In a classic case of paying it forward, a rescued dog helps to rescue a child who was in danger of losing her life to exposure. However, this happy story doesn’t have a totally happy ending, depending on who you are, and where you stand on the issue of CPS involvement.
Peanut, a medium sized mixed breed dog, was rescued about a year ago and taken to a shelter for treatment. She had broken legs, broken ribs and a stomach full of carpet fibers. She was cared for at an animal shelter and then, when she was well enough, was adopted into her forever family. Now Peanut is being hailed as a hero for saving the life of a toddler who was found naked and alone in a ditch in the freezing weather.
The situation happened like this:
Peanut, who is apparently normally a very quiet dog, started barking uncontrollably inside the house where she lives with her family in Escanaba. Her owner let her out, curious about what was upsetting her, and then followed while Peanut raced into the field behind the family house. There Peanut led her owner to a “naked, shivering, 3-year-old girl curled up in a ball.” The dog’s owner picked up the little girl, wrapped her in his sweatshirt, and carried her into the house where the family called 911.
Police officers arrived at the home, along with CPS agents who took the little girl to a local hospital to get checked out by a doctor. She was determined to be uninjured. Law enforcement tried to determine who the child was, and where she came from, by going door-to-door. The child’s parents were eventually located in a home nearby.
Police say that once the child’s family was identified, they investigated the situation and discovered that the house they lived in was “unsafe and unsanitary.” The little girl, and another young female, whose age was not made public, were both removed from the family home by CPS. They have been placed into foster care while the situation is being investigated.
Peanut the dog is being hailed as a hero!
Peanut’s family notified the Delta Animal Shelter where they had initially adopted her, that she was now a hero. In a post on their Facebook page, the shelter wrote that “Through all of this sad news, give thanks the children are safe.” Given what we know about the foster system, this may not be entirely true, but we certainly hope that they are being well cared for, and that they can be reunited with their parents soon.
CPS in Michigan is very quick to pull children out of their homes and away from their parents, rather than try to work with the family to ensure safety and security for everyone. Although we don’t know the fine details of this case, we do know that “unsafe and unsanitary” can mean a lot of things, and so until the details are released, it’s best not to assume the worst.
If you or a loved one have had your children removed from your custody by CPS, you have an uphill battle in front of you. Reunification is often possible, but can be very difficult and time consuming to arrange, as CPS is often reluctant to give up control. This is why you need an experienced CPS defense attorney who has spent decades fighting the system, and knows how it works. Call us today at 866-346-5879. Our skilled parental rights attorneys are here to help!