We want to address recent allegations made by Oasis Pet Rescue regarding our rescinding the adoption of K9 Robin, a Jack Russel mix. We understand the concern arising from this situation and are committed to providing the facts to ensure transparency and clarity.
First and foremost, our top priority is the safety of our community and the well-being of all animals in our care. We take every incident seriously and follow strict protocols to ensure the safety of all our employees and the animals in our care.
We also understand that the public outcry over the situation is based solely on the version of the incident provided by the rescue.
Recently, Oasis Pet Rescue posted their version of an incident about two Jack Russell mix dogs, Batman and Robin, who were up for adoption.
This is the first difference in the facts.
Both Batman and Robin were surrendered to the Sheriff’s Office due to the owners leaving the country. During the surrender, our staff noticed the dog’s aggressiveness towards them, including the owner. It was determined at that time that Robin was not to be adopted.
Our staff made an error by allowing Robin to be available for adoption. Policy is in place to prevent such animals from being adopted in the future, and the staff member has received counseling.
Our staff member was placing Robin in the vehicle during the adoption process when the dog aggressively bit them on the arm and hand. After being bitten, the staff member reacted appropriately by immediately dropping Robin into the vehicle without throwing or “tossed it,” as Oasis had stated.
It should be noted, that our staff should have utilized a different methodology to help secure and transfer the animal as it was already showing signs of aggressive behavior and has also received counseling. Batman was transferred without incident.
After the biting of our staff, Robin was tethered and removed from the vehicle, resulting in the adoption being rescinded. Oasis was notified of this immediately.
We received a message from Emily Bruer, co-founder of Oasis Animal Rescue, who has adopted and rehomed numerous animals through our partnership.
Emily wanted to meet with Sheriff Stephen to discuss the incident and see if consideration could be given to adopting Robin. As soon as she sent the request to our Public Information Officer (PIO), he attempted to set up the meeting. However, within minutes of this request, Oasis Animal Rescue released a statement and a petition seeking support for their version of events.
Shortly after, Sheriff Stephen, Sgt. Gonzalez, along with Sgt. Gonzalez’s adult child received threats and accusations via Facebook and other social media platforms.
As a result, Sheriff Stephen canceled the appointment, and a message was left with the Rescue. This caused Emily to insight into even more disparity between our agency and our personnel on social media.
It is very disheartening when a group we work with, who knows the challenges and difficulties of pet adoption, shares misinformation. Sadly, these false narratives create hardships and a lack of public trust in the continuous efforts we make to ensure all our adoptable animals receive a home.
We have made efforts to improve adoptions by inviting community partners like the nationally recognized Pegasus Foundation to visit, observe, and review our procedures to ensure transparency in our daily operations.
We cannot allow any animal with a history of biting or aggression to be adopted due to the risk of future attacks. Therefore, we stand behind the decision to remove Robin from the adoption list.
We hope this helps explain the issue. However, tactics to intimidate or influence our employees, particularly their families, will not be tolerated. If found to be relevant, swift criminal charges will be pursued.
We are deeply committed to the welfare of any animal in our care and custody. This includes preventing people who are not suitable pet owners from adopting pets. We invite visitors to our facility to adopt a pet and take home a furry friend who needs a loving home