Township says no to potbellied pig

by Katie Marsico

Nationwide contestants support Dogs Deserve Better in Chain Off 2006

    On July 1, eleven participants from across the nation began competing in Chain Off 2006, a grueling but realistic contest in which they attempted to live chained to doghouses in Mundys Corner, Pennsylvania, for thirteen days. The event was organized by Dogs Deserve Better (DDB), a nonprofit organization headquartered in Tipton, Pennsylvania, that strives to educate people about what life is like for chained canines.
   
    Though contestants were provided with unlimited water, they faced other numerous restrictions and challenges. Their meager provisions included a sheet of plastic, a sleeping bag, sunscreen, insect repellant, and access to food and a journal twice a day. Many participants found their doghouses cramped, and a few weren’t even able to completely fit inside. But competitors braved the elements, a no-talking rule, general boredom, and several elimination games in the hopes of winning a new Chevy Aveo. DDB founder Tammy Grimes is confident that, despite their rugged and often uncomfortable experiences, those involved in Chain Off 2006 helped raise awareness about the stark existence of chained dogs.
   
    “Our ultimate goal was to grab the public’s attention in a way that made them really get what life is like for these animals,” says Grimes. To help support DDB, musician Cheryl Hill and actor Adrian Zmed were present at the July 1 kickoff. Their encouragement spurred on contestants such as Ann Arbor’s Heather Ann Shirley, who remained chained for approximately 144 hours.
   
    On July 13, eighteen-year-old Pinckneyville, Illinois, resident Aija Nicole Gillman was named winner of Chain Off 2006. As for next year, Grimes hopes the contest will be even bigger and take place in a more prominent city. She is also optimistic that it will touch just as many—if not more—lives.
   
    For participant Don Lee McKendree of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, the Chain Off resulted in a major change in his attitude as a pet guardian. While McKendree formerly chained his dog Niki, the competition allowed him to realize the daily struggles and tremendous sadness that an animal in such circumstances experiences.
   
    “Don was the most affected of all the contestants,” attests Grimes. “When he returned home, he immediately removed Niki from her chains. He admitted that taking part in the Chain Off was one of the hardest things he ever did—a very intense and powerful demonstration of what life is truly like for a chained pet.”
   
For more information on DDB’s Chain Off 2006, please see: www.DogsDeserveBetter.com.

   

Kalamazoo couple fights to keep their potbellied pig

Eddie Johnson and fiancée Anna Tack aren’t sure if they’ll stay in Kalamazoo forever, but they’re determined to have Bacon with them wherever they ultimately end up. The couple adores their one-year-old potbellied pig but was ordered by a Kalamazoo County District Court magistrate to get rid of her on July 6. Referring to a Comstock Township ordinance, the magistrate argued that pigs are livestock and that pet guardians such as Johnson and Tack need a variance, or official dispensation, to keep them. Johnson is adamant that the ordinance doesn’t apply to Bacon, as she’s a pet and is not being raised as food or to create any other agricultural-based product.
   
    “All someone has to do is look at how cuddly Bacon is with Anna,” says Johnson. “At this point, we are doing everything we can to keep her with us, and I won’t house her somewhere else. We are the only people she has ever known, so I’m not sure how she would react if she was separated from us.”
   
    Johnson’s and Tack’s troubles began earlier this summer when a local police officer knocked at their door, asked if they had a pig, and told them Bacon had to go. A few days later, the couple received a citation when they refused to rehome their pet.
   
    Once in court, Johnson and Tack were informed that animals such as pigs, hogs, goats, rabbits, and chickens are regarded as livestock and therefore cannot be kept as pets in Comstock Township. As part of the magistrate’s ruling against Bacon, her guardians were given sixty days to find a new home for her if they were unable to win a legal variance. At press time a formal hearing had been set before a judge on August 21. While Johnson confirms that he continues to receive e-mails and calls of support, the conflict is taking its toll.
   
    “On one level, we’re in the process of planning an October wedding,” he says. “Situations like this don’t help reduce stress. But we’ll leave Comstock Township if necessary. We simply won’t abandon Bacon.” Chicago animal lawyer Amy Breyer explains that legal battles such as the one involving Johnson, Tack, and Bacon reveal the schism between how people and the courts view companion animals.
   
    “Many—if not most—jurisdictions have ordinances prohibiting the ownership of swine, goats, sheep, cows, and so forth,” says Breyer. “The idea was to prevent farm animals from being kept in a city area. Genetically, of course, potbellied pigs are swine. But in this context, the animal is essentially considered a family member, as opposed to being used for dinner.” Johnson hopes that this reality will ultimately be evident to the courts but feels his case will teach an important lesson either way.
   
    “If the judge rules against us, the public will see that we are willing to give up our house for our pet pig,” he says. “Regardless of how everything goes, I hope our situation helps people fight to change outdated laws regarding pet guardianship.”

Legislative Alerts!

Pending legislation related to animal welfare in Michigan includes:

H.B. 6095
This bill proposes that courts be able to impose consecutive (versus concurrent) sentences upon individuals found guilty of animal cruelty, in conjunction with any other related charges. There is generally a four-year maximum penalty in the majority of animal cruelty cases, and the suggested legislation would ensure that each sentence begins only after another one ends. The bill was introduced by Representative Pam Byrnes on May 18, 2006.

H.B. 6237
This bill proposes to repeal an already existing law that bans guardianship and care of wolf-dog cross-breeds. The bill was introduced by Representative Joe Hune on June 21, 2006.

S.B. 1328
This bill proposes the creation of regulations that would allow animal shelters to utilize certain tranquilizers to sedate “feral, wild, or difficult to control animals.” Specifically, the drugs would be used for the purposes of capture or possibly euthanasia. The bill was introduced by Senator Ron Jelinek on June 22, 2006.

For more information related to pending animal-welfare legislation in your state,
please see:
   
    ASPCA: Lobby for Animals!
    www.ASPCA.org

    The Humane Society of the United States:
    Legislation and Laws
    www.HSUS.org/legislation_laws
   
    Michigan Votes
    www.MichiganVotes.org