Diggy The Dog Gets To Stay At His New Home Despite A Stupid Town

This viral goofy selfie of Dan Tillery
and his new companion Diggy almost
got Diggy banned from the town
where they live.  

Diggy The Dog made waves in June when he was adopted by a gentleman named Dan Tillery of Waterford Township, Michigan.

Right after Tillery adopted Diggy from a Detroit animal shelter, the two posed together in a selfie, with big goofy grins on their faces.

The photo, which you can see in this post, understandably made everybody smile.

Well almost everyone. The people that run Waterford Township were not smiling. They were convinced Diggy is a pit bull, and that breed of dog is specifically banned from Waterford Township, says the New York Times. 

Never mind that Diggy isn't even a pit bull. He's an American Bulldog.

However, that wasn't good enough for the people who run Waterford Township. Diggy resembled a pit bull, so therefore he was a pitiful, they decided. He had to go.

That move set off another Internet storm and got locals around Waterford Township riled up. Crowds demanded justice for Diggy at Township council meetings, the Michigan legislature considered outlawing municipal ordinances that banned specific breeds, and 10,000 people signed a petition to let Diggy stay put.

Tillery submitted affidavits from two veterinarians, each of whom determined that Diggy was indeed not a pit bull.

Recently Tillery and Diggy got great news: Waterford Township decided Diggy could remain a resident of that community.

It's a relief to Tillery, and presumably Diggy, who formed an immediate bond when they met. The pair are now besties.

"People had really invested their emotions in this story, and it's beautiful to see so amy people care about rescue dogs," said Kristina Rinaldi, the director of the Detroit Dog Rescue, a no-kill shelter where Tillery found Diggy, according to the New York Times.

Rinaldi says far from being dangerous, Diggy is a big goofball who loves people.

It certainly seems like he loves his new friend Tillery. We wish them a long and happy partnership.

And while we're at it, let's get rid of those stupid breed specific ordinances. It's the training of the dog, not the dog itself that determines whether they're dangerous.