Show your support, sign the petition!
UPDATE October 13, 2009
Our attorney met with the city attorney to discuss our case. Our first court dates of October 13th & the 27th have been adjourned. We now have a new court date to combine both on December 22, 2009, 11am, 34th District Court, Romulus, Michigan. Once again we are asking any supporters, adopters,other rescues, neighbors, friends, to please attend and sit in the court room politely to show your support for Mary and A Better Place. Please continue to sign and /or share our petition (link above).
UPDATE October 9, 2009
ABP first court date is Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 at 11 a.m.. We are asking any supporters, adopters,other rescues, neighbors, friends, to please attend and sit in the court room politely to show your support for Mary and A Better Place. Feel free to contact us with any questions:
Court: 34th District Court
Location: 11131 Wayne Road, Romulus Michigan
October 7, 2009
There’s more to the story…When planning this building, we researched & planned trying to avoid a situation as this. Extra funds were spent to build a road, extend power lines, water lines, etc.. to place this building 400 ft off the road, designed/built to deflect noise rearward to not distrub anyone. Also, our founder spoke to this neighbor while he was clearing the land to build his home to point out that it was in line with the kennelled dogs. He responded rudely, said “get off my property” and that he would take care of the her and her dogs.
The building itself and some of the outer areas are still under construction…please consider a donation to help us complete this project – 82% of the building is constructed with recycled and green materials.
UPDATE: October 6, 2009
Please continue to share our story and leave positive comments on this note. We will continue to update everyone with progress. Supporters who are able to attend the court dates would also be appreciated. Either way please wear you ABP or other clothing with animals on them on these dates to show you support
We have an attorney that will be representing our founder and ABP in court.
We are still interested in council with a land rights attorney, if anyone is available to advise our team.
For information about how to send a Donation to help with any legal fees click here:
http://www.abetterplace.rescuegroups.org/info/donate
UPDATE: October 4, 2009
We met with an audio expert who discussed our noise levels with us and gave us some ideas about where he thinks we stand in the area of noise/sound.
We have had a few civil attorneys contact us who are doing some research for us. One of the attorneys suggested that an attorney that specializes in land rights may be best suited for our case.
We are still looking for an attorney who will work pro bono who specializes in land rights.
9/25 Update
URGENT!! Animal Rescue needs HELP! May be forced to close!!9/25 at 2:49amWHO IS A BETTER PLACE:
A Better Place has been reaching its arms into the local and statewide community since 2005. A Better Place has assisted in saving the lives of 1000s of dogs and placing them in forever homes. Our founder devoted approximately 20 years undertaking various animal welfare and education projects, from managing shelter/rescue groups to helping author the spay/neuter laws in Michigan. Through these experiences she developed an education and rescue program that creates excellent opportunities for the animals. A Better Place is a Michigan-based 501(c)3 non-profit organization that was established in 2005 to implement this program under her guidance. A Better Place networks with other rescues to make sure no dog dies inhumanely in the gas chamber in their community. All adoptable animals are put into rescue programs for adoption. No animal is turned away for need of vet care. A Better Place cooperates with a network of Michigan dog rescues, aiding in the rescue of animals from many Michigan communities. We concentrate first on those who either sell animals for medical research or use inhumane gassing for euthanasia. Four out of five of the animals ABP rescues need vet care above and beyond the basic care. Recently, recognition of A Better Place’s accomplishments have been highlighted on Petfinder.com, Dogtime.com, and the Bostons & Boxers blog.Learn more about us on our website:
http://www.abetterplace.rescuegroups.orgOUR CURRENT SITUATION:
Over the past year our founder, as representative of A Better Place, has received a total of 5 tickets for criminal misdemeanor as a public nuisance for disturbing the peace due to a neighbor (3 properties away) that called the Sumpter Township Police Department complaining about dogs barking. In October she is scheduled to go to court regarding these charges. She has been told that she could be facing up to 450 days in jail, possibly fines, and the possibility of being forced to close the doors of the rescue. We cannot afford an attorney.A Better Place is an all breed animal rescue that was established in 2005 and has never received a complaint until this past year. The rescue is located on 10 acres of Agricultural land and is properly registered and licensed. The only complaints ever received, came just this past year, about the noise levels of dogs barking. These complaints all originate from one person who lives 3 properties away. None of the other neighbors have ever complained, several neighbors live much closer to the rescue.
OTHER RELEVANT DATA:
Noise levels are measured in decibels (dB). The higher the decibel level, the louder the noise. In the past, A Better Place volunteers have tested the noise levels of the dog barks at the rescue (near the dogs on ABP property). The dog bark levels were measured at 47 decibels.For comparison here are some noise levels according to ASHA:
Noise comparisons (Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
http://www.asha.org/public /hearing/disorders/noise.htm) The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association is the professional, scientific, and credentialing association for 135,000 members & affiliates who are speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists in the United States and internationally. The ASHA is one of the groups recommended by NIOSH for locating certified audiologists.Faint: 30 dB = whisper, quiet library
Moderate: 40 dB = quiet room, 50 dB = moderate rainfall
Very Loud: 60 dB = conversation, dishwasher, 70 dB = busy traffic, vacuum cleaner,
80 dB = alarm clock, busy street
Extremely Loud: 90 dB = lawnmower, shop tools, truck traffic, 100 dB = snowmobile, chain saw, pneumatic drillHere is the text of the ordinance:
CODE OF ORDINANCES Township of SUMPTER, MICHIGAN
Codified through Ordinance No. 100, adopted March 10, 2009.
(Supplement No. 17)
Chapter 5: Animals, ARTICLE II. DOGS*, DIVISION 1. GENERALLYSec. 5-29. Disturbance of peace.
No person shall harbor or keep any dog which by loud or frequent barking, yelping, or howling shall cause serious annoyance to the residents of the surrounding neighborhood, or to persons passing along the streets or highways.
(Ord. No. 5, Art. XI, 2-3-56)
Cross references: Offenses against public peace, § 14-141 et seq.Link to all of the Sumpter Township, Michigan Ordinances:
http://www.municode.com/re sources/gateway.asp?pid=12 323&sid=22Information on contacting Sumpter Township:
Sumpter Township
http://www.sumptertwp.com/Home.html
23480 Sumpter Rd
Belleville, Michigan 48111
Phone: 734.461.6201OUR IMMEDIATE NEEDS:
(1) A Lawyer to accompany our founder to court on October 13 and legal council prior to that date
(2) A sound expert to measure the sound levels in the area to show that the levels at the neighboring property are at or below acceptable levels
(3) Donations, Donations, Donations (All donations are tax-deductible)You can donate through our cause page here on Facebook:
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/304847/69299841?m=6d 54c0aa
Or on our website:
http://www.abetterplace.re scuegroups.org/info/donate
You may also mail donations to:
A Better Place, 5578 Oakville Waltz Road, New Boston, Michigan 48164We are a registered 501c3, time donated for legal council or expert testimony is tax deductible where the law allows.
If you have advice, questions, or information regarding legal council or a sound expert, please contact us through facebook, or at:
ABetterPlaceRescue@gmail.com
The lives of thousands of animals depend on YOUR willingness to get involved!
Please Repost this note to everyone you know!Thank You!
Bless you for caring for the animals and for supporting A Better Place!
http://www.abetterplace.rescuegroups.orgA Better Place rescued Jade (now Lily) who was abandoned because she was a deaf Pit Bull type breed. She is now in a loving forever home.A Better Place rescued Nick after he had a pencil shoved into his eye. He received surgeries on both eyes and was soon adopted into a loving forever home.This is how Moti looked when A Better Place rescued Moti from a puppy mill…See our website for after photos to see how Moti now thrives in the sanctuary of A Better Place.See more success stories here:
http://www.abetterplace.rescuegroups.org/info/display?PageID=7349
I will update as new information becomes available.
~Patti
URGENT!! We are in immediate need of a Lawyer and a sound expert, free of charge. We are a registered 501c3, time donated is tax deductible.
Contact: ABetterPlaceRescue@gmail.com PLEASE HELP WHERE YOU CAN and PLEASE REPOST!New local ordinances shouldn’t force us to close our doors when we do so much for our community!!More info will be posted soon. Bless you for supporting A Better Place.
© 2009, Patti Meador. All rights reserved. You are free to blog about, send links to, etc. these posts, but if you saw it here, please have the courtesy to provide a link back.
Tags: rescue
Tags: rescue
