Ok, check out this empty field ... I am there mid Feb. 09 with four of my dogs. 3 of them are eating grass and I am doing long ball throws with jet for conditioning. Animal Control shows up ... Whoops she throws the book at me - 8 counts ... no current dog license, all dogs off leash - that is called "dogs at large" .... guess what the Maricopa County has as a penalty for this crime ... 2nd degree misdeamnor .. maximum sentence 6 months in jail, $750 per count (a little over the top, wouldn't you say). 1st court appearance judge tells me what the sentence can be, sets 2nd court appearance for meeting with the prosecutor. Tells me there are 8 counts against me. On the seventh week after the initial citation, I have the 2nd court appearance and as Bob & I sit in court waiting for my name to be called by the prosecutor ... I am armed with all the dogs CGC's, CD, their flyball titles, max's certified therapy badge; My luck, I get this really really nice prosecutor, he has my history pulled up on the computer sitting on this desk, I lay out on his desk all the papers I brought to show that my dogs were not at large, that they indeed were under voice control, as if this would help ... Prosecutor opens up by asking had we seen the original animal control report ... I say no, Bob & I run our eyes real fast down the sheet. Animal Control thought I was sarcastic in some of the things I said, but other then that it was better than I thought it was. Guess she didn't here me swear as I got back into my van that day (lol) Anyway, prosecutor had to be impressed by the squeaky clean background he found, had to be impressed with all the dogs titles ... he finally goes, what if I give you six months probation and you donate $100 to the SPCA. Wow, thats it ... after sucking on Royale Crown for seven weeks trying to stay calm .... Of course, I now have to stay out of empty fields for the next six months then my name will be cleared ...
Ok, check out this empty field ... I am there mid Feb. 09 with four of my dogs. 3 of them are eating grass and I am doing long ball throws with jet for conditioning. Animal Control shows up ... Whoops she throws the book at me - 8 counts ... no current dog license, all dogs off leash - that is called "dogs at large" .... guess what the Maricopa County has as a penalty for this crime ... 2nd degree misdeamnor .. maximum sentence 6 months in jail, $750 per count (a little over the top, wouldn't you say). 1st court appearance judge tells me what the sentence can be, sets 2nd court appearance for meeting with the prosecutor. Tells me there are 8 counts against me. On the seventh week after the initial citation, I have the 2nd court appearance and as Bob & I sit in court waiting for my name to be called by the prosecutor ... I am armed with all the dogs CGC's, CD, their flyball titles, max's certified therapy badge; My luck, I get this really really nice prosecutor, he has my history pulled up on the computer sitting on this desk, I lay out on his desk all the papers I brought to show that my dogs were not at large, that they indeed were under voice control, as if this would help ... Prosecutor opens up by asking had we seen the original animal control report ... I say no, Bob & I run our eyes real fast down the sheet. Animal Control thought I was sarcastic in some of the things I said, but other then that it was better than I thought it was. Guess she didn't here me swear as I got back into my van that day (lol) Anyway, prosecutor had to be impressed by the squeaky clean background he found, had to be impressed with all the dogs titles ... he finally goes, what if I give you six months probation and you donate $100 to the SPCA. Wow, thats it ... after sucking on Royale Crown for seven weeks trying to stay calm .... Of course, I now have to stay out of empty fields for the next six months then my name will be cleared ...
