Owner of Guilford Dog Off Death Row: Freeing Simon "Bittersweet"

GUILFORD, CT - The owner of Simon, a 9-year-old pitbull mix who spent close to two years on death row at the Guilford Police Animal Shelter, is telling Patch he reluctantly agreed to a deal that freed the dog only if the dog was moved out of state.

Dr. David Young, Simon's owner, said the plan to move Simon to a new "sanctuary home" for unwanted animals in Michigan under a compromise agreement reached with the Town of Guilford, was "bittersweet" and one that he came to only after a lot of deliberation.

On Wednesday, Young discussed what brought him to make the decision and bring an end to a bitter battle with the town of Guilford and himself and Simon's supporters - a battle that had that had brought media coverage from across the state.

"He had been locked up for two years and the reality was he wasn't coming home," Young said. Young said the home he and his lawyer found in Michigan "is one where Simon has a farm where he can run around in and just be himself. He's (Simon) happy.”

"I had to face the reality that Simon wasn't going to be coming home and do the right thing for him," Young said.

Young said he's hopeful that the Michigan animal society will find a new home, eventually, for Simon to move to.

In the meantime, Young said, "Simon's kind of a celebrity out in Michigan. They know his story well."

Last Thursday afternoon, Guilford police issued the following press release: "On June 20, 2019 the Municipal Animal Control Officer of the Town of Guilford released Simon the dog to the Devoted Friends Animal Society, Inc., after ownership of the dog was transferred to this Michigan based organization. The pending appeal with the Department of Agriculture is expected to be withdrawn and the dog will not be returned to the State of Connecticut."

Young had appealed the town's decision to the state that the dog be euthanized after biting a teenager. Simon was locked up at the Guilford Police Animal Shelter, awaiting the outcome of an appeal hearing in front of the state Department of Agriculture.

He was freed for his ride to Michigan.

Young bristled at the town's constant position that the decision on Simon was out of its hands - that it was a state matter. It is Young's contention that the state was a reluctant participant in what should have been a Guilford matter and the state would have willingly dropped out of the case if Guilford had asked it to.

Young and his lawyer had also filed a motion against the state seeking a court hearing on his "First Amendment" rights being violated. Young said it is likely that case will be dropped.

A police report states that Simon bit and chased a 13-year-old neighbor who entered Young's yard with a lacrosse stick to retrieve his ball. The boy needed stitches.

Young says that Simon was just protecting his property. "He was in his own yard - he did nothing wrong,” Young claims.

"I might think differently about what happened to Simon if he had a history (of biting). But he was on his own property," Young reiterated.

Young said the first location that was suggested to the town for Simon as a "compromise home" was in upper state Connecticut, not Michigan, but that the town would not agree to any home for Simon that was in the state of Connecticut, Young said.

Guilford First Selectman Matt Hoey was recently asked how much the Town has spent on attorney fees fighting the case. He answered about $40,000. Asked how much he has spent on the case, Young answered between $20,000 and $25,000.

Besides attending selectmen meetings, Simon's supporters also held rallies, protests, fundraisers, press conferences and also paid thousands of dollars for a billboard that sits off Interstate 95 in East Haven saying: "Help Save Simon & Your Beloved Dogs From Guilford Politicians."

Asked what if anything he would have done differently in the long battle with the town, Young said he should never have allowed the town's Animal Warden to take Simon "off my property in the first place."

Young was asked whether his family has or will be getting any new dogs to replace Simon at their Guilford home.

"No," was his one word answer.

But, he quickly added the family plans to make regular visits to Michigan to visit Simon.