ACO KILLS BELLA, AS THE SCARED DOG RUNS FROM HIM

5/13/10 – KINSHIP CIRCLE
ACO Kills Bella, As The Scared Dog Runs From Him

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When Bella (black pit) and Jaxson broke through their fenced backyard, the ACO brought in to catch them shot Bella dead. Witnesses say Bella showed no aggression at all, only fear. No charges have been filed. On footage taken by Bella’s guardian Jeff Daniels via his cell phone, Deputy ACO Austin says he never saw Bella act aggressive, and that he shot her because she wasn’t worth his time: http://www.youtube.com/user/tjdaniels24#p/a/f/0/uWXzyZqIT7g

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SAMPLE LETTER – CONTACT INFO AFTER SAMPLE LETTER
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Dear Officials Of Cabarrus County, NC and the City of Concord, NC:

On 4/29/10, Sheriff’s Deputy Animal Control Officer Sean Austin shot Bella, one of two pit bulls who escaped from a fenced yard. Something is wrong when an ACO guns down a family dog as she flees between two homes. The scenario grows more problematic if that officer says the dog displayed no aggression.

When Bella and Jaxson got loose, witnesses claim the dogs ran into the yard of a neighbor who called Concord Police. Officers at the scene caught Jaxson, but Bella proved skittish.

All witnesses agree — in written and oral testimony — that Bella’s behavior indicated fear, not aggression. Jeff Daniels later asked Deputy Austin why he killed Bella and videotaped Austin’s response on his phone: “I’m not sitting here for three hours when I got calls in.”

Bella inconvenienced Deputy Austin, so he shot her?

I trust that an internal investigation is well underway. I urge swift punitive action, including suspension from the department. Deputy Austin violated the North Carolina General Statues, Cabarrus County Animal Control Ordinance, and City of Concord Code of Ordinances. Animals are still legally defined as property. When Deputy Austin shot his firearm in the city, he took away the Daniels’ “property” without due process of law. When he killed Bella rather than seize her, he denied their right to “redeem the animal.”

Deputy Austin’s behavior warrants charges and penalties. At the very least, the unprovoked killing denotes misconduct within the sheriff’s department.

Bella never endangered adults or children. But even if she had, why were no warning shots, batons, or other deterrents tried first? Please equip law enforcers with the knowledge to neutralize animals perceived as aggressive — without resorting to lethal force.

I encourage the sheriff’s office to learn skills to distinguish anxiety, fear, and protective canine behaviors (i.e., barking, growling) from genuinely hostile behavior. Ordinarily an experienced animal control officer can make this distinction, but Deputy Austin failed on all counts.

Deputy Austin discharged a firearm in close proximity of children. He killed a family pet with no history of aggression. His lack of judgment demands your utmost attention. Please inform me of progress in this disturbing case.

Sincerely,

>>>YOUR FULL NAME
>>>ADDRESS, CITY, STATE
>>>COUNTRY

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CONTACT INFORMATION / Cabarrus County, NC Officials
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EMAIL ADDRESSES ONLY
dbriley@cabarruscounty.us, pjpatterson@co.cabarrus.nc.us,
dwtaylor@cabarruscounty.us, pdhunt@cabarruscounty.us, info@roxann4da.com,
rwcarruth@cabarruscounty.us, gmynatt@cabarruscounty.us,
efpoole@cabarruscounty.us, coyprivette@windstream.net,
jwhite@cabarruscounty.us

COMPLETE CONTACT INFORMATION
Sheriff’s Office of Cabarrus County
Sheriff D. Brad Riley
30 Corban Avenue SE / Concord NC, 28025
704-920-3000; dbriley@cabarruscounty.us, pjpatterson@co.cabarrus.nc.us

Sheriff’s Department Animal Control Division, Lt. David Taylor
704-920-3288; dwtaylor@cabarruscounty.us
Chief Deputy Hunt
704-920-3002; pdhunt@cabarruscounty.us

Roxann Vaneekhoven, District Attorney
District Attorney’s Prosecutorial District #19A
Cabarrus County Courthouse
PO Box 70 / Concord, NC 28026
ph: 704-786-6171; fax: 704-795-2359
info@roxann4da.com (this may not be her current address)

CABARRUS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS:
Robert W. (Bob) Carruth (R)
186 Scenic Drive / Concord, N.C. 28025
704-706-9638; rwcarruth@cabarruscounty.us

Grace Mynatt (R)
1980 NC Hwy 73 E / Concord, NC 28025
704-788-1252; gmynatt@cabarruscounty.us

Elizabeth (Liz) Poole (R), Vice-Chairman
PO Box 1363 / Concord, NC 28026
704-782-4723; efpoole@cabarruscounty.us

Coy C. Privette (R)
557 Coopers Ridge Drive / Kannapolis, N.C. 28083
704-920-0180; coyprivette@windstream.net

H. Jay White Sr. (R)
5601 Meadow Bluff Ct NW / Concord, N.C. 28027
jwhite@cabarruscounty.us

Chile’s Earthquake And Tsunami: The Forgotten Disaster


LT PHOTO: This kitten, rescued from a quake-torn part of Chile, undergoes exam with SACH and Kinship Circle. RT: Kinship Circle IC, Traci Dawson (Team 3), stabilizes this dog as Chilean vet Chiry performs a procedure.

An evacuee camp in Talquahano, Chile wants to kill all its companion animals. People who lost everything in an 8.8 earthquake and tsunami can’t even feed themselves. They don’t want to watch their animals starve to death. Kinship Circle and SACH intervened with food and veterinary aid. But without more funding, we can’t possibly meet the needs of 30 tent camps along Chile’s coast…  Brenda Shoss, Kinship Circle

We need funding to treat animals and distribute food.
http://www.kinshipcircle.org/donation

**  CHILE PHOTO LOG: http://www.kinshipcircle.org/chile/2010-april-photolog.html
**  FIELD NOTES: http://www.kinshipcircle.org/chile/2010-mar-april-notes.html
**  CHILE HOME: http://www.kinshipcircle.org/chile


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SOURCE OF INFORMATION / REFERENCE LINKS FOR THIS ALERT
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Scott Taylor, scott@sterling-gaming.com
A friend of Jeff Daniels — whose beloved Bella was killed by Deputy ACO Sean C. Austin in Concord, NC — who contacted Kinship Circle about this case.

VIDEO: Officer Shoots, Kills Dog
http://www.foxcharlotte.com/news/local/92833669.html

VIDEO: Bella And Jaxson “Kill” Two Kids With Kindness
http://www.youtube.com/user/tjdaniels24#p/a/u/0/gVSAeXNfZsg

VIDEO: Dog on the loose shot and killed by animal control
http://www.wcnc.com/news/Pit-Bull-killed-in-Cabarrus-County-Neighborhood-92832959.html

Pit bull shot and killed outside owner’s home
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/04/30/1407884/pit-bull-shot-and-killed-outside.html

Animal Control Officer Unlawfully Executes Family Pet in Neighborhood
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=186448

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