Adopting pets can be complicated if you're conservative, Christian, Republican, and moved to the South.

NJ PET RESCUE OUTFIT DOESN'T LIKE PANTANO FAMILY'S POLITICS AND RELIGIOUS BELIEFS. DOGS WANT A HOME. DON'T REALLY SEEM TO CARE.

 

Posted: Apr 07, 2011 9:59 PM EDT Updated: Apr 07, 2011 9:59 PM EDT  

Source: Ilario Pantano

 

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) - Republican Congressional Hopeful Ilario Pantano says politics is playing a role in a current issue his family is having with a dog rescue organization out of New Jersey.

The Pantano family recently took in two rescue puppies from a litter in Charlotte.  But, a national rescue group out of New Jersey claims the puppies were signed over to them and the Pantanos are not adequate candidates for full-time adoption.

Jacquie Yorke from the Doodle Rescue Collective Inc. tells WECT.com she has reached out to the Pantanos to get the animals, but "they're refusing to hand them over to us."

"The facts of the case are simple, Puppies need to be rescued and my family stepped up. Now an animal rescue group in New Jersey is trying to deny these pets to my children because of who their father is. We were simply going to adopt the animals, but when liberal activists in New Jersey found out who I was, my politics made me a target.

"Instead of listening to more of her harassing and threatening phone calls, we decided to purchase the puppies outright from their lawful owner.  Why is this harassment and nonsense continuing?  Because I am a conservative Christian Republican Marine who hunts, I have been targeted by animal activists  that have called my wife and I terrible names and curses, which we have on a recorded voice mail.

"This activist has literally threatened to 'smear my family's good name all over the Internet.'  Sadly, this isn't about the puppies we bought for my children, this is about the politics of personal destruction.  Please pray for my family as we endure yet another round of slings and arrows from folks 600 miles away from Wilmington that seem intent on harassing my family and hurting my children and our good name," Ilario Pantano said in an emailed statement. "I didn't know that you had to be a Democrat to adopt a puppy. "

Pantano tells WECT.com his family has received threatening voicemail messages from Yorke and had visits from local law enforcement because of this situation. The two puppies are named Jack Jack and Tullulah.

"My two boys should not be paying an emotional  price for their father's politics," said Jill Pantano in a released statement.  "It makes me sad."

Reached by phone from New Jersey, Yorke told WECT.com, "these people are obviously doing everything in their power to get the media attention.  We are just trying to save our dogs. We tried to get them back a nice way," Yorke said.

Pantano's mother, Merry, sent a cease and desist order to Yorke, but Ilario Pantano says he is being threatened with a lawsuit over the animals.  Yorke tells WECT.com they will go to court if they have to in this situation.

Pantano announced earlier this year that he intends to run for the 7th Congressional District seat currently held by Congressman Mike McIntyre (D).

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Verne Strickland Blogmaster