UPDATE 11/25/14
Thanks to the power of social media and people banding together, O’Hara won’t have to say good-bye to Zeus!
Due to the overwhelming response to the petition as well as the Save Zeus Facebook Page, Moreauville Alderman Penn Lemoine has announced that he,the city board and the mayor will reconvene to to address the ordinance due to the backlash, indicating they will probably overturn the ban. In fact, the Dec. 1st deadline date is already null!
He admitted the ordinance was badly worded and in error, as NOLA reported: “It was a mistake. And it’s got to be redone and reworded. And this Dec. 1 date is not going to happen.”
Congrats to the Owens family and all those who banded together to help save this loved pup!
Original Story, Posted 11/24/14
Due to a recent ordinance passed in Moreauville, Louisiana that takes effect Dec. 1, the Owens family’s beloved Pit Bull Zeus is in danger of being impounded and possibly euthanized. The ordinance, which was voted on October 13th, bans the ownership of “vicious dogs” such as Pit Bulls and Rottweilers in the village.
Their daughter O’Hara Owens is particularly distraught. O’Hara, who has to use a neck brace and a wheelchair due to the severe neck problems she faces, often turns to Zeus for comfort. As she told KALB-TV, he’s her “therapy dog…I can sit here if I’m in pain, he comes and he notices it before I even make any noise.”
However, this means little to those in Moreauville who are behind the ordinance, who claim dogs were “running the town.” Yet when questioned regarding any recent dog attacks, the city was unable to give any documented reports. Additionally, as CNN reported, the ASPCA and the White House have indicated that specific breed legislation is less effective in curbing violent incidents than laws aimed at owner responsibility for pet behavior.
The Owens family isn’t going down without a fight. They’ve started a Facebook page as well as a petition to save their beloved Zeus. They have over 180,000 signatures already, but they still need around 20,000 to reach their goal!
It’s no secret that over here at the BarkPost we ruv all dogs. We really want to help save Zeus. We’ve offered them free use of our legal team and we’re promoting their cause as much as we can. What else should we be doing? If you have any suggestions please let us know, or contact the family directly!
