04/21/2026
Marla Update 💛
For five weeks, we prayed, planned, advocated, and honestly… rode every wave of hope and heartbreak trying to change Marla’s outcome.
We pushed hard for an appeal hearing and offered solutions — real, responsible options. The goal was simple: meet safety requirements without the “Dangerous Dog” label that creates nearly impossible barriers for insurance, fosters, and adopters.
There were two committed adoptive homes ready to step up if that label could be not reconsidered.
A reputable rescue was willing to take her if it could be removed.
A long-term foster was prepared to provide structured decompression, management, and training.
A full post-release plan was created — focused on safety, trauma recovery, enrichment, and building the skills she would need for a stable future.
We weren’t asking for chances — we were offering a path.
From the beginning, the message from SAFE’s leadership was consistent: Marla would not be returning due to insurance concerns and the belief that she was “dangerous.”
I will never forget the day of the incident I got the calls from SAFE: “Marla needs you.”
I didn’t know how I could help. I waited, hoping SAFE would rally — but they stayed quiet, waiting as time continued to run out for her. That’s when I knew Marla's supporters needed to know what was happening. When it became clear Marla was being left with no path forward, I shared her story.
At one point, I paused updates after being told someone had attempted to break into Animal Control to take Marla. That is not what anyone wanted — but after verification with the Sheriff’s Office and Animal Control, it was confirmed that no such incident occurred. No break-in. No attempt. That mattered.
Then, Friday evening, everything changed.
We were notified that the appeal hearing was being canceled. SAFE had decided to purchase the liability insurance required under the Dangerous Dog designation and would be bringing Marla back to their Hollister location. [Date unknown]
A complete reversal.
Marla will be housed in a kennel, with limited yard time and only staff interaction. No walks or leaving the property. She will not be eligible for adoption or placement.
If this feels familiar, you’re not wrong.
We’ve seen what isolation can do. We’ve seen how lack of appropriate outlets and support contributed to the behaviors now being used to define her.
So yes — there is relief.
Marla will live.
And I am deeply grateful to every single person who advocated, shared, spoke up, and refused to let her be invisible. Your voices mattered. They forced movement. They bought her time.
But I would not be honest if I didn’t also say this:
As someone educated in canine behavior, I know what she still needs — and what she will not be getting.💔
She needs decompression.
She needs guidance.
She needs enrichment, structure, and the opportunity to rebuild trust and skills in a meaningful way.
Right now, she is returning to confinement after 6 stressful weeks in Animal Control — not rehabilitation.
I am grateful she is alive.
And I am still holding space for what she could have had.
Thank you for standing with Marla. 💛
