California woman on suicide watch after claiming she would 'end her life' if her puppy was euthanized
ELK GROVE, CALIFORNIA: Faryal Kabir, 46, is battling to save her 16-month-old puppy Zeus from being euthanized after animal control officials took him away. The California woman is currently on suicide watch after she threatened to end her own life if the department euthanizes her German shepherd puppy.
Elk Grove Animal Shelter officials deemed her dog "dangerous" after he bit a stranger. Officials then turned up at Kabir's residence unannounced to seize the dog, during which the dog felt threatened and bit the officer. A distraught Kabir is now taking the legal route to save Zeus. Her attorney is also seeking $500,000 for injuries and losses Kabir has suffered and $5M "in the event her dog is executed."
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After the ordeal, Zeus was scheduled to be euthanized at Elk Grove Animal Shelter on October 14, but a lawsuit filed by Kabir delayed the execution. The lawsuit was filed after a court ordered her to spend five days at Sacramento Behavioral Hospital from October 6 over fears she'd harm herself. She said, "I can't live without him. He is my baby. My son. My best friend." It has been three months since Faryal last saw her puppy.
The alleged incident occurred on May 16 after she and Zeus returned from a dog park. As she parked her car, Zeus was startled when he saw a man nearby and jumped out of the car, The Daily Mail reported. The unidentified victim said that Zeus chased and bit him. The victim, who was treated in the emergency room for his injuries, complained he had pain in his legs, difficulty sitting, working, sleeping, and engaging in other normal activities after the attack. A week later, Kabir received a letter from the city officials saying that her dog was "dangerous."
Kabir was given a list of requirements, including that the animal be kept within a substantial enclosure, securely leashed or otherwise controlled and was given 35 days to comply. She was required to place a sign saying she had a dangerous dog, as well as install new locks for her gate and get $100,000 in liability insurance for Zeus. However, the Elk Grove Animal Shelter showed up unannounced at her home two days before that deadline and seized Zeus as there was no kennel for him. The officers tried to seize Zeus who was on a leash and got bitten in the process.
Kabir said that she followed all of the guidelines, which also included eight weeks of obedience training, getting a license that classified Zeus as a dangerous dog and buying a leash and muzzle. "My client was not even out of compliance," Kabir's attorney Andrew Shalaby said. Her attorney argued, "The officer got angry that my client refused to let her into her home (July 13) before the compliance deadline, and then two days later, on July 15th they showed up in a spiteful manner." Zeus' fate was sealed after he bit the officer.
On Wednesday, October 12, Shalaby filed another lawsuit stating an injunctive relief demanding the city to release Zeus stating on the grounds that arresting the dog was "cruel and the dog is 100% innocent." The lawyers said Zeus only bit the cop to try and "defend himself," and that the dog's attack was unprovoked. Attorney Christine Kelly with The Animal Law Office said, "She doesn't understand why the city is so drastic. The alleged bites are very minor, and not rising to the level of the death penalty. I think they are using Zeus as an example and are afraid of backing down, for fear of being accused of being wrong."