LOYALTY RUNS DEEP GITA’S HEROIC DASH TO SAVE HER OWNER
The bonds we develop with our pets are unlike any other we experience. They depend on us for their every want and need, and we often give them whatever they ask for! We know they would do the same for us if the roles were reversed. As the years pass, that bond deepens, making us inseparable from our furry friends. Many of us have felt despair when we imagine life without our trusty dog, cat, or other pet. It turns out that some animals feel the same and will do everything in their power to protect their owner if tragedy occurs. An 84-year-old man in Washington state woke up one morning to the sound of his glucose machine telling him his blood sugar was too low. As he headed toward the fridge, he noticed his 13-year-
head back home when dizziness overcame him. He fell to the ground, broke his hip, and immediately started shouting for help.
Gita remained by her owner’s side for some time before realizing nobody would hear him in the secluded woods. She jumped into action, heading toward a well-traveled street, where she encountered a sheriff’s deputy. The deputy tried to get the dog in his vehicle to no avail, so he surveyed the surrounding area to find Gita’s owner. The deputy could not locate the owner but still felt something was wrong, so he turned his attention back to Gita. The two locked eyes before Gita stood up and ran toward an unmarked side street. Gita led the deputy directly to her owner before any more harm could come to him.
old dog, Gita, wanted to go outside. Shortly after being let out, Gita took off toward the woods, and her owner followed in pursuit. After traveling 20–30 feet, the man turned around to
After the event, the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office posted “Hero Dog Saves Owner” and their account of the story on Facebook. Gita certainly proved her loyalty and bravery that day!
FROM FLICK TO FLAME Serious Penalties Await Drivers Who Toss Cigarettes
Few smokers think much about flicking ash or an extinguished cigarette from the window of a moving vehicle.
The Paul Buzzo Act imposes a mandatory court appearance in front of a judge for flicking a lit or unlit cigarette, cigar, match, or ash onto the highway. First-time offenders must also pay a fine and perform eight hours of community service. The law is named for an 11-year-old Concord, California, boy who thought the state’s existing ban on throwing burning materials from a car was too vague and lenient. He contacted California legislators to suggest more specific prohibitions. Section 23111 of the California Vehicle Code, named the Paul Buzzo Act in his honor, took effect in 1970 under former Gov. Pat Brown. If you or someone you know has been cited for illegal disposal of cigarettes or ash, or if you are facing any other traffic citations in the 18 counties in and around the San Joaquin Valley, contact us today to arrange a free consultation. We will be glad to assess your case, gather any relevant evidence in your defense, and fight to secure the best possible outcome.
Discarded cigarettes, however, are a significant cause of wildfires in California and throughout the West. Investigators have blamed cigarettes tossed from moving vehicles for a San Diego County fire that charred 10,000 acres and destroyed 16 homes in 2001; the 20- acre Golf Fire in Kelseyville in 2019; and the 300-acre Peterson Fire in Solano County in 2020. By the time the landscape erupted in flames, those careless drivers were miles away, heedless of the devastation they caused.
In recognition of June as National Safety Month, this is a good time to reflect on the hazards of flicking cigarette butts and ashes out of a vehicle window — and to be aware of the heavy legal consequences if you are caught doing so.
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