So, I understand you want to hear a story.
Well, it all started decades ago.
I had just hatched from an egg in my mother's nest.
You see, I was the first to...
What? Wrong story?
Oh, fine, fine, fine.
I'll tell you the story of Shadow the Pit Bull.
It all started several years ago in this very room.
She's so soft.
Yeah, I have to clean her
and brush her a lot to keep her this way.
She likes to play in the mud.
Wouldn't be so bad if it didn't harden under her fur.
Well, does she like baths?
Not really, but she doesn't fight it either.
Mm.
Bella, you're so cute. Yes, you are.
Yes, I am.
Can't you get a dog?
I want one really badly.
Have you asked your parents again?
Yeah, but they say, "No," like always.
Keep asking.
Maybe if you bug them enough,
they'll eventually let you get one.
Uh, more like they'll just ground me.
Not like you do much anyways.
Yeah, but that would mean
not being able to volunteer at the pound anymore.
Oh, I didn't think of that.
Samantha! Your mother's here!
Already?
Samantha!
We heard! One second!
I better go. Ready to go, Bella?
See you tomorrow at school.
Bye.
Um, Dad?
Wait till a commercial.
But you're not even watching.
- Yeah, but I'm listening. - On an image of perfection.
Okay, we need to take a break.
Tomorrow's topic is role models.
Ooh, looks like I got time to get to some ice cream.
Dad.
Laughter.
It's no secret that laughter makes you smile.
Well, guess what?
It also...
What is it?
I know I've asked you this before, but can we get a puppy?
Amber, we've been over this.
But there's so many good ones at the pound.
Yes, and you can see them there.
They all get adopted.
And then new ones come in.
Isn't it more fun to see a ton of puppies
rather than just one for a few months before it grows up?
But I want to raise one myself,
and I'll still love it when it gets old.
Plus, I'll still see the dogs at the pound.
A dog is a lot of responsibility.
I know, but I can handle it.
You have to feed it, potty train it,
teach it obedience- I know, I know.
Don't raise your voice at-
- I'm not!
Yes, you are.
Well, I don't mean to.
I just don't know why you won't trust me!
Hey! Somebody ate all my ice cream!
What'd you get?
B minus.
It is so hard to get an A in Miss Jenkins's class.
What'd you get?
C minus.
Ouch. Why?
I have no idea,
but I'm staying after to ask her what I did wrong.
Are you going to the game?
No, they're getting new puppies at the pound today,
so I really want to be there to meet them.
Are you sure?
We're playing the Bears. It should be an easy win.
I can never really follow what's going on.
All right.
Miss Jenkins?
Yes, Amber?
Why did I get a C minus?
Your paper was vague, Amber.
You can't just say how you feel.
You have to be able to prove your point.
I'm looking for specifics, facts.
Can you prove any of this?
I'm sorry, but without being able to cite your sources,
your statements just don't carry any weight.
Hey, Amber, how was school?
The usual.
Why don't you ever tell me anything exciting
that happened in school?
Because we sit in chair desks for seven hours,
listening to someone read from a textbook
and draw on marker boards.
I don't know, when I was in school,
there was always at least something fun that happened.
Yet another reason why I wish I was older.
No, you do not, because when you get older,
you're actually gonna wish that you were younger.
Trust me.
Mm, I guess.
Well, you know what I would really enjoy right now,
is getting to meet some puppies.
New ones in?
I'm surprised you didn't ask me yet.
Yeah, go, they're right there.
Great.
Have fun.
Hey, bud. Hey, no.
Hey, she hit me.
You hit me first.
You're so cute.
I need to give you a name.
Yes. Yes.
Think I'll call you Shadow.
Yes, I am Shadow.
I like her.
I think she's called an Amber.
I like this Amber.
The puppies continue to talk
amongst themselves about the girl.
She couldn't understand a word they said,
but she knew they liked her.
All animals did.
She spent her whole volunteer session
playing with the puppies that day.
Hey, want to come over later?
Bella has started doing the cutest thing.
Normally, I would love to,
but I really want to play with the new puppies.
Really? You've been there every day this week.
Yeah, but they won't be there forever.
Oh, and there's this one, she's so cute.
I named her Shadow.
Sounds fun.
Yeah, I want to play with her as much as I can
before she gets adopted.
Okay, text me.
Hi, Dr. Robertson.
Is Shadow still here?
Sure is.
I'm surprised nobody's adopted her yet.
And someone may not adopt her.
That doesn't make sense.
Well, see, some people think that pit bulls are mean dogs.
But Shadow's so lovable. How could anyone think that?
Because there's owners that have pit bulls
and they teach them how to be mean,
so people just assume that pit bulls are mean,
and they're not.
But that's not the dog's fault.
No, it's not its fault, especially Shadow.
I mean, she's such a great puppy.
We know that, I know that,
but someone that just looks at Shadow
might think she's a mean dog.
Oh.
You know what?
Let's keep our fingers crossed
and hope that something happens.
Take care. Go.
- Hey, Shadow. - Yay, the Amber is here.
- Ooh, you're so hyper. - Hi, Amber.
Me, me, me. Me, me.
- Hi. - Pet me, pet me,
pet me, pet me.
Pet me. Hello.
- Pet me! - Pet me.
No, pet me!
- Oh, hello. - No!
Shadow, you can be so cute.
The puppies all loved Amber,
but the cage was no home.
Of course, I live in a cage,
but my cage is in a home where I am fed, loved,
and regularly annoyed by goldfish.
Look at all this ocean.
That's a wall?
Hmm.
Ooh, maybe if I turn around.
Seriously, you human types are so lucky
you cannot hear them.
Anyway, the puppies wanted a home,
a place they could run around more and be in a family.
People love puppies, so they usually went out pretty fast,
but nobody wanted a pit bull.
I can't believe you're the last one.
You're so cute.
You'll get adopted soon, though.
Your eyes are impossible not to love.
I'll be back tomorrow, though, okay?
But you might have a home by then.
Then you won't even remember me.
Goodnight, Shadow.
I wish I could take you home with me. I do, I really do.
You'll get adopted.
You have to.
Goodnight, Shadow.
Going to see Shadow again?
Yep.
You are seriously in love with that dog.
I can't believe no one else wants her,
and it's just because she's a pit bull.
Shadow is a pit bull?
Yeah.
Amber.
What?
You didn't say Shadow was a pit bull.
Why does it matter?
It just does.
Oh, no, not you too.
It's a well-known fact that pit bulls are vicious.
That's why all dog fighters use them.
No, they just get a bad rep
because of all the jerks who own them.
They make them fight.
Exactly.
No, not exactly.
Dogs take on the attitudes of their owners.
Before pit bulls, everyone was afraid of Dobermans.
Still, pit bulls bite.
Chihuahuas are more vicious than pit bulls.
The taco dogs?
Yes, the taco dog.
No way.
Have you ever seen one in person?
No, but-
- Have you ever seen a pit bull in person?
I keep my distance.
Then you can't say.
I'm just going off what I hear.
Well, you hear wrong.
Look, I don't want to argue about this anymore.
I'm just gonna go to the kennel.
All right, sorry.
See you Monday, I guess.
Yeah.
Is this her? Is this the Amber?
Yeah. This is her.
How come she won't take you with her?
I don't know. She's sad when she leaves.
She wants to.
Just like before,
all the other puppies were adopted
and Amber's daily visits were spent playing with Shadow,
who was again alone in the puppy pen.
She's still there?
Yeah. She might have been adopted this morning, though.
As much as I love her,
I really hope she's not there when I stop by.
She's a good dog and deserves a good home.
People are probably afraid of her.
I'm certain that's it.
Do you think your parents
would let you adopt her by any chance?
No way, they're just as afraid of pits
as everyone else in town.
Also, Bella is quite a handful.
Oh. Well, maybe someone took her this morning.
I hope so.
Hey, Samantha.
No!
Such a sweet puppy.
Oh, hi, Dr. Robertson.
I'll clean the cages in a couple minutes.
Is anyone considering Shadow yet?
No, not yet,
and unfortunately, we have a policy here
that doesn't allow pit bulls
to stay as long as the other dogs.
Why would you have a policy like that?
I know, but some people think
that pit bulls are more vicious.
But Shadow's not vicious.
She's so sweet.
I know, she is.
She's such a sweet dog,
and that's the reason why I'm going to the board
so we can try to change the policy.
Well, couldn't we just not tell them?
I wish it was that easy, Amber,
but if we got caught breaking the rules,
then not only would I be fired,
but then all the dogs would, you know...
Well, is there anything we can do?
You could just really go out
and try to get Shadow adopted.
But that's about all.
Well, I'll just have to do that.
Hey, and I can start a social media page
and put up fliers and stuff.
That's great.
Cool.
Okay.
Sam, I need your help.
What are you doing calling?
This is bigger than just a text.
Shadow needs to be adopted, and quick.
Dr. Robertson said that if she's not adopted
in the next week, they'll put her down.
Put her down where?
Put her to sleep, for good.
That's terrible.
Exactly. We need to get Shadow adopted and pronto.
How?
- Poster board? - Check.
- Color markers. - Check.
And how are your video skills coming along?
I'm up to 500 subscribers on YouTube.
Think a video is in order?
Definitely.
We need to spread this across social media,
make sure everybody knows
a sweet, lovely, and adorable puppy's ready to be adopted.
You got it.
So, as you can probably tell,
Amber is going to be busy for the next few days.
She's going to search far and wide
for a family to adopt Shadow.
It's no small task, let me tell you.
People only see Shadow as a pit bull.
Hello, everyone.
This is Shadow, a very lovable pup who needs a home.
I have volunteered at the shelter for quite some time now,
and this is definitely the most adorable puppy
I have ever seen.
And cut.
We're good to go.
Cool.
I have a bit of a rendezvous first.
A what?
Take this. I'll make sure it gets up on social media.
Thank you.
Hey.
I know you already have a dog,
but we actually have one up for adoption
who's great with other animals.
What's one more, right?
Yep. Just a puppy.
Well, she's a pit bull.
No, that's not true.
Wait!
Another hang-up? Keep trying.
The list Dr. Robertson gave me are all the people
who have adopted or given money,
so if they're not interested in another dog,
then you could always ask them
if they know anyone who might be.
Will do. Let's take a short break, though.
I need to walk Bella.
Then, after that, we can start with the phones again
and start hanging up the posters.
Sounds good.
Samantha Reynolds.
Miss Jenkins?
What are you doing here?
Um, I live here.
I don't sleep at the school, you know,
and your animal is on my lawn.
Um, okay.
Please, control your dog, young lady.
My dog?
You do own that beast, don't you?
Beast? Moi?
We don't own our dogs, Miss Jenkins.
We're their guardians. Call yourself
whatever you like, just please keep your dog off my lawn.
Sorry, Miss Jenkins. It won't happen again.
See to it that it doesn't.
I do have friends in high places, you know,
and I don't want to have to call
and make a nuisance complaint.
Wow.
Wow, she's mean.
How's your new paper for Miss Jenkins's class coming?
Great, I think it's gonna be the best paper
I've written all year.
You sure Miss Jenkins will like the topic?
She seems like more of a cat person.
How can you tell a cat person?
They're tall and skinny.
That's how you tell a cat person?
Sure.
That way, they can reach for cats
when they jump up on things.
You have a funny way of looking at things,
but you might be right.
Maybe my mom's a cat person.
She's not tall enough.
Do not.
What's so funny?
Nothing.
Okay girls, let's head to the zoo.
Adopt the world's nicest pit bull.
Adopt a pit bull.
That's it. I'm out of fliers.
Can we go see some of the animals now?
I haven't been here since I was little.
Yeah, sure.
Congratulations on getting your papers
in on time, everyone.
I must say, you outdid yourselves.
Class dismissed.
Amber?
Is everything okay?
You seem down.
How tall are you?
Well, that's an interesting question,
but I'm five foot, seven inches.
Would you say you're tall or short?
Compared to you, I consider myself tall,
but compared to other teachers at this school, not so tall.
Why do you ask?
No reason.
Miss Jenkins?
Yes?
Would you consider adopting the best puppy
in the whole entire world?
Ah. Shadow the pit bull?
Yeah, the one from my paper.
Amber, I gave you an A plus
because your paper was very well-researched,
but pit bulls are still very dangerous.
But my paper and all my research proves that they're not.
Amber, pit bulls are still very dangerous.
Despite all of your research, I just know they are.
But isn't that vague?
You can't just say they're dangerous.
You need to cite your facts.
Enough, Amber.
Pit bulls are dangerous, and I don't want one.
Besides, I have three cats.
For the record, Miss Jenkins, you're tall.
The girls devoted the whole week
to advertising Shadow.
They had fliers everywhere they were allowed to.
They called all their friends, family, family of friends,
friends of family, and family of friends of family,
seeing if anyone would be interested in adopting Shadow.
They even went on the internet and social media,
making pages dedicated to finding Shadow a home.
The girls stayed up all night
on the phone and on the internet.
How many people do their phones know?
Shouldn't you be asleep?
I don't know. Do I sleep?
Yes, you do, and you like it.
Where do I sleep?
There.
In the vast ocean?
No.
Okay, I'll find a comfortable spot.
Huh. Glass wall?
That's odd.
Maybe this way.
A glass wall?
Maybe if I turn around.
Amber, you did it!
Because of your posters and your social media,
13 different animals got adopted today.
You did it! Congratulations.
Thank you.
But no one adopted Shadow.
No.
There isn't even any interest in any of the other families.
The only one that wants Shadow is you,
and we both know that's impossible.
Unless she's adopted by tonight, then...
There's nothing more that I can do.
I'm gonna go let you and Shadow say your goodbyes.
Okay?
Sweetheart, we're sorry you're so sad.
We wish that there was something that we could do.
It's not fair.
They're just gonna kill her, like she's not important,
like she doesn't have feelings,
like she's not the best dog in the whole entire world.
I know, it sounds unbearable,
but sometimes, in life, we have to accept
that difficult things happen.
But I don't want to accept it.
Someone could adopt her, Mom. Why wouldn't anyone do that?
People don't know Shadow the way that you do.
To them, she looks different.
What if you decided not to adopt me
because I looked different?
What would have happened to me?
And that night, the girl's parents
discussed the situation.
Having been struck by her last comment,
neither of them slept well.
Oh, just when I was starting to enjoy my morning sleep.
Hey!
What is that thing?
Is that a...
Well, I'll be!
Wait, who said that?
Me! I said it.
- Who's me? - The bird!
In the cage, look up!
Hey, a chicken.
I love chicken.
Shadow.
Shadow, you're here!
Shadow, you're here, you're here!
Oh, my gosh!
Mom! Dad!
Come quick!
Mom! Dad!
Look guys, it's Shadow!
We couldn't let something bad happen
to the best dog in the whole entire world.
Thank you so much.
You stay right here. I got to go brush my teeth, okay?
I'll be right back.
All right. Stay right there, okay?
Be right there, Snaps.
What delicious shoes you have, Amber. Mm.
Hey, it's a chicken.
You put out a water bowl and there's a treat at the bottom.
Thanks, Amber.
Hi, Mr. Chicken.
This is a great place to mark my territory.
No!
Boy, I'm exhausted. It sure is fun here, Amber.
It's a monster, a monster!
Okay.
Oh, Snaps.
I'm so sorry, bud. Are you okay?
It peed on me!
It peed on everything!
I told you, a dog would be a lot of work.
It's okay. I love her.
I love you too, Amber.
But you are ruining that nice smell.
Come here, Shadow.
Come here. Good, Shadow.
Shadow, look, look, look.
Isn't she awesome, Sam?
She's adorable.
Let's see if she likes Bella.
Oh.
Shadow, that's Bella. She's gonna be our new friend, okay?
I think she likes her.
Me too.
Can't believe your parents finally let you adopt Shadow.
That's so cool.
Yeah.
I can't either, but sure enough,
there she was at the foot of my bed this morning.
This is the best day of my entire life, and she's so cute.
She is.
Come on, let's play with them.
Little Shadow won't have a chance with the ball
if Bella has any say in it.
Well, you look happy today.
I know. My parents got her!
I know, I was here.
They got here five minutes before we opened.
Yeah, it must have been early
'cause I woke up to her face this morning.
Oh, that must have been the best feeling.
It was.
Hey, I just stopped by to tell you
I'm not gonna be coming in for a little while.
Yeah, of course. Don't even worry about it.
- Okay, cool. - Enjoy, have fun.
Thank you.
So happy for you.
Yes, I would like to report a violation
of ordinance 317, the city's ban on pit bulls.
Well, I'm pretty sure we do have a ban on pit bulls.
It went into effect three years ago.
Well, I can't help it that you
nor anyone else there knows what that is.
Just look it up.
You'll see that I'm right.
Why just ban pit bulls?
We should ban all dog.
What is that talking box?
That's a television.
Can I chew on it?
That would not be safe.
Starting to smell like fish in here.
You want to take Pong upstairs?
Uh, yeah.
I don't know why,
but sometimes Snaps freaks out when he looks at Pong.
Maybe he wants to eat him.
I don't think they eat fish.
At least I hope not.
There's someone at the door.
Yes.
Aren't you gonna get it?
Amber, can you come to the door, please?
What's going on?
You tell her.
Who is she?
Pit bulls are banned in this county.
What? Why?
They bite people.
All dogs bite if you're mean to them.
Not as much as these dogs.
Pit bulls are kind if you raise them nicely.
I'm here to take it away.
No way.
You heard her. You can't have the dog.
Sir, if you don't voluntarily turn the animal over,
I'll arrest you and take the animal by force.
It is the law.
I'm sorry, sir.
What will you do with her?
Well, that will be up to Judge Kelly.
He will rule on it on Saturday.
I'm not letting you take her.
Isn't there anything else that we can do?
Shadow is harmless. The ban has no exceptions.
Officer, do your job.
Sir, I have to take the dog.
Give him the dog, Amber.
Excuse me.
I'm sorry, sir.
I'm sorry, Shadow!
I'll get you back, I promise!
This town, I swear. Nobody makes sense.
Do you know why this nonsense happens?
Don't get started.
Because everybody's so dang pampered!
One person too dumb to manage themselves
does something stupid, so everybody else has to pay for it.
Now isn't the time for this.
And do you know why these idiots get away with it? Hm?
Because they cry. Cry, cry, cry.
Nobody's tough enough to stand up
for basic freedoms anymore.
Nobody fights things anymore.
Nobody takes action in this country anymore.
Somebody has to stand up and fight for Shadow.
Now I'm going to get some ice cream and watch the news!
That's it.
I'll just prove to the judge that Shadow's not dangerous,
and while I'm at it, I'll get rid of that stupid law.
Ban pit bulls?
Who would do such a thing?
Poor girl. It's unbearable.
Mm-hm.
I don't know how she's gonna be able
to get out of bed this morning.
Good morning, Mom and Dad.
Sorry I don't really have time for breakfast.
I'm just gonna grab a piece of toast.
Honey, you okay?
Yeah, I'm great. See ya!
She seems in a good mood.
Stock in beef's going up in Mongolia.
Better get it now.
Pit bulls? Are you crazy?
Those dogs are killers.
They kill everything, especially people.
Shh.
No, they're not. They're great dogs.
Until they eat you for lunch.
Quiet, please, or I'm going to have to ask you to leave.
This is why my friend won't date you.
You've been here for two whole periods.
You've missed lunch and recess.
You okay?
I'm great.
I am a little hungry, though.
This should hold you over until the bell.
Mom made me peanut butter and jelly again.
There's only so much peanut butter and jelly
a person can have.
Thanks. You're the best.
Shh.
What are you doing here anyway?
Well, I'm double-checking my research paper
and making sure I can cite all my facts,
and I'm also working on my oral argument.
You're 12. How can you make an oral argument?
I haven't figured that part out yet.
Well, you better get figuring. You only have three days.
Ladies, shh.
Amber, I'm so sorry.
It's okay.
I had no idea that Hill Valley had a ban on pit bulls.
Nobody did.
Really?
That's odd.
I don't know what to say. I'm sorry.
It's not anyone's fault, especially Shadow's.
I mean, with any luck, we'll get this ordinance repealed.
Let's hope so.
How's she doing?
She's okay.
They have her all locked up, but want to go see her?
Can we?
Yeah, go.
Hey, if you want to see the dog,
you have to keep your hands away from the cage.
She's harmless.
Those are the orders they gave me.
Can't you make an exception?
If she bites, I'll be fired.
But she's my dog. She won't bite.
You can't pet the dog, kid. Sorry.
Fine.
I'm sorry, Shadow.
I want to play with you again, Amber.
I wish you could talk,
then you could tell all these people how nice you are.
I'll find a way to get you out, Shadow, I promise.
Amber, let me out. I want to play.
Hey, Doc.
Shadow and I are getting bored in the back.
How is she?
She's okay, I guess.
Poor Amber. She must be so heartbroken.
Oh. Yeah.
I felt like a criminal myself,
taking this little girl from their home.
I just don't understand all these rules.
To be honest, neither do I.
Sometimes I wish animals could talk.
I think it would be interesting
to hear what they have to say.
We can talk.
Humans can't understand us.
Why not?
They lost that instinct long ago.
That's too bad.
I envy them, at times.
Why?
I prefer the company of humans.
They have more to talk about.
Why?
They have the whole world around them
to explore and talk about.
You're limited to your bowl.
I'm in an ocean.
Hey, what's this glass wall?
Hold on, Snaps is upset.
Sorry about that.
Guess what.
Samantha and I have been working on our case, right?
And we need you to be our star witness.
I would love to. When is it?
This Saturday.
I can't this Saturday.
This Saturday is the weekend I have to go to the board.
Amber, this is our chance to become a no-kill shelter.
I'm so sorry, I can't.
It's okay.
We're going to do our best
to try and win you back, all right?
Look, girl, listen,
I feel for you, but I can't keep telling you this.
You have to keep your hands away from that cage.
But she's my dog.
You keep saying that, but she isn't.
She's the city's now.
Can we just play for a little?
Look, kid...
Ah, go on.
Hey, Shadow.
Aw, good puppy.
Good puppy. Yes.
Yes, good puppy.
And so, Your Honor, it's clear to see
that pit bulls are like any other dog breed,
except maybe a little better.
I'd clap, but the effect would just be
that I'd fly against the cage.
You can fly?
For heaven's sake, fish, I'm a bird.
You're a bird?
I think I'm ready.
Trust me, you're ready.
Should we do anything to prep for court tomorrow?
Amber's smart.
Say, who's the TV guest tonight?
The star of that new zombie movie.
The fat one, or the one with the thing on his neck?
Neck.
This ought to be a good one.
Today's the big day.
Afternoon, everyone.
Oh, thank you, you don't have to stand,
not until we're in the courtroom anyway.
Sorry about that.
Well, thank you guys for stopping by.
It's always nice to meet the people I'll preside over,
and, of course, this is a very unusual circumstance.
Young lady, you plan to plead this case?
Yes, Your Honor.
Under state law, anyone is allowed
to plead a civil case before a judge.
The People versus the City of Hill Valley is a civil case,
so I would like to exercise those rights.
Amber, I think you and I are gonna get along just fine.
Now, you want your puppy in the courtroom?
Yes, sir, as evidentiary evidence.
Oh, this should be fun.
Both of you litigators?
Oh, Presbyterians.
I'm a homemaker.
Although I didn't actually build the house. We bought it.
But I do like to cook.
Well, mainly, I microwave.
I prefer it.
Oh, I'm sorry, sir, you prefer what?
Microwave popcorn.
Unless we're watching that one show about the gators,
and then I like to eat pistachio nuts.
I'm adopted.
Okay, permission to bring the dog
into the courtroom is granted.
Your Honor.
Look, this old courthouse is already filled
with all kinds of mice.
One little dog won't make a difference.
Unless you have a problem with that. Bill?
No, sir.
- Thank you, sir. - Yeah.
Okay, good.
Now, Amber, you can argue the case before my court,
but being 12 years old does not exempt you
from professionalism and decorum, okay?
So that means you should conduct yourself
as an attorney at all times, wear the proper attire,
and never, ever argue with me after I've made a decision.
Do you think you can do that?
Yes, Your Honor.
Very well.
Any advice you would give to a young attorney?
Yes, always make sure that your cellphone is on silent
when you're in my courtroom.
That goes for you too.
Got it.
And bring some of those
delicious treats.
Can I?
Can you what?
I don't know what you're talking about.
Come here, Shadow.
Good puppy.
I know, you must be scared.
I am too.
But I got you out once
and I'll find a way to do it again, I promise.
You're gonna have to spend a couple more days here, though.
I want you to drop out of this case, Frank.
What are you talking about?
This is the lightest case to come across my desk in years.
I handle all of the big cases in this city. This is nothing.
Yeah, and I'm telling you it's an election year
and I don't want you on this case.
Does anybody have any treats?
You're my campaign manager.
Don't we want the media attention?
Oh, bacon is my favorite.
Sure, the right kind.
Sausage. I also like sausage.
You want to be known as the guy
who took away a kid's dog?
Maybe I'll reverse the ban.
I'll give the kid back her dog and everybody will love me.
Fine.
And a couple years from now,
a kid gets attacked by a pit bull,
who do you think everyone's going to blame?
Any kind of table scraps.
Just give me what you got.
I see your point.
You can't win, Frank.
Get off the case.
The people of this city elected me to do a job.
I'm just gonna have to take the case seriously
and let the chips fall where they may.
Is there any food
in this office, or not?
Did you know that communities
across the country have ordinances that ban pit bulls?
They're called breed specific laws, or BSLs.
BSLs.
My BFF is going to take the courtroom by storm.
Yeah, think so?
No doubt about it, girl. Who will be your first witness?
Well, I was thinking I'd start from the very beginning,
with the person who actually suggested the ban.
We know her.
Really? Do tell.
Miss Jenkins.
No way.
Our teacher?
Oh, yes way.
She did say she had friends in high places.
Wait. What?
Remember?
We were walking Bella
and she said she had friends in high places.
Maybe she has a friend from the city.
You're a genius.
Thanks.
How?
Boy, these lawyers are getting
younger every day.
All rise.
Judge Francis Kelly presiding. Court is now in session.
Good morning, everyone.
Please be seated.
And let's begin.
Representing the City is William Laport.
Good morning, Your Honor.
And representing the People is Miss Amber Johnson.
Yes, Your Honor.
Representing the good people and dogs
of this city and all others.
Very good. Miss Johnson, do you have an opening statement?
I do, Your Honor.
But before I start, I would like permission to bring
my Pit Bull Terrier puppy named Shadow into court.
Shadow is a Pit Bull Terrier,
and the reason this case is before you today.
Granted.
Bring in Shadow, please.
Aww.
Uh-oh.
Look what the cat drug in, a pit bull.
I'm getting out of here.
Your Honor, as you can probably tell,
I am not an attorney.
I am a 12-year-old girl who, up until last week,
was a proud owner of a Pit Bull Terrier puppy named Shadow.
Amber. Amber.
In the short time that Shadow was in our home,
she brought great joy to our family.
She is a very kind, sweet,
and gentle dog who loves us very much.
I researched what I should say in my opening statement
and found out it needs to be
about the evidence presented during the trial.
"Stick to the facts," it said.
So here goes.
My argument against this unfair ban
consists of two main facts.
Number one: The city disregarded
the fundamental rights of residents
by not telling them they were going to vote on the ban.
This is in direct violation of city rules.
And number two: The ban completely discriminates
against an entire breed of dogs.
All dogs, including pit bulls,
should be judged individually.
Three years ago, Hill Valley banned Pit Bull Terriers.
The ban was voted on by city council after one resident,
just one, voiced her concern to a city official.
She did not come before the board,
and the council did not even allow residents
to get their voices heard.
Just one day after the complaint,
with no public hearings, the ban went into effect.
As to my second point,
you'll find that even though this ban was enacted,
there are no incidents of dog bites
from pit bulls in our city.
According to records kept at City Hall,
there have been 30 reported dog bites in our city
over the past 20 years, none of which are from pit bulls.
These are the facts, Your Honor.
Thank you.
Thank you, Miss Johnson.
Mr. Laport, do you have an opening statement?
Your Honor, we believe the facts will show
the city's ban on this predatory species of dog
was done with full accordance of the law.
Frankly, Miss Johnson's statement is potentially libelous.
This ban was voted on by the entire council
to protect the safety and well-being of local residents.
Furthermore, pit bulls are a dangerous animal,
often used for dog fighting.
Allowing them in our city would simply be irresponsible.
The breed represents a clear and present danger
to the people and property of Hill Valley.
Ask yourself, would a city with an anti-vandalism ordinance
have to have an incident of vandalism
in order for the ban to go into effect?
Of course not.
These are preventative measures
to help protect all residents.
And the same can be said for a ban on pit bulls.
These animals are an unpredictable and predatory species.
The ban was needed then and it's needed now.
Thank you.
That's true.
Thank you, Mr. Laport.
Miss Johnson, please call your first witness.
Your Honor, I'd like to call Miss Martha Jenkins
of Hill Valley Middle School.
Miss Jenkins, please step forward.
Please raise your right hand.
Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
Yes. Yes, I do.
Have a seat.
Good morning, Miss Jenkins.
Good morning.
Three years ago, you came to the city offices
inquiring about a ban on pit bulls.
Is this correct?
Yes, that's correct.
Why did you want this ban?
Well, I had read that the City of Denver
had started the ban,
and I thought it would be great public policy
for Hill Valley as well.
Yes, but that answer is vague.
What I'm looking for are specifics and facts.
For example, is there an experience you personally had
with a pit bull that made you want this ban?
Well, no, but-
- There had to be something, correct?
Pit bulls are mean, nasty, ferocious dogs.
Everyone knows that.
They're vicious animals.
But I'm not.
Miss Jenkins, you can't just say how you feel.
Are you able to prove any of this?
I'm sorry, but without citing your sources,
your statements just carry no weight.
Don't you speak to me like that, young lady.
Objection, Your Honor.
You don't get to object, Miss Jenkins.
Objection, Your Honor.
Overruled.
Miss Jenkins, do you have any proof
to back up your statements?
Well, um, I'm...
I'm assigning you extra homework
and taking away your recess period.
Miss Jenkins, threatening an attorney
in my courtroom is a very serious offense.
Would you like to rethink your statement?
My apologies.
Very well. We'll let it slide this time.
Miss Johnson, you may continue.
I love fingers.
I love you, Amber.
Step away from the cage, please.
Ferocious.
Your Honor, do we really need these types of antics?
Miss Johnson is obviously trying to undermine the witness
instead of question her.
Miss Johnson, do you have any other questions
for Miss Jenkins?
Yes, Your Honor.
One more question.
Miss Jenkins, who did you first contact
about this potential ban?
I don't see why that's important.
Miss Jenkins, you will answer the question.
I contacted William Laport.
You mean, Attorney Laport, who's arguing the city's case?
Yes.
Had you known Attorney Laport prior?
Objection, Your Honor.
Miss Jenkins's prior relationship to me
or anyone else isn't relevant to this case.
Overruled.
What's going on here, Bill?
Well, you see, Your Honor, Miss Jenkins and...
Never mind. Never mind.
Sit down, Bill.
Yes, sir.
Carry on, Miss Johnson.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Miss Jenkins, please answer the question.
Did you know Attorney Laport
before asking him to champion the ban on pit bulls?
Yes.
How exactly did you know him?
Mr. Laport is my fiance.
Oops, busted.
Thank you, Miss Jenkins.
Your witness, Mr. Laport. No pun intended.
Miss Jenkins, did our relationship, in any way,
affect the council's decision to ban pit bulls?
Well, Bill, you did say you could make it happen.
Miss Jenkins, let's be clear.
I, in no way, alluded to the fact
that I could sway the council in any way, correct?
You said that you could get them
to do anything you wanted.
No further questions, Your Honor. Thank you, Miss Jenkins.
You may step down.
Don't snap at me.
The weight of the world on her tiny shoulders
and she remembers my treat, always.
Tomorrow is gonna be the biggest day in Amber's life.
It's the last day of the trial
and she gives her closing argument.
Amber has worked real hard, but she needs a game changer.
Let's see what she
and Sam are cooking up. Just about done.
Did our relationship, in anyway,
affect the council's decision to ban pit bulls?
Well, Bill, you did say
you could make it happen.
Miss Jenkins, let's be clear.
I, in no way, alluded to the fact
that I could sway the council in any way, correct?
You said that you could get them
to do anything you wanted.
Viral gold.
Should I upload it?
Go for it.
Miss Johnson, Judge Kelly would like to see you
in his office before we get started today.
Did our relationship, in any way,
affect the council's decision to ban pit bulls?
Well, Bill, you did say
you could make it happen.
"Odor in the Court"?
Not funny?
No, not funny at all.
Amber, I told you I expect you to act
in a professional manner, correct?
Yes.
Yes what?
Yes, Your Honor.
Did your friend do this?
Yes, Your Honor.
And I knew she was doing it too.
I told her it would be okay to put it on the internet.
Well, it's not okay.
Videotaping court proceedings is strictly prohibited.
Your friend needs to take this off the internet immediately.
If she violates the rule again,
I will disqualify you from my court
and the ban on pit bulls will stand.
Do you understand?
I do, Your Honor. I'm sorry.
And don't let it happen again.
And don't expect any breaks today.
Yes, sir.
Dismissed.
Quite a mess you've made for yourself, Frank.
Mess? Did somebody drop some food?
Miss Johnson,
please call your first witness.
Yes, Your Honor.
Well, sort of, but not really.
I have a prerecorded testimony from Dr. Robertson,
a licensed veterinarian and also manager of Bark-A-Bout.
Objection, Your Honor.
I have no way of cross-examining this witness.
Sustained.
I'm sorry, Miss Johnson, but I'm not gonna be able to weigh
Dr. Robertson's testimony when I make my decision.
Please continue with your case.
Yes, Your Honor.
Hello, Your Honor.
I'm sorry that I cannot make it in court today,
but I'd like to tell you,
in all my years working with animals,
I've had many experiences working with pit bulls
and they are not nicer or kinder than any other breed.
It all depends on the way the dog is raised.
If a dog's raised with love and kindness,
then the dog has love and kindness inside of it.
In this case, I know that Amber has so much love
and kindness inside of her
and, therefore, I say that Shadow is not a threat
in any way to our city.
Again, Your Honor, I object.
I'd like to be able to cross-examine this witness,
but I'm stuck with a computer screen.
I'm sorry, Miss Johnson,
but I am not gonna weigh Dr. Robertson's testimony
when I make my decision.
Please, continue with your case.
Samantha, could you please put Exhibit One on the easel?
This is a blown up replica
of my recently written research paper entitled,
"Why Pit Bulls Are Misunderstood."
As you can see, I got an A plus on this paper.
Congratulations.
An A plus is very difficult to achieve
in Miss Jenkins's class.
Isn't that right, Samantha?
It is.
Your Honor, do we really-
- Uh...
Please, continue, Miss Johnson.
Samantha, could you please put Exhibit Two on the easel?
As you can see, the ASPCA,
that's short for the American Society
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals,
published a chart that shows all of the recorded dog bites
within the past year along the left side of the chart.
Along the bottom, you will see the breeds
that caused these bites.
Among these breeds are German Shepherd, beagle,
Rottweiler, Poodle, Labrador Retriever, Chihuahua,
Bull Terrier, also known as the pit bull,
Cocker Spaniel, and Havanese.
As you can see, the Chihuahua has most reported dog bites,
more than the Labrador Retriever, Poodle, Rottweiler,
Bull Terrier, also known as pit bull,
and all of the other breeds.
Chihuahuas are bad.
Stay away from Chihuahuas.
Samantha, could you please put
Exhibit Number Three on the board?
This is a quote from the American Kennel Club.
It reads, "Today's responsible breeders"
are producing sweet-natured, family-oriented pit bulls
so trustworthy that they've earned the name as a nanny dog,
"a child's patient playmate and steady guardian."
And that's a quote, you say, from the AKC?
Yes, Your Honor, sir.
It is from my paper and direct from the research I did.
And might I remind you,
I did get an A plus in Miss Jenkins's class.
Yeah, that did not slip my mind,
but thank you very much for reminding me.
Please, go on.
Samantha, could you please put
Exhibit Number Four on the easel?
This carefully researched article states
that pit bulls that are mistreated
by humans can be taught to bite,
but the problem is with the humans that mistreat them,
not with the breed itself.
This "Huffington Post" article is one of my main sources
for my paper that led me to get an A plus.
See, what Shadow needs, just like any other puppy,
is good exercise, love, food, and good training.
If you can give this to a puppy,
or any dog for that matter, you'll get a great pet.
Wow. That was good.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Thank you, Miss Johnson.
Mr. Laport, perhaps you would like
to argue against this paper
and explain why your fiancee was wrong to give it an A plus.
Not at this time, Your Honor.
Very wise.
Miss Johnson, I understand that you have
one more witness to call.
Yes, Your Honor.
Please, go ahead.
Your Honor, this is my best exhibit of all.
Thank you a thousand times.
You bet.
Hey, baby.
Hi.
Hello.
Oh. I got you.
Oh.
Your Honor, this is Shadow the pit bull. Wanna pet her?
Um.
Hi. Hello, hello, hello.
Yes, you're very, very cute.
Miss Johnson, Amber,
why don't you take your adorable pet home
and raise her well?
I declare the ban on pit bulls to be banned.
Well, there you have it, boys and girls.
Really, did you have any doubts?
With the help of Amber's defense,
the city of Hill Valley now welcomes all kinds of dogs,
tall ones, short ones, fat and skinny, and pit bulls too.
Shadow was able to come home with Amber that day,
and Mrs. Jenkins hasn't assigned
a single bit of homework since the trial.
I love you, Amber.
We're gonna be together forever.