4 minute read
Deputy Chance – Standing Up Against Abuse
Deputy Chance
Standing Up againSt abUSe
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By Pam Bonsper
When he was found, his mouth was duct-taped shut, his tongue was hanging out, he was dehydrated, and he was bleeding from open wounds. “No words can express how disgusting it was. It would have been a matter of minutes before he died,” recalls Sheriff Marceno of Lee County, Florida. “He was a turning point for our department. When I saw him I thought: If I ever got in a position to help more animals from this fate, I would do it.”
Immediately following that horrible scene, the very young dog was rescued by the department, given the name “Chance,” and adopted by one of the department’s lieutenants. The sheriff states, “I’m very proud of Lt. Castellon, who stepped up and adopted Chance and worked so hard with him.”
It wasn’t long before Chance’s true nature overshadowed his tragic past. He began running and playing and SMILING. And it wasn’t long before forensics nabbed the abuser with DNA evidence found from fingerprints on the backside of the tape. The abuser was found guilty of aggravated animal cruelty and given five years of probation.
Chance became a local celebrity. Withstanding the traumatic abuse and not giving up, he became a hero, inspiring others to overcome difficult challenges. His responding to the work and love given to him by his rescuers was soon followed by Sheriff Marceno deputizing him into the department. Now wearing the uniform, Deputy Chance began to change the department’s focus on animal abuse. Chance soon became the catalyst for the Deputy Dogs, Pets on Patrol Program. The sheriff explains. “He is the face of this program. In it, citizens actively work with law enforcement as a team. We have a great relationship. The community is a very big part of the piece. People know their neighbors. It’s getting them to report something when they see it. We tell them: See it! Say it! And Make the Call! We flag people’s homes if there is any sign of abuse. We have a unit that works 24/7 to check things out. We follow through and if the abuse continues, we go back. The message we send is: If you abuse an animal, we have zero tolerance: you will get punished.”
As in all law enforcement agencies, Deputy Chance couldn’t just rely upon his good ideas and good looks. He had to go out there and work! Deputy Chance became the spokesdog for the Public Affairs Unit. He was given the title “The Good Will
Carmine Marceno Lee County Sheriff
Ambassador” by the County Commissioner. He goes all over the place, visiting schools, hospitals, and community events, all the time advocating against animal cruelty and helping to promote the adoption of shelter pets.
The sheriff chuckles, “He’s a natural for these kinds of things. We noticed on his first event, he brought so much love and joy to the crowd. Kids run to him. He’s like a magnet. He smiles at you. Even after so much abuse, and after working with Lt. Castellon, he became a mascot that says: You can come back. We took Chance to the Children’s Hospital to see the young cancer patients. The kids just loved him. He is an amazing dog.”
Due to his huge success and influence in the Lee County Sheriff’s Department, Deputy Chance has convinced the sheriff to expand its Canine staff. Working closely with local animal shelters, they have added two more dogs to their Animal Cruelty Task Force, and Chance is now the role model to his peers. Detective Gunner (who was taken from the jaws of an alligator) and Deputy Hope (who has only three legs) became the latest to join his team.
Recently, Chance was nominated for the American Humane Hero Dog Award.
As of this writing, he is among the three semifinalists in the shelter dog category. As the sheriff explains, “If he wins the award, he will be a worldwide ambassador. He will have a voice at the national level. Not just about fighting the abuse but the educational piece in how to treat animals and how to care for them properly. He will help to get the word out: articles, social media, sheriffs all over talking about it and implementing similar programs. We will utilize that base, that national platform to say: We have zero tolerance for those who abuse dogs, for those who shouldn’t own dogs. We will deploy all resources to help the ones who are being abused.”
Sheriff Marceno’s final statement: “We have to protect those who don’t have a voice.”
Deputy Chance had lost his voice two years ago when his jaws were taped shut. But his jaws are now open; his voice is being heard. He wants everyone to know: Don’t give up the fight. Keep strong and report animal abuse. That is how you can be a hero, too.
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