This family is a victim of BSL and people everywhere need to be aware of their pain and their legal battle to bring this dog home safely. As they stated, they are NOT the only ones having to put up with this garbage, but they are doing what they can to help themselves, others like them and those that could potentially still fall victim to BSLegislation!




Help Save Rocky
We are a family that is currently under the judicial system of Overland Park, Kansas.

Two years and five months ago, I lost my 24 year old daughter in a needless automobile accident outside of St. Louis. She was 8 months pregnant and forty-five minutes away from her baby shower, she lived here in Kansas City. I lost Erin and my first grandson. I am sure you remember, it was such a tragedy that the St. Louis Post Dispatch and The Kansas City Star both published this horrible story.

This loss of my precious Erin and Clayton paralyzed my family and me. I couldn’t work, talk, think and just about lost my will to live. Not too long after the loss of Erin and Clayton, my younger daughter Emily rescued a dog name Rocky and brought him to us on April 11, 2004, Erin’s birthday. She would have been 25 years old. Her birthday would have been on Easter Sunday. Emily brought Rocky down to our home in Overland Park. The last thing I wanted was a dog and I didn’t want anything to do with him. I could barely take care of myself, needless to say a dog.

But Rocky wasn’t just any dog, he is a Labrador-American Bull Terrier,(his generic label is pit bull mix). I spent about 1 hour alone in the back yard with him and even as an active 2 year old, he was very sensitive and seemed like he knew something very sad had happened. He made me laugh, something I didn’t imagine would ever happen again. Rocky did not know it, but I was the one being rescued!

As time goes on he is strength to the whole family, sometimes for a second, he would make me smile over something silly he would do or when we were sad he came up and laid on our laps giving us licks, telling us he knew what happened and didn’t want us to be sad. I found out later, before the accident, Erin talked to Emily and told her to bring Rocky to our home in Overland Park. Rocky is our therapist for our family; he has given us a new hope on life! Believe me, the grief process will be there forever, everyday Rocky makes it a little easier. No one knows the pain this senseless ban is causing me and my family the one happiness that we have. The City of Overland Park, Kansas is taking our happiness away out of pure ignorance, a lack of compassion and someone’s political ambition.

Rocky has been living with us in Round Hill for 2 ½ years. He is more than just a dog, he gives us love when we need it the most. He has a keen sense of intuition and emotion. He is more than just a dog, he’s Rocky. He is healing to our family that no one will ever replace. It is a long hard journey and we need Rocky to helps us through.

The City of Overland Park is trying to take this gift that Erin was instrumental in giving to us and minimizing his importance, is an insult, upon injury. He has never hurt anyone or another dog. I know there are many stories of men, women, children and their therapy pets and they are all just as significant as my story. As for our story we live everyday as all of you may, from the morning when we wake up and think of Erin and Clayton our day goes on but it is at night that we walk Rocky, there is a sense of peace and reflection. Regrettably, the lack of education, political ambition and misguidance of our city officials all us, our families, friends that have these types of dogs are suffering and continue to pay the consequences. We are paying the price of mishandle and abuse dogs at hands of the people that this band won’t stop!

WE WON’T STOP UNTIL THE BAN IS STOPPED !!!!

If you would like to donate by mail, please make checks payable to:
Tom or Rock Hines P.O. Box 4835, Overland Park, Kansas 66204

Labels: Animal Welfare, BSL, Legislation

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