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 By Sharon L. Peters for USA TODAY
In life, Buddy, the shepherd/blue heeler mix, was a beloved pet.
In death, he has become a rallying point for outraged pet lovers around the world who are tired of sickos hurting animals.
Buddy’s story has galvanized Grand Junction, Colo., near where Buddy was dragged to death just before New Year’s, provoking scores of people to cram into the courtroom and spill into the street when the man accused of killing him appeared at a preliminary hearing.
It has prompted the online petition “Demand Justice for Buddy!” The petition achieved its goal of 100,000 signatures — from people in nearly every state and dozens of countries, including Canada, Denmark and Australia — in just 11 days. (More than 104,000 had signed at thepetitionsite.com by Tuesday). And it inspired United Kingdom singer/songwriter Maria Daines to write and record Buddy’s Song, a moving tribute posted on her website.
“The U.S. assistant attorney (who is prosecuting the case) told me she’s never seen anything like it. She’s received several thousand e-mails,” Paul Shockley, the reporter who has been covering the case for the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, tells me.
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