Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
HOLYOKE, MA — A sick woman found herself shackled and locked in a cage — all stemming back to a $5 late fee to the government.
Musser had been “fighting death” ever since she developed cancer. She recently underwent massive abdominal surgery for ovarian cancer and been trying to survive a regimen of harsh drugs.
She admits that she forgot about the license fee, according to The Republican
She was arrested because she had a warrant for failure to appear:
Quote:
Musser was arrested at her home Friday night on an outstanding arrest warrant issued by Holyoke District Court for failing to appear in court. The court appearance was scheduled last September because Musser had failed to comply with repeated requests from the city of Holyoke in June for her to renew the license for Pumpkin, her 14-year-old family dog.
She was arrested because she had a warrant for failure to appear:
[i]Quote:
Musser was arrested at her home Friday night on an outstanding arrest warrant issued by Holyoke District Court for failing to appear in court. The court appearance was scheduled last September because Musser had failed to comply with repeated requests from the city of Holyoke in June for her to renew the license for Pumpkin, her 14-year-old family dog.
Stupid bureaucracy. if she was a bad owner, 'Pumpkin' would obviously never have
made it to 14 years old.
My first reaction was that something like this can't be repeatedly ignored and there is a husband that could have handled it .
But then I read the whole thing.
She didn't ignore it
She paid for it and paid the late fee and tried to straighten the situation out but got no help before the arrest took place.
Stupid bureaucracy. if she was a bad owner, 'Pumpkin' would obviously never have
made it to 14 years old.
It doesn't have anything to do with what kind of owner she is, this isn't about "feelings". It is about the law that people have stated they want, and that is that people who own dogs are required, by law, to license those dogs every year. She failed to do so by the deadline, was sent warnings, and then was required to show herself before the court. She failed to do that, and that is why there was a warrant for her arrest. That is why she was arrested.
Quote:
Holyoke City Clerk Brenna McGee said Tuesday that, strictly speaking, Musser was not arrested for failing to renew her dog license. The warrant was issued because Musser was ordered to appear before a judge but never showed, McGee said.
...From the time the first reminder about the dog fee was mailed out, until the time the warrant was issued, Musser should have received seven separate notices in the mail, McGee said.
“It has nothing to do with the dog license. It has nothing to do with a city ordinance,” McGee said. By failing to appear, Musser was in violation of state law, she said...
...McGee said her office sends out three late notices, requesting payment within 21 days. When the 21 days are over, the matter gets forwarded to District Court. Dog owners are summonsed to appear in court, and if they fail to show, the courts issue an arrest warrant...
...Paying the late fee, McGee said, “doesn’t make the warrant go away.
Governments love to persecute people for made up victimless crimes. Such laws are a cash cow and always seem to have endless supply of ignorant defenders.
Governments love to persecute people for made up victimless crimes. Such laws are a cash cow and always seem to have endless supply of ignorant defenders.
The dog did not have a license to practice doggery.
Justice was served.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
