Niko Returns Home

Remember Niko?

Back on July 13 I originally wrote about Niko.  Niko was taken from his home and confiscated for being a "pit bull". The owners protested this breed identification. 

Eight months later, Niko has returned home to his family.

The owners paid a local veterinarian to run a blood test on Niko to test his breed ID...as another local vet had originally ID'd him as a "boxer" mix. 

Well, the DNA test came back, with about 1/16th Staffordshire Terrier in him, and so much other stuff (including Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Mineature Schnauzer) that the computer found the dog's breed "inconclusive". 

In other words folks, Niko appears to be your standard, run of the mill mutt.  So, Niko returns home.

This turns out to be the third lawsuit that KCK has lost in the past 5 months due to their "pit bull' Ban.  You may remember Roscoe's story and the heartbreaking story for April Nash.

In this case, the Kansas City Kansas Tax payers (who are one of the most heavily taxed groups of people on the planet) got to pay for Niko's boarding for EIGHT MONTHS while the legal challenge was taking place.  At a low-end cost of $10 a day, that is over $1800 that tax-payers paid for the "service" of keeping Niko from his owners.

Menawhile, everyone else should be VERY concerned about the precedent that this set. It should be noted that the DNA test (the vet used the Wisdom Marst test that uses drawn blood vs the saliva sample) was paid for by the dog's owner. In this country, we have this little thing called the Constitution that has a little clause in it that says we are innocent until proven guilty.

  In this case, the city presumed innocence until the dog's owners could prove themselves not guilty.  The lack of Constitutionality and due process is pretty clear.

This is yet another instance of the blatant lack of Constitutionality and total crap-shoot of enforcement that BSL is. 

Captions:  The first picture is Niko's picture at home prior to him being confiscated by KCK Animal Control.  The 2nd Picture is Niko's new pic as he relearns where home is.  The third pic is another pic of Niko at home after his return...check out the sore on his left front leg that he inflicted on himself due to the absolute boredom that came from being in a shelter without walks and love for 8 months.  The last picture are more wounds that came from his excess time in the kennel.   It's interesting to think that if KCK had found Niko in this condition at home, they could very well have taken Niko and charged the owners for neglect. 

Update: Here's the link to the Fox4 story on Niko going home.  Thanks again to Tess Koppelman for covering this story.

Comments

[Caveat]

So many cases where dogs are at a 'shelter' and come back in bad shape. It's inexcusable - can't the owner put up a bond while they await 'trial'?

Interesting about the DNA test, which you know I don't accept as reliable.

Since 'pit bulls' most resemble pariahs/village dogs/the original dogs, it only makes sense that a very mixed mutt would look much like Niko and other purported 'pit bulls'.

If all the dogs of all breeds were let loose to mix on their own, within a few years they would all look a lot like Niko again.

Breeds aren't species, they are minor variations within a species. Just as some humans are tall, some short, some dark, some light, some curly haired, some straight, etc, etc, dog 'breeds' are just variations on a common theme.

That's why the 'pit bull' is such a good choice if you want to catch as many dogs as possible, ie, limit, restrict and eventually eliminate dog ownership.

They are all 'pit bulls' in essence.

[MAC`s GANG]

Yeah I`m with Caveat on that DNA test.
I`m very happy he`s out though.

Are owners legally prohibited from visiting "criminals" in custody?

[KC KS Kills Dogs]

Mac's Gang, the owners tried several times to visit their dog, but were denied visitation. A call was made to the Kansas Dept of Health that performs inspections of local public and private shelters to complain about the dog being kenneled for such a long period. No action was taken by the state. The state kept stating they could not interfere with a city's individual ordinances. I believe that needs to be revisited by the state and could be challenged.

The city leaders of Kansas City, KS are buffoons and do not care about public safety, nor how they spend their constituent's money.

This pitbull ban is costing the city; every time they have to house a dog for long periods of time, every time they have to send AC to court, every time the prosecuting attorney has to go court.

Unfortunately KC Kansas has a long history of abusing it's power and weilding it over citizens.

[MAC`s GANG]

The reason I was asking was re "Rambo in Mississauga"

Owner was told it would be upsetting for all parties involved.
I think they mean bothersome for them.

I`m telling her to find out if she is legally prohibited from visiting.

I`m not interested in their opinion and neither should she be interested in opinion.

She can decide whether the visits are beneficial to the dogs well-being.

I wonder when the other side is going to get tired of their own nonsense?

I`m beyond tired of it.

[MAC`s GANG]

My comment has nothing to do with Niko but everyone can help The Ontario Legal Fund and it won`t cost you a cent.

A wonderful family is donating 10 cents per comment to our Legal Fund(www.bannedaid.com)

It is a violin recital by their daughter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IQbchyJBDU

They own a "Substantially Similar" Ontario "Pit Bull" and that`s the tie in.

Thanks for taking the time.
You don`t have to watch,you just have to comment.