Dead Dog Wagging
MayorBob.
Posted to Etcetera on Sat Dec 01, 2007 at 08:51:03 AM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.
When a person is subjected to an unprovoked mauling from a dog, most communities would show a little sympathy for the human victim. Some of them might want to know when the dog will be euthanized. Some might even want the owners to face criminal charges. But Princeton, New Jersey is not your average community - it's a well-to-do Ivy League town. And the human victim isn't your average Princetonian - he's a landscaper from Honduras. Thus, the community's rallying around the dog while the victim's the target of anti-immigration invective.
It was this past June when Giovanni Rivera showed up at Guy and Elizabeth James' home to take care of the yard. Rivera, who may or may not be in the US legally, was attacked by Congo, the James' 75-pound German Shepherd. According to the James, Rivera was frightened by Congo and grabbed onto Mrs. James, trying to use her for a shield. He received numerous bites and claw marks and he required 65 rabies shots and five days in the hospital. Eventually, he received a (US)$250,000 settlement from the James' homeowner insurance policy. Meanwhile, it was off to the pound for Congo, where a township judge pronounced him a "vicious dog" and the attack as unprovoked. Under New Jersey law that got Congo sent to Doggy Death Row.
There was solid sentiment in Princeton not to put Congo down. Indeed, during the trial, an animal behaviorist gave testimony that Congo was "simply doing his job" by "protecting his owner the way any responsible canine would under the circumstances." Letters attesting to knowing Congo, talking about how "friendly and warm" Congo really was, were given to the judge. Groups of angry Princetonians have demonstrated in front of the township office in support of Congo. New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine has been inundated with thousands of messages on this matter, most of them asking that he step in and pardon Congo. Corzine said he'll leave Congo's fate up to the court, but a spokesperson said Corzine would "love to see the dog survive because he knows how much people care about their pets." State Assemblyman Neil Cohen (D - Union) introduced "Congo's Law" which would give judges greater leeway in deciding how to deal with vicious dogs.
The furor over Congo had another dimension as people began venting their anger towards Mr. Rivera. Most of the anger has been posted on the local newspaper's web site. Virtually every story about Congo run in the paper has drawn attacks on Rivera and questions regarding his immigration status. One person commented: "The dog deserves an award. One less Mexican (sic) alien is a boost to society." One Hispanic immigrant observed things might have turned out differently if the victim weren't an alien:"Maybe they would have killed the dog already. This country values Americans."
Local resident Jonathan Eckstein asked that the legislature reject Cohen's "absurd legislation" to which another resident responded by saying the landscaper brought on the attack by being "ignorant." The matter could be resolved by the James' accepting an offer from the local prosecutor. If they agreed to Congo accepting certain restrictions as a "potentially dangerous" dog, he won't be put down. The James, who pled guilty to maintaining unlicensed and unvaccinated dogs, claim this whole case is "insanity" and refuse to accept the deal and want all of their dogs cleared of all charges and labels.
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