Target: Laurie Jinkins, Speaker of Washington House of Representatives
Goal: Support stronger oversight for people who work in facilities that care for and house animals.
Expectant parents who entrusted their pet dog Mitch to a kennel allegedly had their trust violated in the worst possible way. After Anthony and Neela Brocato welcomed a new child into the world, they went to retrieve their labrador retriever from Seattle’s Lazy Dog, Crazy Dog Daycare. Instead, they were reportedly met with tragedy, as their beloved pet had been taken to an emergency veterinary center and declared dead. Apparently, veterinary providers had undertaken CPR on Mitch for over 20 minutes, to no avail. But the worst news was yet to come.
Footage was retrieved from the daycare center that reportedly showed an employee, Dejean Bowens, kicking and punching Mitch as the terrified dog apparently attempted to escape. Bowens had allegedly become enraged after the dog knocked over an object. To make matters worse, aid reportedly wasn’t sought for Mitch until at least an hour after the alleged assault. Bowens has been charged with first-degree animal cruelty, but what about the kennel that hired a seemingly dangerous person to care for vulnerable living beings?
Sign the petition below to demand much higher standards for animal caretakers in Washington and beyond.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Speaker Jinkins,
A young labrador retriever lost his life because of alleged deadly abuse at a Seattle dog daycare center. This animal left behind a heartbroken family. Across the state and across the nation, far too many similar tragedies take place involving professional animal caretakers inflicting abuse, neglect, and sometimes fatal cruelty against innocent living beings.
Unfortunately, standards for regulating these caretakers are a patchwork of differing local guidelines and often focus more on zoning practices than animal welfare. Please create uniform and comprehensive standards and laws that ensure strict, rigorous vetting takes place for any individual who wants to care for animals as a profession. Pet parents should have the assurance that their beloved family members are in safe, compassionate, and qualified hands. Set a precedent that the rest of the nation can emulate.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Helena Lopes
