b'For more than 30 years, Dahlia has been a paralegal with Inthosecases,thedogsweredeemednotapitbullandtrial work experience. As an active animal advocate, her pri- returned to their owners, said Dahlia.mary focus has been on animal cruelty issues and legislative She received phone calls from all over the world from peo-matters such as Breed Specific Legislation. For the past 19 ple asking her for help in breed specific legislation. Calls cameyears,asthefounderanddirectoroftheMiamiCoalition in at all hours of the day and night from people whose dogsAgainst Breed Specific Legislation, Dahlia has been hands-on had been confiscated simply for the way they looked, beggingin the fight to have the 33-year-old ban on pit bulls in Miami- for Dahlias help. Sometimes, all it would take was a sternDade removed. phone call from Dahlia to animal services to release a familysIt all began with a dog name Chocolate, who jumped in dog. Other times, the Coalition stepped in to legally inter-Dahlias car while she was stopped in traffic. The dog was vene.bleeding from fresh injuries, and had scars from old injuries. To increase awareness of their cause and raise money toFrom all indications, it appeared the dog had just had a litter cover legal expenses, MCABSL hosted events like the annualof puppies, but they were never found. PIT-Nic at Amelia Earhart Park in Hialeah, Florida. How didDahlia,whodidntknowaboutthebanondogslike theCoalitiongetaroundtheMiami-Dadeban?DahliaChocolate at the time, ended laughedatthequestion,andupkeepingher,mendingher answered,WhatDahliaback to health, and falling in wants, Dahlia gets. love.Twotimes,authorities SheexplainedthateveryconfiscatedChocolatefrom year she put in a request for aher pet sitters home. The sec- one-day stay on the ordinance,ond time, I was on my knees at andeveryyearMiami-Dadeanimalservices,beggingfor Animal Servicesagreed to it.them not to kill her, recalled The first year we hosted theDahlia. By the grace of God, I AnnualPIT-Nic,Isawallofwasabletogetherout,and these people arriving with theirsafely placed her in a home in dogs. One gentleman thankedPalm Beach. Then, I began this me and told me his dog hadfight to change the law. I have neverbeenoutdoors,saidnever been afraid to speak my Dahlia.Canyouimagine?mind. Our supporters who attendedThebanonpitbullsin Be True To Yourself. theeventincludedAnimalMiami-Dade was as a result of Speak Up For What Services, law enforcement andaseven-year-oldchildsmaul- local politicians.ing by a dog labeled a pit bull You Believe. Apply Overtheyears,severalin1989.Therewasaknee- attemptshavebeenmadetojerkreactionwithoutany Compassion On A repealtheMiami-Dadeban,research.withoutanyknowl- Day to Day Basis. includingin2012.Thatsedgeandwithoutobtaining whentheCoalitioncam-the proper authority from vet-Dahlia Canes, paigned to have the issue puterinariansandanimalbehav- shown above with Fritza, her mini Schnauzer to the people for a vote.It wasiorists,saidDahlia.Itwas and Puki, her Scottish Terrier. during this tumultuous periodpushedthroughandsimply thatDahliareceivedseveralpassed, resulting in untold numbers of dogs being taken away death threats. When the issue was finally placed on the ballot,from their families and euthanized. I saw so many dogs that the wording was confusing. Voters were asked to decide whetherwe could not save, killed for the way they looked. The fight the ban should be removed. Sixty-three percent voted no.became very personal for me. ClearlyalowpointforDahlia,especiallysincesheFamilies who braved bucking the law kept their dogs hid- hadpromisedChocolatethatshewouldhavethebanden. People were afraid, every time the doorbell rang, said overturned before the dog died. I was not able to keep myDahlia. No one took their dogs for walks in public, fearing promise to her, said Dahlia. Chocolate died in my arms atsomeone would think their dog had the same characteristics in almost 16 years old. Dahlia walked outside her veterinariansappearance as a pit bull, and report them. office,afterwards,andlookeduptoseeaplaneflyingDahlia managed to intervene many times to save a fami- overhead.Abannerwasattachedtotheplanethatread,lys dog. She took on some cases legally and won three times. R.I.P., Chocolate. Continued on page 32 g30 THE NEW BARKER www.TheNewBarker.com'