Owners fight to bring pit bull home

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — “It’s dead around here, he’s the life of the house,” says Randy Flowers. Randy Flowers says he hasn’t slept much since he and his fiance, Pam’s dog, Apollo, was taken from their home. According to Rany, animal control officers for the City of Columbia Animal Shelter took Apollo while they were not at home, after a neighbor complained. “I just believe the neighbor sees that kind of dog, the big head and the jaws and when you look at him and when he barks, it can be scary,” says Flowers. But Flowers says those looks are deceiving because Apollo has never bitten anyone. “He’s a very, very lovable dog we have a 5 year old that stays here, he sleeps in the bed with her,” says Flowers. So why was Apollo taken? According to Marli Drum, Executive Director of the City of Columbia Animal Shelter, they responded to a complaint. “When our officers arrived on the scene and saw the same behavior that he had been seeing, realizing there was a gate that was four foot tall, that wasn’t secured properly,” says Drum. Drum says they were only following protocol. “An owner wasn’t home to contain the dog, we had no choice but to take him at that time,” says Drum. But Drum says Apollo’s owners were notified and if they meet the city’s requirements they can bring him home. “We hope we can get this situation resolved soon, we would like to see him go home and I know he wants to go home,” says Drum. Apollo’s owners agree. “I can’t wait to get him back, I can’t wait for that first walk, that first ride in the truck,” says Flowers. Right now it is unclear on when Apollo could return to this backyard. A court date for the case has been set for March 21st. His owners though, say they want him home sooner rather than later.