Save Lady Marie Bear

She is the eyes of the blind, the healer of suffering, abused children; yet her own life now hangs in the balance. The story of Lady Marie Bear as tragic as it is infuriating. In November, an officer from the Nelson County Animal Control (http://nelsoncounty.com/animalcontrol/) of Lovingston, VA, seized Lady Marie Bear, a rescued dog who had been assisting in healing work benefiting abused children, and put the dog on death row.

Months prior, Lady was homeless and abused, escaping the traps of the Nelson County Animal Control in search of a loving and caring home. That she found with Glen Marie Friend, street missionary at Messiah’s Embassy in Lovingston, and her other pets. Not only did Lady become a loving part of this family: she also proved to be a  healer to the suffering children and people helped by her owner’s missionary work.

For reasons unknown, a female officer from the Nelson County Animal Control of Lovingston suddenly raided Friend’s residence on Thanksgiving Day and demanded that Lady Marie Bear be handed over to her because she had reportedly bitten a person. When Friend demanded evidence of this, or a warrant to take the dog, the officer had none.

That did not stop her from forcing her way inside the house and seizing Lady. Since then, the dog has been held in the Nelson County Animal Control shelter. When Friend went to see Lady at the shelter, she was told that the dog would be euthanized without any trial, or even an evaluation; and no evidence of the bite incident has ever been provided to Glen Marie Friend.

Having worked as a criminal defense paralegal for decades, Friend says that animal control is in violation of local law by keeping Lady Marie Bear in its custody without reason.  She says the shelter seems bent on killing her for no good reason at all.

Friend has filed an appeal to try to free Lady Marie Bear. Her appeal is scheduled for a hearing in early March. Meanwhile, The Lexus Project (http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Lexus-Project/134397299923522) has taken on the case to help save Lady Marie Bear from unjustifiable execution and return her to her owner.

Supporters of Lady Marie Bear have started a facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Lady-Marie-Bear/227688457325682) launched for the purpose of spreading knowledge about the case. The page includes details of the incident, as well as contact information of concerned authorities.