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I added the following note to Jen's post in case anyone missed it:

This poem was written by Patti Ragsdale as a dedication to Tammy Grimes who rescued Doogie and was jailed on charges of theft for her concern and compassion in taking Doogie to the vet.

Tammy Grimes is the owner of the fantastic site, Dogs Deserve Better. If you've missed the on-going national TV coverage of this case, you can read about Doogie and Tammy on Tammy's site.

Yes, it is a great site. That's why she's on the front door of my web site and has been for several, several years.

I might add, if you didn't click on the "Doogie" link in my edit of Jen's OP or in my quote, it's a very pitiful video from September 11, 2006, the day he was rescued by Tammy. You will have to sign up for YouTube if you don't have an account because its content is blocked from minors. Also, you'll need to read her page on her web site from bottom to top. Most current events (yes, it's still on-going and she's still fighting with all she has) are listed first.

And, just to let y'all know, Doogie peacefully went to the Bridge March 1, 2007. He was 19 years old, according to his abusers. At least he was loved and cherished those last 5 months of his long, long, tormented, hellish life.

No, sadly, the police normally don't get involved in the average American town or city. We have animal control people by city and/or county levels, most who aren't trained to deal with abusive owners, such as the Arnolds. Only in places where the ASPCA has services (like Houston, Texas and New York, New York) are AC officers even armed and able to make arrests in abuse cases. Police are called only if the animal is vicious and has to be shot instead of taken into AC to be humanely euthanized. If AC determines there's abuse, they will call the police so that there's a police report made. Then there may or may not be a "hearing" to determine if it's indeed abuse. To make matters worse, as you can tell by reading Tammy's case, we have uneducated judges who convict the rescuer instead of the abuser because in America, animals are considered property, not living beings. Like she said, animals are considered garbage to be thrown away.

This is her September 2007 statement. Please take note at how many times then Doogie's video had been viewed on YouTube.

Mr. Consiglio has stated that 'the Grimes case has nothing to do with canine rights.' On the contrary, this case has everything to do with Doogie's rights - his right to live free of abuse being already inherent in Pennsylvania anti-cruelty laws.

Whether you bar the evidence or not, the fact remains that laws were being broken for at least three days before I got there. Yet you've shown no interest in pursuing cruelty charges against the perpetrators.

It's a shame you choose not to uphold those laws, especially when the Michael Vick case clearly shows that most of America actually CARES about Man's Best Friend. I'm sorry the police force of East Freedom, Pennsylvania and District Attorney Richard Consiglio apparently do not.

My case not only has to do with the right of a dog not to be abused as per already-existing Pennsylvania laws, but also has to do with MY rights - my right to defend myself in a court of law being first and foremost.

If you take away my right to defend myself, which is what you are seeking to do, then let me go ahead and make it easy for you:

I T-O-O-K T-H-E D-O-G.
Throw me in jail.
I will not pay you a dime.

I have the right to defend my actions, and without evidence I have no defense.

This case has nothing to do with theft and everything to do with inadequacy. Inadequacy of enforcement, inadequacy of investigation, and inadequacy of prosecution.

In seeking to convict me, you actually seek instead to cover up your own inadequacies.

I will gladly go to jail for Doogie, and I would do so a thousand times over. I am not scared nor intimidated. Barring my evidence cannot stop it from being viewed by the public, which has happened over 50,000 times on YouTube, as well as on local and national news. You may seek to hide the truth, but the truth always finds its way out.

Doogie's truth is my truth, and HIS truth WILL set us BOTH free.