My Life At The Bar (A Trying Experience Part Two)

As you may recall from an earlier post, a few months ago I was cited for walking Lenny in the park without a leash. I decided to fight the ticket. Well, last week I finally received the letter scheduling my hearing date before the Environmental Control Board. The hearing was scheduled for today at 9AM. GAME TIME!

As usual, I arrived 15 minutes before the hearing time and ended up waiting half an hour before the clerk judge called me and the office who cited me.

I was a bit disappointed that it was a clerk judge and not a real judge, but I really wasn't all that surprise. However, I was happy that it was female clerk judge who I hope would have sympathy on me.

At 9:35AM, clerk judge Stein called us to her office. She had us both swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth (so help us god) and started asking questions. She began with Officer Perez who issued the ticket (actually might be a good looking man under different circumstances.)

CJ: Officer Perez, what do you recall on that day you issue the ticket?

OP: Yes, ma'am. That morning, we were doing our normal checks around the park and I saw her; the respondent with an unleashed dog. I approached her and told her that there is zero tolerance policy on unleashed dog. The commissioner and the mayor are very serious about this policy because they receive a lot of complaints about unleashed dog (editor's note: yeah right, I just saw a couple of dogs today running around in the middle of the park without leashes. Maybe the mayor and the commissioner should check our park once in a while). There are may sign posted all over the park (yeah the ones that have been vandalized?)

CJ: Do you remember what kind of dog she has?

OP: (looking at the paper - which clearly shows that he doesn't remember) Ah yes, it was white dog.

CJ: Ms. T, do you have any questions for Officer Perez?

JT: No your honor.

CJ: Very well Ms. T, what is your defense?

JT: (putting on my most sympathy garnering face) At the time, my newly adopted dog was with us for only about two months. He was rescued from a very abusive puppy mill, which kept him in a cage for the first 5 years for his life. So when we adopted him, he didn't know how to react to anything around him. However, while walking him that day, I noticed that his tail was up. Normally, when I walk him, his tail is tucked in and he is scared of everything around him. As soon as I saw that his tail was up, I took a picture of him to show to my husband. I temporarily removed his leash and took a picture. As soon as I got up to put the leash back on, the officer was behind me in his car and asked me to come closer to him.

I put my dogs leash on right away and walked toward his car. He told me that my dog is unleash. I asked him if he can give me a warning but he refused and told me that there is a zero tolerance policy in the park. I remained quite.

As soon as I left I noticed that he cited on the ticket that I was walking with an unleashed and uncontrolled dog - and that was not true. I was not walking with my dog unleashed and he is not an uncontrolled dog. I removed it for few minutes just to take picture. That's it!

CJ: I understand you are upset (no shit) but did you explain to the office about this?

JT: I tried to, your honor, but I was very nervous. It's my first time getting a ticket and he already told me about the zero tolerance police.

OP: If you'd just told me about taking a picture, I probably would not have given you a ticket.

CJ: Next time Ms. T, you need to explain the officer.

JT: I wish I had a chance, your honor. I'm aware of the dog leash policy but, like I said, I was just taking a picture of my dog. I never walked him unleashed and he is not an uncontrolled dog. He is shy little dog.

CJ: Officer Perez, do you remember if she was walking the dog and for how long?

OP: When I approached her she was standing with her dog for about approximately 2-5 minutes.

JT: That's because I was just taking a picture.

CJ: Do you have a picture?

JT: Yes (going to my bag, got my iPhone and show her the picture)

CJ: He is very cute and he was off leash (I just realized I may be fucked....they can use that as evidence....I have to say something....shit)

JT: I'm not denying he is not on a leash, your honor. But like I said, I removed it to take a picture and as soon as I got up, the officer was behind me. I was not walking him without his leash and he is not an uncontrolled dog as stated on the ticket.

CJ: Do you have any questions?

JT & OP: No

CJ: Very well. I will not make any decision right now. I will review the report as well as the take and make a decision in the next few days. I will send you the result by mail. If you don't agree with the decision, you can file an appeal and the same thing with you Officer Perez.

Enjoy your day everyone!

****

Dammit! I have to wait again! Now I'm hoping I got her sympathy and she will lower my fine. I can't wait for this thing to be over but to be honest, I kind of like going to the court. Hmmm, perharps I can join my husband's career.

Not Another Goodbye

Hello everyone. This was a really difficult entry for me, which explains why it took so long. As you will see, last weekend was quite a roller-coaster ride for my husband and me, and I needed to grieve before I started blogging again. A couple of weeks ago, we decided we wanted a dog. We were considering puppies, but ultimately decided on adopting a dog from a rescue. Now, my husband has a dog allergies, so we are limited to certain specific breeds. After a lot of research on Petfinder.com around Thanksgiving, I found the cutest bichon frise/shih tzu mix called Mickey Finn. After submitting my application for adoption, I received the disappointing news that someone had already adopted him. (Disappointing for me, wonderful news for the dog.)

By the end of November, I found another dog that I liked named Toe-Toe - a bichon frise. Off the bat, we know we love Bichons because my husband had one called Bailey who was the best dog ever. Unfortunately, Bailey died of lung cancer two years ago. We don't knows how he got it since no one in the family smoke. In the picture, Toe-Toe looked very sad but based on the description, he sounded like the perfect dog for us.

On Saturday, December 6th, we visit Toe-Toe in his foster care. He was sad but friendly and oh so cute. despite of desparately needing a bath. We took him for a walk and he seems like a very sweet and well trained boy. We noticed that he was limping a bit, but the foster mom said no one was quite sure what his problem was because the vet couldn't find anything. Despite of the limp and his desparate need for grooming, we decided to take him with us. We had a two week trial to see if things would work out.

So we drove out to Long Island with the newly named Henri to stop at the pet store and MIL's before starting our new life with Henri. He sat in my lap the whole time and didn't give me a hard time at all. At MIL's, we noticed he had started to bond to me already. He would follow me around the backyard, and whe I left the yard, he would try to find a way out. So sweet. However, the limp was still there.

We took him to our own vet to get a thorough check-up. The vet said he looked ok, but that he seems to have some tenderness in the shoulder, accounting for the limp. She did a blood work and would get back to us tomorrow. Finally we brought Henri to what we thought would be his new forever home.

We immediately gave him a bath, brush and blow dry and brushed his teeth. This boy was starting to spiff up quite nicely. The bonding continued, with him only eating if I would sit next to him. And despite the limo, he loved going on long walks outside.

On Sunday, we settled into a normal routine with the dog. Early long walk, feeding, shorter walk afterward, etc. It was then that we noticed, when inside, his limp was more pronounced, with him sometimes refusing to use the leg at all. Also, he wasn't playful at all. It seems that all he did was sleep on his bed. He seems depressed, having been shuffled around from house to house, but it was a concern that this was just the way he is - lethargic, without really giving much acknowledgement to his owners at all.

We eagerly awaited the result of the blood work. Finally, but 5PM, the vet called. He has high liver enzyme reading - it was a strange reading because only one of three enzymes was high, so the vet wasn't sure what was going on. If it continued, the next steps would be an ultra sound and then a biopsy. On Sunday, we did our normal routine with the dog.

This was devastating news. After having lost Bailey just two years ago, we didn't want to get attached to a dog who had a potentially serious illness which could pop up in a few months. That heartache would just to be too much. This is one of the hardest decisions we've had to make and we were on and off crying all day. But we had to do it quickly so we wouldn't get too attached to him and he wouldn't get too attached to us (which had started happening on both cases.)

Once we made the decision, it felt like we had already suffered a loss. The apartment felt strangely emply eventhough Henri was still there. To take our mind off the decision, we decided to leave Henri alone for few hours and go outside ourselves. This was the first time since we'd gotten him that he would be alone.

We gated him in the long entrance hallway. For a few minutes, we stood outside to see what he would do. At first there was crying and barking...separation anxiety. Then, we heard some scratching at the door. Could it be he got out over the gate? Well, the noise had stopped so we went out.

Upon returning, it was clear he had gotten over both gates. Aftaid on the destruction and mess we would find, we coutiosly went into the apartment. What we found broke our hears more. There was Henro, lying in the middle of the dining room, sleeping quitely, on my robe. He had found it, and pulled it down. He must have noticed my scent and it must have comforted him. Seeing him lying sadly on my robe brought tears to my eyes once again, knowing that we would be returning him.

Finally, on Monday night, just two and half days after meeting him, we brought Henri back to his foster home. It was very upsetting for both of us...me and hubby were both crying. He was such a sweet boy, and he had clearly started to bind to us. But with the risk of disease and what appeared to be othe ailments, we just couldn't invest our emotions into him and risk losing him quickly. We left Henri in the arms of his foster mom (he clearly remember her and seemed comfortable, albeit sad), and cried the whole way back home. Even writing this now brings tears.

This is the only picture I tool of him using my camera phone. I think it was
good that I couldn't find my regular camera so I didn't take too may photos.
This way it is easier for me not to think of him (which I do anyway).

Henry, I'm praying for your good health and I hope you will find your perfect forever home soon.