
It is also why we are on a mission to educate the public about the truth behind wolf dog ownership.
And why we will NEVER breed any modern wolf content into our DireWolf Dogs.
We never have and never will!
100% dog, 0% wolf™
Help Briccs and his family spread the word and get their wolf dog the justice she deserves before its too late, and she becomes another statistic.
https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-killing-of-an-innocent-wolfdog-and-fire-john-baird
If you want to help with the many upcoming legal fees so that Jesse and Decardo March can fight the bureaucratic system for their wolf dog’s release and pending trial, click the link for their GoFundMe page:
Oh…
And if you happen to be an attorney who is able to represent a disabled legal immigrant in the state of Ohio, please consider your legal support.
Jennifer Stoeckl is the co-founder of the Dire Wolf Project, founder of the DireWolf Guardians American Dirus Dog Training Program, and owner/operator of DireWolf Dogs of Vallecito. She lives in the beautiful inland northwest among the Ponderosa pine forests with her pack of American Dirus dogs.