SAVE HEIDI'S LIFE

#17: jarhead -  

 Thank you for your support.  We really appreciate your willingness to contact the village officials directly.  Heidi thanks you, too!!

Jean Bacardi

THANK YOU EVERYONE for your your support and particularly for the heartfelt and well-written comments.  The momemtum for saving Heidi's life is growing-- she and we appreciate you all!

The Bacardi Family

I am so sorry to hear this story. What an adorable dog. Why is this even an issue if she was on her own property? Heartbreaking. She should remain on her own property with her own family!!! What is wrong with these officials? I wish I could take her and love her, unfortunately i live in Hawthorn Woods.. Bless this sweet dog! 

#9: -  

 It wasn't a first offense

This is the same mayor who allowed atomic bomb-sized exploding trains into our community that emit fireballs. Demand Mancino's resignation!

Crude oil transport via rail: www.dailyherald.com/article/20150303/news/150309641

Mayor Joe and his wife both hate dogs. I am not surprised this has become personal.  As his neighbor, I know personally that he has had issues with so many of the dogs in our neighborhood including mine.  We live in an otherwise dog loving neighborhood and hardly anyone in this neighborhood will even talk to Joe anymore.  He has had personal issues with nearly everyone living here.  He is a bully!  You will have much more support from Mayor Joe's neighbors.  It is ridiculous that we are spending our money on such nonsense.  Hopefully you get Heidi back!

This letter was a poorly written rant.  Expect there is more going on here.  Mayors just don't go around trying to kill dogs.  They don't.

#33: - I Expect there is More Going on Here 

Hello, please call me or e-mail me if you'd like more information. Or call the mayor or board members directly if they will speak to you.  They won't speak to us, so we have not been told why the village board has rejected our settlement offer to re-home Heidi in order to keep her alive.  

Refer to the Illinois Animal Control Act:  the State of Illinois does not legislate the killing of dogs-- even in the most extreme circumstances the dangerous/viscious dog is allowed to remain with its owner under strict confinement rules.  Only in the case of the  owners not complying with those rules can the State order killing the dog.  Heidi has only nipped on her own property-- another stipulation of the Animal Control Act-- a dog cannot be considered dangerous  or viscious if the bite occurs on its own property.  Furthermore, the State requires a licensed veterinarian or other animal behavior professional to make a determination of dangerous or viscious. Not a small village police chief who never met the dog and cannot even identify her. 

Hawthorn Woods has ignored the State Laws-- the village claims they can make their own rules, even when they conflict with the State's, and adjudicate them in their little court in the barn with an administrative law judge paid by them.  The attorney, the mayor and possibly the Board want to punish us, the humans, and the viscious way they are pursuing this is through killing our beloved family pet. We know that many if not all of the board members are sympathetic to our case, but we suspect there is a culture of silence and not speaking out against the powers-that-be in Hawthorn Woods-- lest retribution will occur.

#32: -  

Your comments are interesting.  What neighborhood do you live in?  We would love your neighbors' support and want to make sure everyone there received the notice.  Please respond to me privately if desired at bb100@att.net or 847-736-1340.  Thanks.

This is absolutely crazy.  This does not sound like a vicious attack.  Unfortunately I am not surprised by the reaction of the village honchos.  The mayor and Pam Newton are always right and very condescending, and there are a couple of people in the village office that are always extremely rude. I agree with comment #32.  I live in your subdivision. 

STOP spending our money and give Heidi back.

I so want to sign your petition, but I truly believe our leaders can be vindictive. Sad commentary of Hawthorn Woods. 

#36: Unhappy in HW - Free Heidi NOW! 

Thanks, neighbor, for your comments. Note that you can sign the petition and request that your name not be shown on the public list.  For your consideration.  Feel free to contact me privately. bb100@att.net.  

#33: - I Expect there is More Going on Here 

Not everyone is a good writer. Even if the letter has a "ranty" quality, it's the information that counts. Some people can write, and some people can't tell an adjective from an adverb. 

All,

Not knowing all of the details or background of Heidi but based upon the petition and comments within, I will state that I am appalled by the village's insistence to put Heidi down.  I urge the village to give Heidi back to her family or, worst case if Heidi does pose a "nipping" risk to the public, make the family pay for training and allow Heidi to be given to a good, pet loving family outside of the neighborhood.

I also assume there is more to the story than what is listed in the petition and from comments it seems as if Heidi may have nipped at other folks before this event but only on her own property.  If this is the worst that has happened then how can anyone reason that this is just cause to put a dog to death? 

Yes, I also view the $28k spent on prosecution as a tremendous waste of our village's tax dollars and the village board should be held accountable for validity of this expenditure.  However, my main reason for concern is Heidi's life.  Life and death is too precious to be judged by folks unqualified to make such decisions.

I'll further suggest that the local news channels be contacted in the context of judgement of Heidi's life and potential misuse of tax dollars.  While a bit far reaching, perhaps Cesar Milan (the dog whisperer) should also be contacted.  He had a very nice show on the virtues of pit bulls and why this breed gets an undeserving bad reputation.

In full disclosure, my family owns a dog and I have grown up with dogs my entire life.  Each one has/had it's own personality and traits - most good, a few bad - just like all of us but I do not see anyone in the village calling for the death of their human neighbor because of small mistakes or misunderstandings. 

Let us all move this planet towrads a more kind and compassionate place to live.

#39: - This quest by the village seems very extreme 

 Aside, I just sent emails to channels 7 and 5.

#37: Jean Bacardi - Re: Free Heidi NOW! 

 which subdivision is this?

While at a village meeting this winter, the mayor stressed how Hawthorn Woods needs revenue, yet they've spent thousands fighting to euthanize a dog? Preposterous!!

#44: - Save Heidi's life 

 well said, thank you.

#39: - This quest by the village seems very extreme 

 We appreciate your objective position. Thank you for the reasoned comments.

I sent an email yesterday to the mayor and all the trustees asking them to provide details of this matter.  The reply I received today is essentially that they will not discuss this matter.  All they will say is that it is in the Lake County Court system. 

I agree you need to get some television coverage for your plight to save Heidi. 

I also agree that you need to post this to Facebook.  I see your petition signatures jumping everyday.  Facebook would turbo-charge your petition signature numbers.