SAN ANTONIO — The fate of Buddy the Dog continued to tug on the heartstrings of South Texans on Saturday and prompted a rally by animal rights activists in front of the Alamo.
About a hundred people called on city officials to revise its animal control laws and fulfill its promise to implement a “no kill” policy at its animal shelters.
The symbol for their demands is Buddy, a 6-year-old Labrador mix whose fate is still in limbo after he was quarantined in November for reportedly biting a 9-year-old girl whose injuries required surgery.
Buddy was released Thursday to a veterinarian clinic, but has not been released to his owner, Homer Mojica, 83.
Demonstrators at the Alamo wore red shirts emblazoned with the phrase, “Stop the Injustice, Free Buddy Now.”
They yelled demands that the dog be released to his owner and urged the removal of the municipal judge who had ordered the city to euthanize the dog.
“What happened to Buddy can happen to any of our pets,” said Deanna Lee, 65, a member of Advocates for San Antonio Pets. “Buddy is a symbol of all the dogs (that) have died unjustly.”
Municipal Judge Daniel Guerrero ruled that the injuries “Buddy” caused were serious enough to merit euthanasia.
The 9-year-old girl required surgery to repair a ripped tear duct, and her parents told an Express-News reporter that she needed 100 stitches.
Kelly Walls, 49, an animal rights activist following the case closely, refuted the claim that the injuries to the girl were serious. Walls said they likely resulted from a scratch and not a bite.
“There was an injury, no doubt about it, but my experience working with animal rescue is that the injury is consistent with a scratch,” she said.
“It did not rise to the level of 'serious bodily injury,''' Walls said.
Most of the dog lovers who showed up at Alamo Plaza voiced little sympathy for the injured girl.
Mike Cooper, 62, came with his dog Porter, a 110-pound American Labrador retriever who gobbled up one of Cooper's Pringles chips when he wasn't looking. He said the two were rooting for Buddy and his owner and said it's a parent's responsibility to teach their kids how to act around animals.
“Buddy defended his 'pack' and did his job,” Cooper said.
Dozens of dogs were part of the event in front of the Shrine of Texas Liberty. Some tourists gawked, some gave donations that organizers said would offset legal fees and the cost of Buddy's quarantine.
Mojica did not attend the rally but said by phone he was glad the rally brought attention to the plight of his dog. But now Mojica is caught in a dilemma.
“The people at the apartment complex where I live are not willing to let him come back,” Mojica said. “I would have to move. I don't know what I'm going to do.”
mcesar@express-news.net
Twitter: @mlcesar
Staff Writer Vincent T. Davis contributed to this story.
The fate of Buddy the Dog continued to tug on the heartstrings of South Texans on Saturday and prompted a rally by animal rights activists in front of the Alamo.
About a hundred people called on city officials to revise its animal control laws and fulfill its promise to implement a “no kill” policy at its animal shelters.
The symbol for their demands is Buddy, a 6-year-old Labrador mix whose fate is still in limbo after he was quarantined in November for reportedly biting a 9-year-old girl whose injuries required surgery.
Buddy was released Thursday to a veterinarian clinic, but has not been released to his owner, Homer Mojica, 83.
Demonstrators at the Alamo wore red shirts emblazoned with the phrase, “Stop the Injustice, Free Buddy Now.”
They yelled demands that the dog be released to his owner and urged the removal of the municipal judge who had ordered the city to euthanize the dog.
“What happened to Buddy can happen to any of our pets,” said Deanna Lee, 65, a member of Advocates for San Antonio Pets. “Buddy is a symbol of all the dogs (that) have died unjustly.”
Municipal Judge Daniel Guerrero ruled that the injuries “Buddy” caused were serious enough to merit euthanasia.
The 9-year-old girl required surgery to repair a ripped tear duct, and her parents told an Express-News reporter that she needed 100 stitches.
Kelly Walls, 49, an animal rights activist following the case closely, refuted the claim that the injuries to the girl were serious. Walls said they likely resulted from a scratch and not a bite.
“There was an injury, no doubt about it, but my experience working with animal rescue is that the injury is consistent with a scratch,” she said.
“It did not rise to the level of 'serious bodily injury,''' Walls said.
Most of the dog lovers who showed up at Alamo Plaza voiced little sympathy for the injured girl.
Mike Cooper, 62, came with his dog Porter, a 110-pound American Labrador retriever who gobbled up one of Cooper's Pringles chips when he wasn't looking. He said the two were rooting for Buddy and his owner and said it's a parent's responsibility to teach their kids how to act around animals.
“Buddy defended his 'pack' and did his job,” Cooper said.
Dozens of dogs were part of the event in front of the Shrine of Texas Liberty. Some tourists gawked, some gave donations that organizers said would offset legal fees and the cost of Buddy's quarantine.
Mojica did not attend the rally but said by phone he was glad the rally brought attention to the plight of his dog. But now Mojica is caught in a dilemma.
“The people at the apartment complex where I live are not willing to let him come back,” Mojica said. “I would have to move. I don't know what I'm going to do.”
mcesar@express-news.net
Twitter: @mlcesar
Staff Writer Vincent T. Davis contributed to this story.
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