Karma, a 4-year-old Siberian Husky who Orange County Animal Care Director Jennifer Hawkins insists is a wolf-dog hybrid, was given a reprieve today from his death sentence.
Hawkins wanted Karma to be euthanized because the dog killed a cat in 2012 and was therefore “vicious.” When a DNA test showed he was part wolf (as are all Siberian Huskies…and all dogs), Hawkins said the “wolf-dog” could not be vaccinated against rabies.
“Ultimately, it was determined that euthanasia is necessary to ensure public safety,” Hawkins said in a statement, according to ABC7.
Karma had been impounded by Orange County Animal Care in Orange, Calif., after his owners, Joshua and Tiffany Ogle, were arrested for domestic violence May 24. The Ogles appealed Hawkins’ decision, but Orange County Superior Court Judge Corey Cramin initially upheld it.
As Karma’s plight became known on social media, more than 350,000 outraged animal lovers signed an online petition urging his life to be spared.
Orange County Supervisor Todd Spitzer was also opposed to Karma’s death sentence. Yesterday he successfully convinced the Orange County Board of Supervisors to vote 3-2 in favor of asking Cramin to reconsider his ruling.
“You have to convince me personally that there is more aggressive behavior before I’m going to end the life of a beautiful dog,” Spitzer told ABC7.
This morning, Cramin overturned his original ruling. Karma will spend the rest of his life at the Full Moon Farm wolf-dog sanctuary in Black Mountain, N.C.
When Nancy Brown, who owns the sanctuary, found out yesterday that Karma’s life could be spared, she told the OC Register she was “so joyful.”
“I agreed to the terms, as absurd as they are,” Brown said.
Christina Garcia, the Ogles’ attorney, said she had papers proving Karma is a purebred Siberian Husky.
“We would hope in a best-case scenario Karma returns home to his guardians, but if that’s not possible we would like the dog to live out the rest of his life happy in a sanctuary,” she told CBS Los Angeles.
Photo via Twitter