After discovering that his girlfriend, Tangie So, had committed suicide last year in Green Mountain College, Alex Brown-Waterson was extremely traumatized. He was struggling to function. He could hardly motivate himself to continue living.



Eventually, he decided that having an animal companion would aid his healing process. He found a kill shelter in New Jersey: the death-row of abandoned dogs. This is where he met Eva, the puppy he instantly connected with. This sweet dog had been severely abused and needed Alex's companionship in order to heal as well. She was underweight with a broken tail and wounded paws. Thanks to Alex, she was saved from death and is now flourishing as a happy, healthy, sociable dog.



Eva is a certified therapy animal. Many other students on campus own dogs as well. Eva is a popular campus pup, but her and Alex have been unfairly targeted by a few Resident Assistants and the vice president of student life, Joe Petrick because she is part pit bull. It is common knowledge that dogs are receptive to the emotions of humans around them, and will pick up on fear projected onto them. Unfortunately, the stereotypes about pit bulls cause people to automatically fear her, when she is in fact a very affectionate and safe dog. Dogs will bark in response to a person's fear, and this only makes the fearful person in question feel more threatened by her. Eva has never harmed anyone.



Alex has not violated anything in the handbook regarding dog ownership, as she always remains on her leash and out of the bathrooms when she is in buildings and floors other than her own. However, the RA's and Joe Petrick were unaware of these rules, and have repeatedly claimed that he has violated nonexistent rules that dictate that dogs cannot be in the buildings.



Joe Petrick forced Alex to move from his room in the Moses building to a new room in the Ames building, although this was after complaints from an RA in Cree, not anyone who actually lived in Moses. Now he is being forcibly evicted from campus after an RA wrote a report against Alex that did not match the actual encounter. He was in the Bogue building with Eva, who had her leash on, and they were already exiting the building. The RA then stopped them and told him she could not be in there (which is actually untrue). He explained he was leaving and continued on his way, but she again stopped him and repeated what she had said. Frustrated, Alex back off (with stronger language). The report simply says he told her that, unprovoked. Because of that report, he is being evicted from campus.



Originally, Alex was told he would have enough time to find a place to live off campus. However, after Joe Petrick overheard that he could be facing harassment charges, he told Alex that if he could not secure an apartment before March 6th, Alex would not be allowed at school with Eva. Alex found a place, but it doesn't open up until the end of March. No other places were available, and that's an extremely short amount of time to give someone for securing a new place to live.



Alex is now feeling forced to drop out of Green Mountain College, because in his condition he cannot be separated from Eva. That would not be fair to her either. Although Joe Petrick said Alex could return without her, this is simply not an option. His ultimatum is unmerited and unrealistic.



After experience so much hardship, it's disheartening that Alex is being met with such hostility by people who know why he has Eva in the first place. Alex is very strong for trying to continue attending Green Mountain College -- why would this institution not support him in this endeavor?



Please prevent this injustice from happening.