Save Bela - #SaveBela has been trending on social media for weeks now - the campaign to save a 9-year-old German shepherd named Bela from being euthanized has gained grounds after news of his dead owner's will surfaced.
Reports indicate that Connie Ley, Bela's owner, who died in Aurora, IN last month, requested as part of her will that the dog is put to sleep, cremated and buried along with her.
However, animal right advocates and dog lovers don't agree with Ley's request and have started a campaign online - #SaveBela - hoping this could spare the healthy dog's life.
Doug Denmure, Ley's attorney, said his client initially wished to send Bela to live in the Best Friends Animal Society's no-kill sanctuary located in southern Utah. But that plan changed after the cost of transporting Bela to the facility, where he would live out the rest of his days, became too expensive for her to bear.
Ley came up with other ideas and requested in her will that a friend of hers should ensure that "the dog be put to sleep, cremated and that the dog's ashes be placed with her own ashes."
Reports indicate that Bela was with Ley when she passed away on Nov. 25. The dog is healthy and very active. Questions about the will have been raised on social media, where many feel Bela's life should be saved.
Denmure says Ley's request to put Bela to sleep has been suspended for now. Bela is currently being housed and cared in a shelter at PAWS of Dearborn County Humane Center located in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Becky Foster, who is the director of the facility, says they are only being hosts and have no legal rights to keep Bela. They are waiting for a decision from Denmure.
The campaign #SaveBela has been gaining grounds particularly on Facebook and Twitter. Users have expressed their willingness to adopt the dog. While others have called Ley wicked and selfish for requesting that a young and healthy dog is euthanized.
"We want to save Bela's life and bring him to our sanctuary, but the decision to send him to us or have him put down and cremated is out of our hands," Best Friends Animal Society said in a #SaveBela post on its Facebook page. "The decision needs to be made by the person designated in Ms. Ley's will and we are hopeful that she will agree." It is unclear if the facility have agreed to take in Bale for free.
"Add me to the list of people who would gladly adopt Bela and give her a happy home. Please #SaveBela from her dead owner's stupidity," a social media user wrote.
According to Denmure, Ley's request is legal since she was the dog's legal owner. He however refused to say if Bela would be saved or put to sleep.
"The dog was owned by my client and now it's part of her estate," Denmure said. "And those are her wishes, as far as the future of the dog is concerned. outsiders don't have the grounds to rewrite the provision of my clients's will and impose what they want."
Save Bela
