Sad animal stories – this is what I was talking about
Awhile ago, I wrote about how happy I was to see a happy animal story in the paper.
This is the kind of article that made me say that. Toni Fedor had her boyfriend watch her dog while she went to work in 2007. When she came home, her dog was so severely beaten that he lost an eye. On Monday, the ex-boyfriend was sentenced to 10 days in jail, along with a two year probation, a psychological evaluation, and 150 hours of community service. He also had to pay $1500 to cover veterinary expenses.
Ten days in jail seems like a very lenient sentence to me (And oh, why is this being settled over a year later?). But Fedor is quoted in the story as saying, “I feel like it’s a punishment that fits the crime.” Does that mean she is satisfied with this minimal sentence?
Think if that was YOUR pet. YOUR dog. YOUR cat. YOUR bird. YOUR ferret. YOUR rabbit. YOUR whatever. I know animals are not the same as people. I am not crazy. But when you have a pet, they FEEL like family.
Ten days in jail is not the appropriate sentence for hurting a family member like that. Especially a small, defenseless family member.
People who hurt animals are likely to go on and hurt PEOPLE. Many studies back this up. I think the boyfriend deserves a bit more time in jail, and a little bit more than a psychological evaluation.
And this guy (scroll to bottom), who kicked a cat so hard that it had to be euthanized? I hope he does get the full three years in prison.
Themocracy
I couldn’t finish reading this–these things make me physically sick.
So, I guess there’s your answer!
People like this should be glad I’m not a judge nor one of those animal police people because my answer would be to shoot them in the head immediately. They deserve nothing less…unless it’s torture before shooting them in the head. You didn’t want this answer sugar-coated did ya?
Oh and if it was my animal – I would tear them apart limb by limb or use the old tried and true method of what they would used to do to traitors in the 1400s…but I won’t get into all that here cause it’s kinda yucky.
Ha, Amy said it best with “if I was a judge”. If someone hurt my Manny, 10 days is not even close to what I would have in mind! Glad he’s getting a psych eval, because uh, hello! you might be a whole lotta crazy if you beat up on an animal!! The community service sentence should be a lot longer, too. I would suggest an animal shelter but he’s crazy so maybe he could just pick up garbage off the side of a busy highway.
Hope, NO PRAY, that I never meet this guy OR the guy that kicked a cat! GRR!
We were at a dinner party once and the family had this big black dog that cowered away from any males. It was odd, and I asked and found out that when he was a little puppy, only 8 weeks old, they had a burglary while they were out to dinner. When they came home, the house was in shambles, all the electronics gone, and the puppy was curled on the couch cowering. They never figured out what happened, I can only imagine – but that HUGE dog was simply terrified of men from then on out – even though it had been years.
There is no difference between abusing a human being or an animal. It’s wrong.
If you were to ask any pet owner whether they think punishment for abusing animals should equal the same punishment for abusing people, your answers would be a resounding YES. That’s ridiculous that this guy gets off on 10 days in jail. I’m disgusted.
I feel the same way, my blood boils when I hear stories like that. I can’t fathom how people get away with things like that. If anyone did anything to my beasts, I will be out for blood.
My heart aches for the people who have to deal with the aftermath of the cruelty to their pets and for the poor animals.
I agree. But I think a lot of times people get way to lenient of a sentence when the crime is against another person as well. We have a situation in our neighborhood where one person constantly goes to jail and then comes back only a few days later. There are kids involved and it just makes me hate her so much even though I don’t think hating someone is ok to do. Anyway, my point is that although I do think a person should be punished every bit as much no matter if they harm a person or an animal, I think in general people do not get nearly as much of a punishment/rehabilitation as they should when they do something wrong. Which is probably why the feel it is all right to repeat the action, making it more difficult to punish/rehabilitate them because there are so many people comitting crimes that need to be dealt with. It sort of seems like a circle that needs to be broken. To sum up my rambly thought: Animals matter just as much as people and anyone causing harm to any other being should get a stronger sentence to discourage the behaviour.
I can’t go read that link or I’ll be so torn between anger and sorrow that I will make myself sick. But I do agree with you that the sentencing sure seemed light. It was definitely not equivalent to getting beaten and requiring hospitalization. People who hurt animals ARE a danger to society. I’ve also read about some of the studies that show that those people are more apt to hurt people as well. Why wouldn’t they? They have already proven they are bullies when they hurt creatures that cannot reason nor defend themselves. I’d love to see them get the crap beaten out of them by someone they didn’t expect it from and have it take them completely by surprise. Or maybe it would be more humane to just euthanize these people. I’m okay with that too.
This story makes me ill. I never understand when people hurt animals – OR children. It is so, so similar. I love my dog so much – and, this may sound crazy, but I TELL him I love him every day. (you know, in my mind, he always understands what I say!!!). The pet-owner relationship is so intricate, and is not unlike a parent-child relationship. If anyone ever hurt my Oscar…gosh, I don’t even know. It would not be good!
diane – I HATE when I see one of these articles, because I WANT to skip it but always end up reading the entire thing. And then feeling sick.
Amy @ Passages to the Past – You don’t have to sugar coat it for me. 😉 It appalls me that the punishment is so minimal. They are not humans, but they are still living BEINGS.
Gina (Mannyed) – That is what I thought – 10 days? 10 DAYS? If that was my pet, I would be offended that it was only 10 days. I wonder if any of the higher powers in office are discussing punishment for animal abuse.
Kyra – Wow. That poor dog. And that is the thing – animals can usually heal, from physical and emotional abuse – but sometimes they can’t. There was a cat at the shelter I worked at in Rome who was beaten so badly it caused her to lose her sight and become slow. She was very afraid when we first started working with her. And even though she got better, she was never “normal” – there was always fear.
SoMi’s Nilsa – I wonder if there is some way we can all speak up on this, because I think you are right. And so many people are pet lovers…
Christina – I was thinking about the woman. The article made her seem so passive about the whole situation. It must have been so awful for her when she returned home from work though. Something like that scars you for life.
tori – Good point – no one is getting punished as strictly as they should for anything. I think any abuse should have a strict punishment. That is so awful you live with a person like that in your neighborhood. 🙁
teeni – All of these studies are making the connection, but not much is done about it. I like your ideas 😉
Mrs. Smith – I didn’t think of that. Children and animals are defenseless, especially when left alone with someone. I always think that my cat is like a baby. We talk to him too 😉
These type of articles make me sick. I am a vet who works with many abused animals day after day, trying to physically and mentally heal them. Though i have probably worked with almost 100 now, i will never forget Joy Anne. Joy Anne was a 1 year old Jack Russell Terrier, named Tina when i first saw her adorable little eyes and wet nose that tickled your hand at first touch. She came to me because her owner (Maria Hajez) suspected her of having fleas. She indeed had them and i cured them. 2 years later, i saw Tina again, this time her owner was James Watt. He had changed her name to Daisy. She came in for a check up. Nothing was wrong with her except for the fact that she stunk. i gave her a wash and remembered her eyes and nose. 3 years after that i read in a news article that a dog named Death had been thrown against a car, chucked in a lake and almost drowned, cut against barbed wire and a knife and starved. The article also said that Dr Tayler, a friend of a friend of mine, was looking after her, and “… hopefully leading this highly abused mans best friend to the road of life and second chances.” I visited Dr Tayler. He was scanning her microchip and I realised ‘Death’ was Tina. At that moment, my heart skipped a beat. She was so skinny, bleeding everywhere. Her nose and left ear had been cut off. Her tail had been stretched severly enough that Dr Tayler had had to call on his most highly qualified surgeon to painlessly cut it off. I was on the verge of tears. When Dr Tayler found out, 2 days later, that his wife had cancer, he realised how close i was with this dog and called me into his place as lead of looking after the poor canine. I was delighted and i spent every minute i had to help the dog. Eventually, Tina was saved and renamed Joy Anne. Joy for the fact that she had the bounciest little soul when she had completely recovered and Anne after me. I looked after Joy Anne for a month before she was adopted by a little girl and her family. They kept the name Joy Anne right until the day that she died, 12th December, 2007 at the age of 14, in her sleep. I have never forgotten her since.
The police found out that Joy Anne had been abused because Maria Hajez (her first owner) had owed the 3 of them $10,200 each. Maria was bankrupt and so couldn’t pay them. This was also why she sold Joy Anne to James Watt. They were sentenced to 34 years in jail, but i think that even this amount of time wasnt enough for all the pain they caused that cute little dog many years ago.
Thanks for sharing your compassionate story! I think abuse stories like this are FAR more common than we would like to know. I worked at a cat shelter in Rome and most of the cats were dumped there and severely beaten or malnourished. I wish there were harder laws against animals crimes, and that it was taken more seriously when seen in children.
At least articles like this one about Operation Chihuahua Airlift make me smile.
Thank you for your comment and taking care of Joy Anne 🙂
Oh my god! If this was one of my animals, which i have 6, 10 days wouldn’t cut it. I wouldn’t be satisfied because knowing my animals were harmed would just kill me inside!!! If any of my dogs, i have 4, or cats, i have 2, i would have had that person in jail for way longer!!! I am a complete animal lover and i can’t stand it when animals are hurt.