North Bay Animal Services in Petaluma came to my home when my dogs got out of the yard and took 5 of my dogs.
At the time, I was under the impression that I had no other choice but to give up my dogs. If
I knew, I had the choice to say no, I would have.
Later I spoke with Mark Scott the director of North Bay Animal Services and I feel that I was persuaded to sign a surrender agreement, Mark manipulated me by telling me if I didn’t do the right thing now, if I put up barriers then he could not help me and that I would end up losing everything and that he was trying to save me.
He said he just wanted to help me get them fixed and that I could find them homes as I was clear that I wanted the dogs I couldn’t keep due to there being a limit on the number of dogs a house a can have to be homed with family and friends so that I could remain in their lives.
I am emotionally disabled and suffer from social anxiety, ptsd, aspergers, and ADD and verbal communication is one of my greatest struggles.
I feel that Mark tricked me by intentionally giving me misleading information so that I would agree to let him “help”
Since my dogs have been gone I have slipped into a depression that I am unable to shake, I email and call and neither are responded to.
I went to Petaluma to get my dogs and the shelter said that my dogs were in the back where the public does not have access to. I called the petaluma police department and the officers claimed to not have the authority to have North Bay Animal Services give me my dogs.
Mark at one point was on the phone and said that if I was calm I could see my dogs but the shelter staff did not follow through and then told the police that the dogs were not there. Mark insisted that I go to Windsor and talk to him. I told him that there was nothing to talk about. I wanted my dogs and that wasn’t going to change. My disabilities are the barrier that makes verbal communication difficult and it is unfair to demand me to “push” through them and do as Mark is asking.
My request is clear and firm. I want my dogs. I do not want them at North Bay. The shelter has a lot of shady aspects and I do not want my dogs to be the next death by mistake or any other possible misfortune outcome.
I feel that petaluma police were bias as they and Mark are in the same line of work and its like a club member pack. I feel that my disabilities made me an easy target and that were used against me to get me to allow mark to take my dogs,
Mark says a lot of good stuff and makes promises that sound like everything is going to be ok but there is no follow through and I do not feel comfortable with my animals in his care,
I want to appeal and will keep doing so until my dogs are returned whatever I need to do to get them back will be done,
I don’t want to take the road to filing a lawsuit but if there is no action by the end of the week that will be my next move.
I have reached out to members of the government and will be sending over copies of every email letter, video and any other piece of evidence to the media.
I am not trying to cause trouble I just want my dogs back with shelters being over filled and there being so many animals at risk of being killed I am unable to see why returning my dogs is so hard for mark to do. If resources are so limited why fight to spread yourself thinner the only thing I can think is that like any other business an animal shelter needs animals to in order to get funding and to gain the support of the community I went to mark before about two puppies that were found in a parking lot in lake county and he said that it was out of jurisdiction even though his organization services lake county as well he told me to basically tell the lady sorry and send the pups back with her because resources were so limited but then the following week went to a county he does not service using county transportation to get 12 dogs im not sure the number but it can be found in the newspaper because of course it was a nice touch and story for the public.
I just want my dogs and I won’t stop until I have them back. I will keep emailing and requesting audits, court records, background checks and other reports and I will share with the public everything I learn.
What is happening is not right and something needs to be done anybody of government that has the power to help and chooses to look the other way is guilty as well and will added to any lawsuit that may arise for being in conspiracy to abuse power under the color of law and acting in ways that cause severe mental distress to a disabled individual who didn’t have the mental ability to understand the situation and had no advocate, for learning of those disabilities and continuing to allow this cruel and unusual treatment.
This was written in 2023 when the situation that sparked the idea to start a rescue happened. I remember how lost I felt how broken my heart was when they took my babies. I understand that there are ordinances but what do we do when they harm people? Why is it ok to cover a horror show of ripping pets away from their families up with ” its the law” Something needs to change, shelters are full everywhere and claim to be underfunded and understaffed well then how is it that they have the time and mind to take pets from their homes? No one had they right to tell someone how many dogs another person can have. I like many pet owners consider my fur babies my kids and to ask me to choose what ones to give up is no different than asking me to give up one of my kids. I ended up getting my dogs back all expect the baby puppies that were dished out before 8 weeks of age, that is a whole other post.
Today I rescue and advocate, so I help prevent what happened to me happening to others.
G&Cs Advocacy and Rescue 