Friend Facing Time For Rescuing Dog

Hey, this is a friend of mine. If you'd care to sign the petition I'd be grateful. No derogatory comments. We do not have a Good Samaritan Law here and Steve's willing to fight for it.


https://www.change.org/p/don-t-punish-stephen-bailey-for-rescuing-a-dog

Here's the story - What kind of world do we live in where those rescuing animals are charged with crimes? That's what my friend Stephen Bailey is wondering after he was arrested and charged with theft for unchaining a dog who was stuck in a backyard with no food or water.Please sign my petition asking the Fulton County prosecutor and Georgia officials to drop charges against Stephen Bailey who was just trying to help a chained up backyard dog. Steve's next court date is this December 2, so we need as many concerned members of the public to sign to support him before then.
This all started on a hot day in July 2013 when Steve was taking his dogs for a walk and after speaking with a concerned neighbor about puppies who were running in the street, he learned about was a dog chained to a tree without food or water on a day that was over 90 degrees. The concerned neighbor had called animal control 3 times but with no response.
Steve, who is a well known animal advocate in the community, including a recent Fox 5 news feature highlighting his work, took immediate action for fear the dog would dehydrate so he unchained the dog. Once unchained, the dog and the puppies who were running loose followed him, the concerned neighbor, and his own dogs (who were properly leashed) back to their home a few blocks away.
To prevent the dogs from running in the street any longer, he secured them inside his fence, gave them food and water, and he and his wife called 911.
The 911 operator said she couldn't do anything about it and for them to call animal control.
They then called animal control to report, and moments after calling police officers stormed the Baileys' home, climbing the fence and tackling Steve to the ground, handcuffing his wife and the concerned neighbor and taking both Steve and the neighbor to jail!
The owner of the dogs had called 911 with a false accusation that Steve stole her dogs to sell them! (They can check the phone records for the Baileys' calls to 911 and animal control). And it turns out animal control didn't show up until 3 days later, which means the chained dog likely would have suffered for a long time.

Steve and his wife have rescued numerous animals from the streets of their neighborhood who were wandering loose, cold, starving, or injured over their 5 years there. They have paid for their vetting out of their own pocket and re-homed the animals after having them checked for microchips and canvasing the neighborhood to see if they could find their owners.

Our tax funded local agencies consistently & repeatedly fail to aid and/or enforce the law when it comes to neglected dogs so the laws in Georgia for animal cruelty and neglect need to be addressed and stiffer penalties applied to those who neglect and abuse their animals. But for now the immediate goal is to help an animal rescuer who was protecting a dog in need of help! Steve stands up for those rights and will not back down from that fight.

He is facing 90 days in jail for 3 counts of theft by taking. Please sign and help this man take a stand against animal abuse and neglect before the December 2 date by which the prosecution must decide if it's worth wasting public resources to punish Steve for helping animals in need.

 

I think I'll sign it.

But I can imagine many situations in which my dog might be tied up outside, over 90 degrees, with no food or water - doesn't mean they'll be there long. You don't have to have a water bowl in front of your dog all day, you can move them out of the way or leave them out because you're almost ready to leave or whatever. The speed with which he was apprehended attests to the fact that the dog was not just abandoned there - he could have knocked on the door or something.

I'd do something a lot worse than call the cops to someone who took my dog. Some dogs are valuable - that someone stole it because it is valuable is not a bad assumption to make.

 

A good lawyer is needed.

 

I should get this through my normal channels... Should be on my desktop tomorrow.

 

He has an attorney who has records of every phone call made etc. He got discovery today and the prosecution had one witness - the dog owner - she no longer lives there and will be difficult to find. She's on probation for robbery, assault, possesion, and one other charge.

 

In Atlanta it is illegal to tether a dog unless you are present with it. The owner was not home.

 

took 5 yrs for animal control to remove the neighbors dogs.

 

Poor dog, I hope it got a good outcome.

Signed

 

She had the dog chained the same night while the news was there.

http://bcove.me/wjau84tl


Steve says 2 days before the incident, when he walked his dogs past the neighbors house, the dog jumped over the fence and was hanging himself because he was chained. Steve had to push the dog back up over the fence to keep it from dying that day.

 

i say take the 90 days and use it like 50 Cent used getting shot 9 times!

now u got street cred as a hardcore animal rights activists who doesnt fuck around!

 

https://www.usinquirer.com/records/416183
this dogs owner criminal report , not much there.. but wondering if she feels like once convicted/accused of robbery her turn for pay backs ..

 

Yeah, she was really stupid to say that Steve and Sherry stole the dogs to sell. That's some accusation.

 

He has all sorts of calls prior to actually physically rescuing the dog himself.....he should NOT be punished for this

Plus where is the lady who lied and said he wanted to sell the dogs ? She should be the one who is in trouble .

 

Did you mean that he should not be punished?

 

Yes I did ...Im still waking up

He should NOT be punished for this he did a good deed

 

I was exhausted trying to get the local dogs rescued. Making ice blocks in the summer, tossing them meats , using garden hose with pressure attachment to reach them. A few times those stupid people would be like what you doing to our dogs. Giving them water and food something you should be doing. Even tho very close up the alley, I never attempted to personally take them. How many times I wanted to, I just didnt for a few reasons. Knowing they may retaliate and harm my dog, damage my car, or other property, and or have me arrested. Took 5yrs but it was worth it when a SWAT type animal rescue team come, kicked the doors in, arrested them, confiscated the dogs, fined them, prevented them from ever owning another animal ..

What is necessary for the animal control to build a case against them.. While a few dogs may suffer in the meantime. Many dogs may be saved in the future. Hard to accept when watching an animal/s suffer.

 

How are the police standing by the arrest when the Atlanta law says you can't chain dogs up?

Why has the woman got them chained on the news and verbally saying she only chains them to go to the store? Wouldn't it have looked better for her case if she had them off playing and what not???

Hopefully your friends petition can make a difference.

 

I think it's two different cases. With no Good Samaritan type laws in place the police see black and white. He entered her property and unchained her dog.

I think the fact that an animal is tethered out with no supervision is a case for animal control.

 

based on that I'm gonna say this will probably go nowhere unless the city decides to press charges, which is highly unlikely.

 

I am so sorry for friend is going thru this..... I hope he comes off a strong winner