The Chicago French Bulldog Rescue refused a request by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to return 15 French bulldogs to O’Hare Airport by 9:00 a.m. September 28, 2020. The dogs had arrived from Jordan, originally shipped from a puppy miller in the Ukraine. Their shipping documents were fraudulent and contained misstatements about their actual age and vaccinations. Some of the puppies were only 3 months old when shipped. They were flagged by the CDC and then neglected– left in unsanitary conditions without food and water – at an airport warehouse for three days, resulting in the death of one puppy. A good samaritan alerted the Chicago Police Department which called the Chicago French Bulldog Rescue to come and take the puppies.
Attorney R. Tamara de Silva represents the Chicago French Bulldog Rescue, who was ordered by the CDC and federal regulations to return the puppies so that they could be deported back to Omman Jordan on the Royal Jordanian Airlines likely to be destroyed, if they were even to survive another 13 hour flight.
In a statement released by email on September 28, 2020 prior to the deadline, Attorney de Silva said:
“Out of ongoing concern by Chicago French Bulldog Rescue for the health and welfare of the 15 puppies ... I have informed all relevant agencies of the government and Royal Jordanian Airlines earlier today that the rescue will not be turning over the 15 French bulldog puppies to anyone tomorrow, Monday [September 28] at 9 a.m.”
UPDATE: On October 6th, 2020, after ongoing negotiations, Ms. de Silva is happy to announce that an agreement was signed, with approval from the CDC, and other federal agencies, between the Rescue and Royal Jordanian Airlines to transfer ownership of the puppies called the “Jordan 15” to the Chicago French Bulldog Rescue. This agreement allows the puppies to stay in the United States permanently, and to not be euthanized, once they finish a period of quarantine and confinement per CDC regulations.
Attorney de Silva extends her profound gratitude to Mr. Benjamin Rhodeside of Senator Duckworth’s office and Mr. Max Frankel of Congressman Mike Quigley office for their help in getting oversight of the confinement agreement ordered by the CDC. This confinement agreement was a necessary part of the final agreement that allowed the puppies to stay and would not have been possible without help from both Congressman Quigley and Senator Duckworth.