Sweet Home Alabama? Not if you're a dog!
In Alabama, first-cousin marriages are still legal but dominoes may not be played on Sunday (www.dumblaws.com). Oh, and if a dog happens to escape an abusive home, dragging a 10 foot chain on his journey to a better life, he better not do so in Alabama, especially if he has a short coat, floppy ears, and looks anything like a Pit Bull.
Unfortunately, Spencer made such an escape, but his journey to a better life ended abruptly when he was captured and sent to Mobile, Alabama's animal shelter. They fed him and gave him water...and five days to live. Mobile's animal shelter, directed by a Mr. William Fassbender, doesn't adopt out Pit Bulls. Pit Bulls, according to Fassbender, "can't be trusted." This policy exists, however, only in Fassbender's head. It's not written down anywhere (feel free to mentally insert an offensive joke about Alabama literacy rates).
Spencer didn't bite anyone, but he was born with the wrong looks. Fortunately, a woman named Amanda Kramer went to the mat for Spencer and filed a court action asking a judge to spare Spencer's life. The judge denied Kramer's request for an injunction, and Fassbender gleefully scheduled Spencer's death for 5:00 p.m. Friday, June 17, 2006.
Spencer's plight caught nationwide attention, however, and the Mayor of Mobile, along with Mr. Fassbender, spent far too many hours answering phone calls from people all over the United States about Spencer. Mobile, Alabama was putting Alabama in the spotlight, and it wasn't a pretty sight.
Several rescues offered to take Spencer, evaluate him, and if he proved adoptable, find him a home. Amanda Kramer even wanted to adopt Spencer. However, ultimately, Mobile, wanting to get rid of the negative attention, came to a stunning, last-minute decision.
Mayor Sam Jones struck a deal with BEST FRIENDS, a canine rescue group in Southern Utah. Fassbender agreed to release Spencer to Best Friends, on the condition Best Friends never adopt Spencer.
That's right, Spencer, who hasn't hurt anyone, is condemed to a life sentence in a Kennel, taking up space that could go to another dog in need, never to have a home of his own. The shelter figured that, by releasing Spencer to Best Friends on the condition Best Friends never adopt out Spencer, the shelter hasn't broken its policy of not adopting out Pit Bulls.
Now, we have no idea whether Mayor Jones or Mr. Fassbender is the product of one of Alabama's famous incestuous marriages, or whether either of them can read (since no one bothered writing down policy), but that would certainly explain their "logic" in thinking that adopting Spencer to a rescue isn't really adopting him out, as long as he spends his life in a cage, even though he hasn't hurt anyone.
Really, what Mobile, Alabama has tried to do is shut down the critics and stop the phone calls while not having to face its own small-minded, discriminatory ways. Mobile, Alabama doesn't want to change. Mr. Fassbender is on a mission to kill every Pit Bull looking dog that makes it to his Shelter, following his own unwritten policy. Spencer, at least, was spared an execution, but got a life sentence instead, all because he tried to escape the abuse of his past.
If you feel Spencer deserves the chance to find a real home, with people who love him, feel free to call or email Mayor Samuel Jones of Mobile, Alabama. His contact information follows:
mayor@cityofmobile.org
(251)208-7395.
We also encourage you to give Mr. Fassbender a call at 251-208-2800 or 251-208-2801 or send an emaill to lursene@cityofmobile.org.
We would like to thank BEST FRIENDS for taking Spencer.