Polar
By Sloane Quealy-Miner
UPDATE 7/13/11 – Polar is dead. Unjustly killed by the state of VA.
Apparently breedism, the canine equivalent to racism is still running rampant in Virginia though this time I am not speaking about Osbourne Park High School. I am speaking about Polar, the American Bulldog. American Bulldogs fall under some pit bull bans as they can be considered a “pit bull type” dog. Pit bulls are unjustly stereotyped as “vicious”, “killers”, and “dangerous”. For this reason I feel the authorities think they can get away with unjustly killing Polar with no repercussions.
Polar is a deaf dog “suspected” of being involved in the death of an infant though no one knows the details surrounding the death. The child was left unattended on the floor with Polar who by the way has no history of aggression of any kind. It is not clear how the child died. Some reports claim the dog must have bit the baby causing death. However the child might have also died from positional asphyxiation and then the dog tried to move the baby after the fact causing a bite. But because the parents were negligible in leaving the child without supervision, we do not know. Coincidentally Polar’s “owners” who were visiting the baby’s parents from out of town when the tragedy occurred will no longer speak and have left town.
Everything, including the investigation of this case by Virginia authorities raises questions and is suspect. Why is the dog facing death when it is unclear what happened? Why have the parents of the baby not been charged with child neglect? Why have the “owners” of Polar not been charged with child neglect? The dog is being blamed and held accountable for the stupidity of the people. I am sick of animals paying the ultimate price for the mistakes of humans. Place the blame where it belongs.
Numerous animal professionals as well as advocates around the country, including a pit bull rescue have offered to take Polar into official rescue. There was a vigil last night outside of the Chesterfield Animal Shelter where Polar is awaiting to be handed her fate.
Polar cannot speak. It is up to us to speak for her. We must do right by her and fight for her life. It cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Polar did anything wrong. She is a victim in this too! PLEASE repeatedly contact the Chesterfield authorities and let them know the nation is watching! If not you, who? If not now, when?
Please also visit the Save Polar Facebook page, which is run by the family that would like to adopt Polar! up!
CONTACT CHESTERFIELD AUTHORITIES Block of emails: robert.f.mcdonnell@governor.virginia.gov; ltgov@ltgov.virginia.gov; jaeckled@chesterfield.gov; rosed@chesterfield.gov; austinj@chesterfield.gov; ccso@chesterfield.gov; Dupuist@chesterfield.gov; Stegmaierjay@chesterfield.gov; MincksJ@chesterfield.gov; kozakm@co.chesterfield.va.us;
Governor:Robert F. McDonnell 804-786-2211Fax: 804-371-6351 robert.f.mcdonnell@governor.virginia.gov
Lt. Governor:William T. Bolling 804-786-2078 Fax: 786-7514 ltgov@ltgov.virginia.gov
Supervisor, Bermuda District Dorothy Jaeckle 804-768-7398 jaeckled@chesterfield.gov Animal Control: rosed@chesterfield.gov; austinj@chesterfield.gov 804-748-1683
Sheriff: Dennis Proffitt 804-748-1261 Fax: 804-717-6338 ccso@chesterfield.gov
Police Department staff handling the case: Colonel Thierry Dupuis, Chief of Police Dupuist@chesterfield.gov 804 748 1266
Jay Stegmaier, County Administrator Stegmaierjay@chesterfield.gov 804 748 1211
Jeff Mincks, County Attorney MincksJ@chesterfield.gov 804 748 1491
Mike Kozak, County Attorney (deals with Animal Control cases) kozakm@co.chesterfield.va.us 804-748-1491 Commonwealth Attorney (state, deals with criminal cases)804-748-1221
CLICK here to visit other BSL NEWS posts
Isn’t the state obligated to perform an autopsy on the baby, since this was an unattended death?
They are and we are waiting for this to happen. Initially they wanted to kill Polar prior to performing the autopsy.
Any idea why they are so eager to put down dogs that readily? I’m sure that if you asked, you’d get the standard answer that it costs so much to keep them, but I am inclined to think there’s another story, especially where the pitties are concerned.
No one has gotten any answers. They are not talking. And were going to kill her before the autopsy until people start questioning it. It is outrageous. Please continue to contact them repeatedly, thank you! Let me know if you hear anything.
Medical examiners report now in. Child died of a single dog bite and cerebral edema. Medical examiner considers the death accidental.
Now we are pushing to get Polar released even if she is labeled a “dangerous dog”. At least she will be alive. We are also pushing to get her fostered by a deaf dog experienced home near Richmond. Praying hard. There is now a petition going round to get her freed.
http://apps.facebook.com/petitions/1/save-polar-from-being-killed/
Hi, Is the petition what you want people to sign? What else should we do? Does the state of VA still want to kill Polar? Are the parents being charged with neglect? Polar is a victim too in this, people need to remember. Please get back to me. Thank you- Sloane
Hi Sloane,
The best thing we can all do is to make the phones ring in Chesterfield County, VA, by calling he people who are the decision makers. They are doing a very nice job of ignoring us…we’ve emailed an offer to take her, and called/left messages with no response.
We have gotten some action…..our conversation with the County Attorney revealed that he had not yet seen the autopsy report, yet Polar was slated to be killed the next day. Once we published that, the ME made a ruling that it was accidental.
Here are the folks with whom the decisions rest:
Chief of Police Thierry Dupuis: 804-796-7041
Donald Rose, Director of Animal Control: 804-769-7813
Please MAKE THE PHONES RING, and politely express your opinion. This was an accident. The dog doesn’t deserve to die, and it wasn’t a vicious dog attack per the Medical Examiner.
Hi, I have called both. left messages. The Sheriff is “supposed” to call me back. The other I left voicemail. I will call again. Please let me know when you hear anything. Thank you so much for updating. Sloane
Thanks, Sloane! I also called today, and left messages. No info so far today. Very, very frustrating.
It really sounds as though they are bent on ignoring everyone, and just begging for a few dozen people to show up on their doorstep.
Not terribly surprising. My county councilman quit answering my messages at least three years ago.
Rest In Peace, Polar.