Help with Lawyer Fees for Dog Innocently Killed

Hello, My name is Tera McIntosh and my wife Amy McIntosh and I are co-founders of Misfit Mountain Animal Rescue- a nonprofit in Clyde, NC. And we are coming to you for help.

On Thursday November 24th, 2023 at 2am, STEFFIE (a sweet-non-aggressive Pitt-bull rescued by Misfit Mountain and now living with her forever family for over a year and a half) was fatally SHOT and KILLED BY A HENDERSON COUNTY SHERIFF while going potty in her own yard on her property at 2:00am in the morning.

The owner/family of Steffie states that a neighbor (whom we will refer to as Bruce) reported a suspicious vehicle parked in Steffie’s owners DRIVEWAY. The vehicle was none other than the owner of the house and Steffies adopter. The Sheriff came to Steffies home at 2am armed because the neighbor Bruce implied there could be a possible intruder. This was Thanksgiving weekend, a time when families gather, rest assured homes have many different cars stopping by. Instead of the officer running the plate of the car (in which he would have saw it was registered to the homeowner at the address), instead of knocking on the door, or even announcing himself when he arrived - he decided to act not in accordance with protocol and enter the driveway towards the gated in fenced area where Steffie uses the bathroom. A clear violation of civil rights.

At the same time the sheriff entered on to the homeowner property and started walking toward the fenced in area the owner was letting her dogs out to potty in the back of the home (unaware the Sheriff was even there), and as the Sheriff walked toward the fenced in backyard, assuming there was a possible threat, it was only Steffie who greeted him and WHO HE SHOT THREE TIMES AND KILLED IN HER OWN YARD. The Sheriffs department released a general statement about her charging at the office and so they had to discharge their weapon.

After numerous news articles like this one here from the Asheville Citizens Times: https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2023/11/29/henderson-county-sheriff-deputy-fatally-shoots-foster-dog/71726412007/?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot&fbclid=IwAR2UYTN8g2Ha_kxFgdrii5sEHjNL-ds8jN065VljoQsFhHY1P8zyLqYUgIo

And Paul Mueller-News Reporter and Animal Advocate:

https://www.facebook.com/therealpaulmueller/videos/275035591768301

And this Change.org Petition: https://www.change.org/p/stop-henderson-county-sheriffs-from-killing-dogs-that-do-no-harm-in-their-own-yard

And this Viral Tik Tok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@kat_and_rainier/video/7306599675707084075

...Henderson County Sherrifs Office finally released the body camera footage and still refuses to take accountability...and instead try to rationalize Steffies response.

See the video for yourself here: https://www.tiktok.com/@kat_and_rainier/video/7307397734989057326?_t=8ho2oXQccmZ&_r=1

As you can see in the video Steffie was not “charging” at the officer. She was barking and juking side to side alerting her human a stranger was in their yard. For context the officer was pulled into their driveway and then in their front yard the minute he started walking---hence Steffie heard something and came toward the front. He was maybe four feet from his car. He could have easily got in his car. He could have easily deployed a taser/pepper spray because she wasn’t charging at him she was barking and alerting that someone was on their property. The officer did not identify himself as “Sheriffs office” so maybe the home owner could have heard and called her off! Nothing. What if a kid came around the corner or the adopter???? You were in their yard!!! Even after Steffie was shot and killed the officer did not identify himself and refused to give his information.

Steffie was not trying to harm this officer...she was protecting her property and family and was blinded by the light from the officer and showing that she was scared but also letting the intruder know this was her space. Steffie was killed in her own yard and pronounced dead at the scene and left for the family to "take care of".

In addition, this is not uncommon for this sheriffs department as just two years ago they killed another dog when they went to the wrong address of a home and refused to pay the emergency medical bills for their error or take any accountability. And also four days after Steffie was killed they shot another dog that was gated on a porch and have refused to offer any transparency or details (I supposed they were a threat too). This county is a very wealthy euro-centric county and has been known for a "good ole boys club" mentality in which they answer to nobody and refuse to share transparency...not just with dogs, but human cases too. Let's stand up for our animal friends and in turn bring new protocols that will save the next Steffie...because with a history like this...we know there will be another Steffie, and maybe next time it could be a child too.

The reason the Sheriffs department has acted so swiftly in sharing the video finally is because of people like you who share and put the pressure on them with making stories like this go viral. With all this being said....we need funds to pay Lindsay Law to take on the case against the Henderson County Sheriffs Office in order to demand the office change their protocol and stop using deadly force on animals when the Sheriff's office is the one invading someone else's property. These funds will be used to collectively to fight the county on behalf of Steffie and all dogs murdered by this County Sheriffs office. Any funds raised in excess will be donated to Misfit Mountain Animal Rescue-the nonprofit animal rescue in Clyde, NC that rescued Steffie and gave her this second chance at life and love.

Please share the hell out of this and use #justiceforsteffie

And please tag the @henderson county sheriff office, Hendersonville NC And call the District Attorney and ask them to investigate.

Do it for Sweet Steffie.