Sage Ninja
12-09-2010, 11:01 PM
http://www.pawnation.com/2010/12/09/brandie-the-death-row-husky-gets-to-go-home/?icid=main%7Chp-desktop%7Cdl5%7Csec1_lnk3%7C189078
Authorities in Broward County have good news for the Lipsky family and even better news for an 11-year-old Husky named Brandie. The famous dog that's spent the last six months on death row is coming home in time for the holidays, according to the Sun Sentinel.
As it turns out, Brandie didn't need the help of Gov. Charlie Crist or even St. Nick. In the wake of the November elections, a shift in Broward County politics has given the Lipsky family something to celebrate. Even as Mayor Chip LaMarca is working to change the county's zero-tolerance dangerous dog laws, the Lipsky family has been offered a legal settlement that will send Brandie home.
"It's a very happy story," Beth Lipsky tells Paw Nation, "It's funny, my husband and I are Jewish, and on the last night of Hanukkah, we found out that Brandie would be coming home." Although the wheels of justice are still turning, Lipsky expects Brandie to be back at home by 5 p.m. Friday.
Save Brandie
The dog's owners Lon and Beth Lipsky, along with a number of other Broward County residents, have been campaigning for the release of several dogs sentenced to death for violating the county's strict one-strike-and-you're-out law. They've filed appeals, organized a 1,913 member organization called Save Brandie, helped vote an incumbent commissioners out of office, and even appealed to Florida's clemency board.
"We've held rallies and protests. We even went to dog parks to educate people," Lipsky tells Paw Nation. "The community has been great."
Lipsky saves some of her highest praise, however, for a woman who was a stranger only seven months ago. According to Lipsky, Suzanne Citiere was at the courthouse with her daughter Nina when Brandie's death sentence was handed down. What started as an educational field trip for the Citieres turned into a seven-month crusade. Nina made her mother promise to help save Brandie -- a promise that prompted Citiere to write a letter to Gov. Crist.
The tireless work of Brandie's supporters resulted not only in the release of Brandie and her death row comrades, but also helped fuel the ousting of Broward County's former mayor, Ken Keechl, in November. According to Beth Lipsky, the tough dangerous dog legislation had been his pet project, no pun intended.
With a new mayor, Chip LaMarca, and Vice Mayor John Rodstrom at the helm, the new and apparently more sympathetic county commission is expected to reconsider its dangerous dog law at its first meeting in January, reports the Sun Sentinel. "I'm a dog owner," Rodstrom told the newspaper. "It hit my heart. It tugged at me, that people would have to spend $7,000 to save their dog's life.''
The family is looking forward to their reunion with Brandie. The Lipsky Family
Brandie's Story
Broward County, Fla., has some of the toughest dangerous dog laws on the books, including a one-strike policy for dogs that kill or seriously injure a person or domesticated animal outside its owner's property. Though Florida state law allows for two such attacks before declaring a dog dangerous, one attack is all that's needed to evoke the death penalty in Broward County -- a policy that's put at least 56 dogs to sleep since 2008.
As Paw Nation reported, Brandie killed an off-leash teacup poodle named Jack while taking a walk through her neighborhood. According to the Sun Sentinel, Brandie was walking with Lon Lipsky's mother-in-law when the attack occurred. The poodle had apparently escaped through the front door of his home. Though eyewitness accounts of the attack are inconsistent, one thing is clear: The poodle did not survive the encounter.
Brandie was deemed a dangerous dog and, per the county's dangerous dog law, received an automatic death sentence. It devastated the Lipskys emotionally, and the family has reportedly spent thousands of dollars to keep Brandie alive for the last six months at the shelter, where the couple and their 2-year-old have visited their pet often.
You Can Fight City Hall
"This arthritic 11-year-old husky lives in our house with a cat and a 2-year-old," Lipsky explains. "She's not dangerous, and she was on a leash." Lipsky says she understands that Jack's owners are upset, and she even supports dangerous dog laws, just not this one.
"It's really been an amazing story," says Lipsky, noting that the community support has sustained the family throughout the legal process. "I wanted my daughter to learn that you can fight city hall," she says
I'm glad this animal didn't get put down. I love dogs so much. I mean look at this dog with the baby here:
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.pawnation.com/media/2010/12/brandie-husky-deathrow-345ds120810-1291923920.jpg
I want to snuggle up with this dog.
Authorities in Broward County have good news for the Lipsky family and even better news for an 11-year-old Husky named Brandie. The famous dog that's spent the last six months on death row is coming home in time for the holidays, according to the Sun Sentinel.
As it turns out, Brandie didn't need the help of Gov. Charlie Crist or even St. Nick. In the wake of the November elections, a shift in Broward County politics has given the Lipsky family something to celebrate. Even as Mayor Chip LaMarca is working to change the county's zero-tolerance dangerous dog laws, the Lipsky family has been offered a legal settlement that will send Brandie home.
"It's a very happy story," Beth Lipsky tells Paw Nation, "It's funny, my husband and I are Jewish, and on the last night of Hanukkah, we found out that Brandie would be coming home." Although the wheels of justice are still turning, Lipsky expects Brandie to be back at home by 5 p.m. Friday.
Save Brandie
The dog's owners Lon and Beth Lipsky, along with a number of other Broward County residents, have been campaigning for the release of several dogs sentenced to death for violating the county's strict one-strike-and-you're-out law. They've filed appeals, organized a 1,913 member organization called Save Brandie, helped vote an incumbent commissioners out of office, and even appealed to Florida's clemency board.
"We've held rallies and protests. We even went to dog parks to educate people," Lipsky tells Paw Nation. "The community has been great."
Lipsky saves some of her highest praise, however, for a woman who was a stranger only seven months ago. According to Lipsky, Suzanne Citiere was at the courthouse with her daughter Nina when Brandie's death sentence was handed down. What started as an educational field trip for the Citieres turned into a seven-month crusade. Nina made her mother promise to help save Brandie -- a promise that prompted Citiere to write a letter to Gov. Crist.
The tireless work of Brandie's supporters resulted not only in the release of Brandie and her death row comrades, but also helped fuel the ousting of Broward County's former mayor, Ken Keechl, in November. According to Beth Lipsky, the tough dangerous dog legislation had been his pet project, no pun intended.
With a new mayor, Chip LaMarca, and Vice Mayor John Rodstrom at the helm, the new and apparently more sympathetic county commission is expected to reconsider its dangerous dog law at its first meeting in January, reports the Sun Sentinel. "I'm a dog owner," Rodstrom told the newspaper. "It hit my heart. It tugged at me, that people would have to spend $7,000 to save their dog's life.''
The family is looking forward to their reunion with Brandie. The Lipsky Family
Brandie's Story
Broward County, Fla., has some of the toughest dangerous dog laws on the books, including a one-strike policy for dogs that kill or seriously injure a person or domesticated animal outside its owner's property. Though Florida state law allows for two such attacks before declaring a dog dangerous, one attack is all that's needed to evoke the death penalty in Broward County -- a policy that's put at least 56 dogs to sleep since 2008.
As Paw Nation reported, Brandie killed an off-leash teacup poodle named Jack while taking a walk through her neighborhood. According to the Sun Sentinel, Brandie was walking with Lon Lipsky's mother-in-law when the attack occurred. The poodle had apparently escaped through the front door of his home. Though eyewitness accounts of the attack are inconsistent, one thing is clear: The poodle did not survive the encounter.
Brandie was deemed a dangerous dog and, per the county's dangerous dog law, received an automatic death sentence. It devastated the Lipskys emotionally, and the family has reportedly spent thousands of dollars to keep Brandie alive for the last six months at the shelter, where the couple and their 2-year-old have visited their pet often.
You Can Fight City Hall
"This arthritic 11-year-old husky lives in our house with a cat and a 2-year-old," Lipsky explains. "She's not dangerous, and she was on a leash." Lipsky says she understands that Jack's owners are upset, and she even supports dangerous dog laws, just not this one.
"It's really been an amazing story," says Lipsky, noting that the community support has sustained the family throughout the legal process. "I wanted my daughter to learn that you can fight city hall," she says
I'm glad this animal didn't get put down. I love dogs so much. I mean look at this dog with the baby here:
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.pawnation.com/media/2010/12/brandie-husky-deathrow-345ds120810-1291923920.jpg
I want to snuggle up with this dog.