Fri, Jun 08 2007

Shannon dognapped, perpetrators on the run

Is dognapping a terrorist act? It could be. Shannon was stolen after someone broke into a locked garage in Boulder Creek, California. A sticker was left at the scene by the dognappers. The Animal Legal Defense Fund, who produces the stickers, says that they do not condone such illegal behavior. The sticker could have been purchased and left by someone outside the organization.

The dognappers appear to be rogue radical activists who left behind a trail of clues and may have even been spotted by neighbors as they did their evil deed. They probably stole away with Shannon just as her owner was being picked up at the airport by the very person who had been caring for Shannon during the time her owner was away. Shannon has been implanted with a microchip and appears to be a well-loved, healthy golden retriever.

The Santa Cruz Sentinel recently carried an article on Shannon's plight and the news of her disappearance has been picked up by other news outlets, probably because of the terrorism angle. It's rather ironic that the dognappers, who may have mistakenly thought they were being helpful, may have hurt the cause of animal welfare with their knee-jerk tactics. And now they may have made such cases more likely to be prosecuted as terrorist acts. They got attention with their sloppy execution and vigilante mindset, but the attention isn't going to make them look like heroes anytime soon. And if they don't produce that dog in good condition, they could wind up being hit with a few animal welfare charges of their own. As a wise, older friend of mine would have opined, "Way to go, Numbnuts."

posted at: 07:40 | category: /Miscellaneous | link to this entry