CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Videos and photos of Kimiko Sumner's dog Romeo show the young pup frequently frolicking, relaxing with his dog sibling and begging for attention from his humans. At first glance, it might be difficult to see the evidence of a tough prior life.
"We often refer to him as a dork," Sumner said, jokingly. "He's really goofy. He's so loving. He just always wants to please."
After a brief fostering stint with him, Sumner finally adopted Romeo from CMPD Animal Care and Control earlier this year. Sumner said Romeo was seized from a dogfighter in Charlotte after a court case involving dozens of other seized dogs that dragged on for nearly two years.
In October, Earl Hamilton entered an Alford plea, formally pleading guilty to various animal abuse charges, while neither asserting guilt nor innocence in the case, and a judge rendered the punishment: The 43-year-old would surrender the seized dogs who were living at CMPD Animal Care and Control over the length of the legal proceedings, plus six dogs who remained at his home. Hamilton was also banned from owning another animal for the next five years.
Romeo was among the last dogs seized from Hamilton's home after the case concluded.
"This is a dog that came from the worst of the worst, you know, and all he wanted was love," Sumner said. "They said they could tell there was definitely some abuse because he was just very scared and timid when they took him in."
While Romeo is now on the path to a happy new life, animal advocates said, in North Carolina, others in similar situations do not even get that chance.
John McHugh, an ASPCA State Legislative Director, said many people breathe a sigh of relief when they read of a dogfighting bust, thinking at least the dogs are now safe. But in reality, North Carolina law sets many dogs up for months of confinement, and eventually death.
"The law that designates them as dangerous was literally passed in 1990," McHugh said. "So it's 34 years old, and our understanding of dog behavior has advanced considerably since then. There's a provision of the law that was passed in 2005, which would actually allow for adoption of these animals with the dangerous legal tag on them."
McHugh said the wording of those dangerous dog laws leaves the door too wide open for every dog seized from a dogfighter to be legally labeled a "dangerous dog," whether they were actually used for fighting or not. That label, he said, can mean additional insurance or government fees and rules to follow when the dog is in public.
That, he said, can make dogs extremely hard to adopt out or not worth some shelters' efforts to try.
"The effect of the law, even though it's not required by the law, is that all these animals are euthanized after their evidentiary value is done," McHugh said.
McHugh said HB 327, a bipartisan bill in the North Carolina House, could change things though, by clarifying the dangerous dog legal language.
"Test the dogs that have not actually been fought to see if they are behaviorally acceptable to be considered for adoption, and if they pass that assessment, they are not automatically given the dangerous tag that the current law requires," McHugh said.
At the latest check, HB 327 is sitting in a house committee, the same place it has sat since late April. McHugh said he is hopeful it can pass the General Assembly in the current legislative short session, which could wrap up in a few weeks.
He urges people who care about the measure to contact their state lawmakers to show support.
Sumner said she cannot imagine what her life would be like if Romeo did not get a shot to prove he is just a lover, not a fighter--a second chance she wishes more victimized animals were afforded.
"What you endure is not necessarily a testament to what you are," Sumner said. "Is it fair to not at least give them that level one assessment to see if there is there potential here?"
"Everyone deserves that chance," she said.
Contact Vanessa Ruffes at vruffes@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.