Dog Lovers: Do Not Visit Sunnyvale, California!

On August 3, 2011 I visited a customer's home in Sunnyvale. It was overcast and just before 10 A.M. In the morning. Being "jacket weather", it was probably around 68 degrees at the time I parked my car under a tree. I had my mini-schnauzer along with me.

In consideration of my dog's well-being, I cracked all four windows open each about an inch and a half. I had water for him in the console situated between the passenger and driver seats. I needed to go into the home of my customer, get their signature, which I figured should take about 5 minutes, and then I planned to leave.

I had just sat down in the customer's home with the wife, and the husband came over and said Animal Control was at my car. I stood up and walked outside and saw Animal Control of Sunnyvale was standing there. I went to my car door to get my dog and the Animal Control officer moved to block my reaching for my car door.

After she blocked me from opening my own car door the Animal Control Princess proceeded to accuse me of battery. I never touched this woman. My customer, the husband, had come outside also and he told the Animal Control officer she was being out of line. This particular customer had just retired from 30 years of serving as a Federal Law Enforcement officer.

The animal control officer told my customer to be quiet. At that point she went to her truck and sat in there for maybe a half hour. My customer and I waited. And waited. Finally the officer came back out of her truck and said the Sunnyvale Police were coming because she had called them.

When the Sunnyvale Policeman arrived he guided me to a few yards away from the Animal Control officer where he could talk to me privately. He told me because the Animal Control officer had called that he was required to come out. He asked me what happened. I told him I had reached for my car door and the Animal Control officer had blocked my way and now she was accusing me of battery. He patiently and quietly told me he could see I was not a violent person and that my dog was not endangered as the sun was not even out yet and it was jacket weather as it was probably now 70 degrees and given that the car was parked under a tree in the shade with water and all four windows cracked, my dog did not appear to be in imminent danger.

The police spent maybe four minutes with me mostly explaining how he had to come out because Animal Control had called. He seemed embarrassed and apologetic about it. He thanked me for my time and left.

At that point the Animal Control officer marched over and put a WARNING letter in my face. The warning letter had boxes that were available to be checked (that were not checked) if one violated any of the provisions in the boxes. She was obviously annoyed because there was nothing she could site me for. At this point I had been detained for about an hour for absolutely no reason.

This Animal Control officer was out of line, mean, and rude. She should be dressed up and down and fired. I will never do business again in Sunnyvale, California. I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for 25 years and never did I ever expect to receive the intimidation and threatening treatment that I did in August of 2011 which was instigated by this animal control officer on a power trip.. It has taken me this long to decide to write about this incident.

I have now read about the law and pets and understand that in California Animal Control has the power to break windows, and damage vehicles to whatever extent they want if they feel an animal is in danger. Most noteworthy is they can steal your dog and it is "legal". From my interpretation this is up to their sole discretion.

My animal was not ever in danger. I resent being treated as I was by this out of control government representative. This incident represents everything that is wrong with our country and the government civil servants thinking they are above the citizens. Dog lovers stay clear of Sunnyvale, California or you may never see your dog again.