Why Were The Police Called After A Man Posted A Selfie Of Him And His Dog?

Fulfilling their dream

Soon after he and his girlfriend moved into their new house, they began searching for a furry friend to move in with them. Dan had always had dreams of having a dog, and since their house allowed pets, this was the perfect opportunity to fulfill his dream. The pair fell in love with a rescue dog hilariously named Sir Wiggleton.

A funny puppy

Sir Wiggleton and Dan had an instant connection and Dan knew he was the dog for them. Dan saw a silly photo of the canine with him sticking his tongue out and looking extremely cute. Dan went to shelter to pick up his new friend and chose to rename him as Diggy. Dan was very excited and everything seemed to be going well. However, things were about to get a lot worse.

Call the cops

In an unusual turn of events, after Dan started posting pictures of his newly adopted dog, someone decided to tell the police on him. What was happening? Why would anyone call the police over a cute dog with a happy face? Dan was very surprised to hear the news and was even more stunned to know the reason why the police were called.

Thanking the shelter

The cute photo was shared online to the ‘Detroit Dog Rescue’. Dan thought he should give them credit as he adopted Diggy from the rescue. He thought people should know how happy adopting a rescue dog could make you and thought that capturing it in a picture would be a good way to show it. It turns out that was not the case.

The picture

Dan posted photo that went viral on Facebook with a caption that read, “We know this photo is going to break the internet and we apologize, but we had to share. After almost 100 days in the shelter, Sir Wiggleton just got adopted. Sir Wiggleton and his new Dad are celebrating adoption day with huge smiles all around!” Tons of comments began pouring in as the photo gained more shares and attention.

Dangerous?

It seems every time we turn on the news, there is another story of a dog attack on a child or an adult. Most of the time, these dog attacks are linked to pit bulls. They can often permanently damage the victim, and can even be fatal. But how many pit bull attacks have there really been? In 2016, 41 people were killed due to a fatal dog attack – and 22 of these deaths were caused by a pit bull. The others were caused by Labradors, Rottweilers, German Shepherds and more.

Spotted

Dan’s photo went so viral that it gained the awareness of the township’s police department.The officers that came to Dan’s house and they did not seem to be there to congratulate him on his viral photo. They told him that the laws in the Waterford Township (where he lived) does not allow residents to own pit bulls or a dog that is a mix with a pit bull. They informed him that he would either have to return Diggy to the shelter or face legal consequences.

Proof in the papers

When Dan and his girlfriend adopted Diggy, they received adoption papers stating that his breed was American bulldog. Dan, along with his girlfriend were certain that when the police saw his adoption papers, they would realize their mistake and leave them to go on with their lives with Diggy. However, this was unfortunately not the case and the couple were absolutely stunned when they heard what the local police department had to say about their beloved Diggy.

Following the law

Unsurprisingly, there was major backlash from people who liked the picture and animal rights groups. However, the local police department explained that they only wanted to enforce the law. The Chief of the department, Scott Underwood, said to the press, “From our standpoint, it’s a pretty clear case of an ordinance that makes it clear what’s permissible and what’s not. Our job is to enforce the ordinance.”
Unsurprisingly, there was major backlash from people who liked the picture and animal rights groups.

However, the local police department explained that they only wanted to enforce the law. The Chief of the department, Scott Underwood, said to the press, “From our standpoint, it’s a pretty clear case of an ordinance that makes it clear what’s permissible and what’s not. Our job is to enforce the ordinance.”

Going to court for Diggy

There were thousands of people who had heard about Dan and Diggy’s story and they were infuriated. Supporters began to organize a petition online to help Dan keep his beloved four-legged friend. While protesters were trying to let Diggy stay, Dan was also trying to fight for his dog and preparing himself to go to court over the matter. Would he be able to keep the dog he loved so much?

Let Diggy stay

Dan thought that he would win his case easily because of the fact that Diggy is not the breed they think even though the local police department thinks he looks like one. Dan posted on his social media page, “My lawyer and I are going to do everything possible to make sure Diggy stays in his home with us, his family.” he continued on to say, “Thanks for all of your support, guys. I’m not a quitter.”
Dan thought that he would win his case easily because of the fact that Diggy is not the breed they think even though the local police department thinks he looks like one.

Dan posted on his social media page, “My lawyer and I are going to do everything possible to make sure Diggy stays in his home with us, his family.” he continued on to say, “Thanks for all of your support, guys. I’m not a quitter.”

Does Diggy have to go?

It was a very inspiring thing to see a whole community come together to support a dog and his owner. The director from the rescue, Kristina Rinaldi, said, “People had really invested their emotions into this story, and it’s beautiful to see so many people care about rescue dogs.” While it was incredible to see people so interested in Dan’s situation, would it help him be able to keep Diggy as a pet?

Another Facebook post

Dan was so excited at the news and posted on Facebook which was where this whole situation begam. He wrote, “We get to keep our boy, He’s a good boy.” Not only were Dan and his girlfriend Megan able to keep their dog, they had gone a step further a changed the township’s rules about keeping pit bulls as pets. Furthermore, they enlisted the help of veterinarians to analyze the breed of a dog.

A musical career

In fact, Dan Tillery is a budding musician. He regularly tours the country, performing his music in clubs and venues, and prides himself on his impressive stage presence. His vast social media presence has allowed him to showcase his talent to the rest of the world. As his popularity grew, Dan knew he had to give his fans something more, so recorded his first EP, ‘We Like To Have Fun!’ in 2016. Nowadays, Dan uses his social media profiles to promote his music – and post the odd photo of Diggy!